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Market Until recently, consumers and building contractors in Turkey could only buy building materials through small local stores and hardware shops. This local culture started to change at the second half of the 1990’s with a strong entrance of the foreign home improvement and do-it-yourself (DIY) stores. Even so today, these organized DIY stores still account for less than 10% of the total sales in the construction materials market. Meanwhile, the market is expected to grow dynamically in 2005 following a parallel trend with the revival in the construction sector. Praktiker, being one of the leading DIY chain stores in the market, opened its first store in the Bilkent district of Ankara in 1998. From there, the company developed rapidly and until 2005 Praktiker expanded in ‹stanbul, ‹zmir, Adana, Konya, and Gaziantep, giving the company a national total selling space of 60,000 m2 This development has occurred naturally in response to the changing needs of customers, who have come to prefer one-stop shopping for all their home and garden needs. Praktiker, serving needs of different target groups is now the market leader with eight stores in six cities. History whether at home or work. The spectrum Achievements Praktiker was founded in 1978 and started includes everything from paints to whole Growing faster than their competitors, Praktiker under the name of ‘Batiself’ in Luxembourg. In bathrooms, products for the kitchen to the is the only home improvement centre that has 1979, the company opened four Praktiker stores garden with desirable and practical features at invested in Anatolian cities other than Ankara in Germany and started to grow with the favourable prices, all available under one roof. and ‹zmir. The success of the company’s acquisition of other home improvement and DIY Praktiker pays particular attention to the customer-oriented approach was recognized by stores. The company then merged with Asko price-quality balance to meet the needs of a the Turkish Consumer Report magazine, which Group in 1990. wide variety of customers. Consequently, the bestowed Praktiker with the Consumer Friends In 1993, Asko Deutsche Kaufhaus AG became company offers a wide spectrum of products Golden Quality Award (TDAK) as the Best DIY a part of the Metro Group, which is a leading from well-known brands to no-name products, Store of the Year in 2005. The award was given retail company in Germany and the world. Asko fulfilling the low, mid and premium price ranges. at the discretion of the 6th TDAK Awards had gone public in 1995, the same year it merged By excluding transportation and installation Selection Board together with the support with Kaufhof & Metro C&C, and Metro AG. costs from pricing, Praktiker offers an Consumers representatives votes . Praktiker opened its first store abroad in advantageous and transparent product pricing Greece in 1991. policy for the customers. To complement this Looking for new approach in terms of customer service, the markets, at the company also offers transportation, installation beginning of 2000’s, and the services of skilled crafts people at the company began to competitive prices. exploit its growth One of Praktiker’s distinctive consumer- potential in Europe by orientated strategies is the way it holds down opening stores in prices on low-end basic construction products Poland, Hungary, to ensure the company always offers the Turkey, Romania and cheapest price available on the market. To Bulgaria. By the achieve this, the market is observed 365 days moment Praktiker and the prices are adjusted so that the price operates in eight stays the cheapest at all times. This is especially countries, ranking as welcomed by customers on tight budgets facing Germany’s second repair or renewal outlays. largest and the world’s Praktiker goes even further by offering super seventh largest home discount prices on many products once a month improvement and DIY in its Open Market promotion, while all of its store chain. stores have a Flea Market section for bargain- priced goods displayed continuously. Product Praktiker has agreements with two banks for Praktiker offers its special payment offers to its customers. Praktiker customers a broad offers Yap› Kredi Bank’s World Card and Türkiye product spectrum of ‹fl Bank’s Maximum Card holders an extension of more than 50,000 payment up to 24 installations with special items for building- interest rates. With special campaigns Praktiker renovating, decorating also offers 0% interest installations during times and gardening, where construction and renovation is high. 148 SUPERBRANDS Moreover, together with Anadolu Cetelem, quality shopping environment Praktiker offers consumer financing the same day through a process of as application to allow another payment continual renewal which is alternative for those who do not wish to pay based on consumer research. with credit cards. These research findings allow Another distinctive feature of Praktiker is the the company to provide the crucial role it gives to its employees in ensuring latest products for a range of customer satisfaction. The company employs budgets, whether the floor staff with the relevant knowledge and products are home experience, which is vital in a sector whose appliances, bathroom fittings, customers are frequently experienced, quick to ceramic tiles, electronic comprehend and solution orientated. equipment, furniture or carpeting. The company sees Recent Developments meeting the evolving needs Praktiker applies its own worldwide standards to of women customers as the Turkish operations to fully meet its especially important to its customers’ needs and expectations. The strategy. company maintains a comfortable and high- Improvement of the ‘Shop in Shop’ concept has brought selected brands to the foreground, assisting customers to find merchandise. Each store also has a café where customers can refresh themselves on a shopping visit. Praktiker’s standard services include free parking and reserved parking areas for disabled customers. product range that improves life quality. Praktiker’s returns policy guarantees strict Praktiker’s success is based on its stable observance to legal requirements concerning the communications strategy which is perfectly in return of products that customers do not like, line with the company strategy which is also are problematic or broken. Customers can also successfully applied in the markets. take advantage of product related services like wood measurement and cutting, paint mixing for Brand Values a wider range of colour scheme, curtain Praktiker aims to simplify the lives of its trimming and sewing or picture framing. customers with a wide variety of products and Pratikman is one of Praktiker’s most attractive brands offered at keen prices in a comfortable services. Under a single administration, shopping environment. Pratikman offers transportation, installation and The company has earned its customers’ trust expert craftsmen services which are accurate, through its experience and the power it has punctual and of a guaranteed high quality. accrued from the sheer size of its home Pratikman transportation from the store to the improvement and DIY operations in Europe, customer’s home and product assembly is fully where its combined sales area totals nearly insured to ensure complete customer 2 million m2. satisfaction. The company launched its Alo Praktiker www.praktiker.com.tr Customer Service to standardise the management of customer relations and to improve service quality. Alo Praktiker Customer Service can solve virtually any problem via a call (+90212 343 13 13) or e-mail ([email protected]). Praktiker Turkey continues to renew itself by identifying and responding to its customers’ needs and expectations and providing broad product range and value-added services at keen prices, in a comfortable shopping environment. Promotion Praktiker promotes its products by highlighting new and high-quality products at appropriate prices with different opportunities through a variety of media. Its monthly concise illustrated catalogue, Opportunity Guide, plays an THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT important role in Praktiker’s brand communication strategy by presenting the latest promotions, offers and products. Besides the Praktiker distribution of millions of copies of Opportunity Working in conjunction with the Turkish Guide, Praktiker also uses television, radio, Education Ministry, Praktiker helps hundreds of newspapers and outdoor advertisement young people to take up a profession through channels to get its message across. the Pursue a Career project. Praktiker launched a new slogan in 2005: ‘Practical solutions at keen prices’. This new Praktiker sold enough porcelain dinner plates in slogan goes beyond its predecessor, ‘Economical 2004 for a stadium full of people to eat at the home improvement centre’, by complementing same time. the company’s value-added service strategy. Placed one on another, the glass bricks Praktiker Praktiker supports its communication strategy sold in 2004 would reach three times the height with public relations campaigns, which aim to of Mount Everest. highlight the innovative side of the company focusing on the newly launched products mostly The ceramic tiles Praktiker Turkey has sold through Home improvement trade fairs or PR could tile Sedef Island, which is the 3rd biggest bulletins. Also the focus on products in PR island of Prince Islands in Marmara Sea. allows Praktiker to promote the richness of SUPERBRANDS 149.

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