Grow with Character! (3 / 100) Series by Hermawan Kartajaya - Internship at the University of Sampoerna

My second TEACHERS before opening MarkPlus Professional Service on May 1, 1990 is Putera Sampoerna. That was my last company before MarkPlus.

For me, Sampoerna is a university where I was an apprentice. My main mission for about two and a half years there was to build their own distribution systems.

Mr. Son is to believe, though Sampoerna has a good product, if the distribution is''stuck'', there would be no point. In fact, when the product was''strong''Sampoerna only one, the Dji Sam Soe. Other product when it is''only''a regional, not national.

Dji Sam Soe is very strong. Even now still''sacred''. Almost no other brand can go into that segment. Dji Sam Soe cigarettes bridge is the most expensive in Indonesia, even in the world. Because, outside of Indonesia, there are no cigarettes bridge ... :)

But, when it was Mr. Son was planning to launch new innovative products. Later, we all learned that the product is A Mild, which is the first breakthrough of the impasse''innovation''bridge at that time. Just like in the case of Java Post yesterday, although quite innovative product, if the distribution channels clogged, it not any good.

Among his four P marketing mix, ie product, price, place, and promotion, this place is the most difficult. Typically, most marketing people love playing aja price because the results can be seen directly. Down prices today, tomorrow the volume of sales rose.

Prescription drugs! But, can be dangerous because it does not necessarily solve the real problem. In fact, if too often used, not in place, brand image can be destroyed. Except when a brand is positioned as a low cost or low price.

Air Asia and Ikea for example, tried to lower the price of goods with the same quality from time to time. But, it requires innovation in the field of process and cost. Not just slam the price!

After price, which is often toyed with the promotion, among others, because''glamorous''. So, ngerjainnya seneng. Also, often due to accelerated competitors!

Price war is marketing two''war''is often the case because it is relatively easy. Product innovation is much more difficult because according to statistics 80 percent of new products fail for various reasons.

Therefore, people became reluctant to do so. Better to wait! But, be late lho ...

In addition, if we do not have to develop new products, products strong as Dji Sam Soe will''die''in a while!

Therefore, Putera Sampoerna has asked me to fix the distribution. ''There is no point in having innovative products that stuck in the distribution,''he said.

Well, this is the most averse''done''because many of the people who will be the victim, so the''resistance''to be high.

At that time, my job is similar to the PT Stage. Changing a model agency model management branch. And it was not easy!

Bayangin course, how Sampoerna agents who had three generations suddenly taken over the function by a branch head. They are already very wealthy. But, the thing is, they do not want to''lose face''in their respective regions. Therefore, the negotiations must be carried out patiently and slowly.

At that time, I divide the 54 areas of Indonesia so by considering, among other things, market size, route logistics, and many traders large and small cigarettes. All the data from the BPS files themselves mixed carefully analyzed. In addition, disisakan still difficult area to keep hold special dealers.

Well, among the 54 areas that, ultimately determined the nine regions. Number nine is a sacred number in Sampoerna. Therefore, the figure is a symbol of perfection. I still remember, when it was all the phone numbers and car numbers in Sampoerna is always number nine!

For this reason also, the logo MarkPlus Professional Service which began May 1, 1990 the use of square three times three with the letter MARKETING. Pas nine letters right! Figures hokkie!

Mastery of territory by people who truly understand the market is very important for Putera Sampoerna. Without it, any product seinovatif driven anything as powerful as advertising will not be successful. Because of this distribution problem is not glamorous, less marketing people like to talk about it. But, it's where the key!

So, many people mistakenly understand that Philip Morris would like to buy Sampoerna with such high prices just because A Mild, and the ads are creative. They forget that even now I think most solid Sampoerna in the distribution and market control.

Tomorrow I was going to tell you again another lesson I learned during my internship at Sampoerna ...(*)