DAMMAM-BASED Sigma Paints has launched its new distribution shops concept, with the opening last month of the first two facilities featuring the new look. 

The three-year programme entails upgrading its existing shops and setting up additional outlets, as part of its channel marketing strategy. The new shop concept is aimed at providing superb customer experience and designed specifically to meet customer needs.

The two Sigma shops are located at Al Thuqba and Al Akrabia in Al Khobar.

The programme initially focuses on the main cities of Dammam, Al Khobar, Riyadh and Jeddah, followed by other cities and the remote areas of the kingdom.  Sigma Paints, with its extensive experience as part of the global leader of PPG group, has created the facelift for the outlets in cooperation with global design consultancy Design Worldwide Partnership (DWP).

The upgrade of the Sigma shops entails a new interior design and decor for the shops, introduction of a showroom area for paints, tools and accessories and a Colour Wall – a colour and lifestyle area with a series of colour panels, the extent of which depends on the size and the location of the shop as well as the customers it serves.

A Sigma shop in Al Khobar sporting the new look.

The programme also involves training of sales staff in new merchandising techniques and the introduction of a standard dress code for staff.

The concept originated from Sigma’s desire to better serve the market and cater to all the requirements of customers.

“Customer experience is very important and our shops provide areas that inspire families on how to decorate their homes,” says Antoine Lejuez, marketing manager Middle East, Sigma Paints Saudi Arabia. “Professionals know what they want and so areas dedicated to these professionals focus primarily on carefully categorising merchandising to enable them to locate their requirements.”

Depending on the locality and the type of customers that patronise the outlet, the Sigma shops are divided into two areas targeting the professional and the end-user. The majority of the shops are ‘50:50 outlets’, which will have half the area designed to meet the requirements of professionals and the other half targeted at end-users.  These shops will have larger “inspirational corners” providing information about the latest trends and shades in the market.

“These stores will have dedicated ‘inspirational’ areas that focus on the customer experience, enabling families to use these ideas to create their own concepts for their homes,” says Lejuez. “Here, the Colour Wall comprises three colour panels – each measuring 2 m by 1 m – and is supported by a 320-colour inspirational book.  These panels are arranged so that a colour scheme can be chosen by matching colours either vertically or horizontally.”

Meanwhile, other stores that cater primarily to the contractors and painters – the 90:10 outlets – have 90 per cent of the area addressing the needs of these professionals with 10 per cent of the area laid out to facilitate the end-user. 

The Sigma shops are part of Sigma Paints’ three-tier channel marketing strategy. 

“Our three-tier channel marketing strategy aims to cover all the segments of the market, making it easier for all our customers to source their requirements,” says Lejuez.

As part of this strategy, Sigma opened the Sigma Service Centre last May, which is dedicated to its professional customers – being what is described by Sigma as “the 100 per cent professional outlet”.  The third tier in this plan caters solely for the end-user and should see the opening of “the 100 per cent end-user shop” in the Eastern Province later this year.

The Sigma Service Centre is an innovative new retail concept for contractors and painters, which was taken as a first step in upgrading Sigma’s product distribution channels in the kingdom. The Sigma Service Centre is an entirely new ‘one-stop-shop’ concept in the Middle East, says Lejuez. Conveniently located in the Al Rakkah district, just metres from the main Dammam-Al Khobar highway, the centre stocks a wide assortment of the latest paint and tool innovations from Sigma, as well as top-quality products from renowned international tool and equipment brands. In one small and clearly laid-out area, the professional visitor can view the latest market innovations. The centre also includes a training facility.