Think of it as a convenient store with a technical support helpdesk for scientists. That is the essence of Invitrogen’s new million-dollar-supply-centre in Singapore’s life sciences hub at The Biopolis.The U.S.-based life science products and services supplier said setting up the retail store staffed with intelligent scientists will help its customers spend more time learning about its products and hopefully stay loyal to its brands.
The shop stocks life science supplies like cell cultures or kits, and while researchers stop by to get their work supplies, they will be able to talk to fellow scientists or a trained store employee who can help them think through a research problem.
“The nature of research is very technical, so there are times when a researcher needs to talk to someone face-to-face, looking at the product, whether it’s immunology research or stem cell research, which is popular here in Singapore. We’ve created a space for customers, researchers, investigators to come in and interact with us to get very specific help. The people we have here are PhDs, postdocs, people who understand the science very well,” said Ben Bulkley, SVP, Global Commercial Operations, Invitrogen.
The Nasdaq-listed company now sells its products through catalogues, the Internet, and a team of sales staff who prowl researchers’ laboratories.
Invitrogen said the existing business gives the company access to the researchers’ workflow and order patterns at The Biopolis, and this will help it stock the right products at the new shop.
Before coming up with a store concept, Invitrogen said it would take orders over the phone, fax or email, and then process them in a backend supply centre. If researchers or customers want to play with genetic materials like DNA for instance, and they want scientific solutions or test kits to buy, they would have to go to a different office for technical support.
Invitrogen is hoping that the new concept at the store will also enable the company to establish strong links with its customers.
“The commercial interest comes from growth. We believe that the essence of a relationship with a customer is the interaction – providing help and support. The more help and support we can share in very complicated work, the more people are going to want to spend time with us, and the more they’re going to buy,” said Mr Bulkley.
Source: Channel NewsAsia, 14 November 2006