An interview with Douglas Robinson - a CEO of the company Serve Businesses Worldwide which provides a new kind of service called remote trade fair visiting
Russian Federation (Press Release) October 19, 2007 --
What is remote trade fair visiting? Let’s ask a professional!
Serve Businesses Worldwide is an international consulting which offers a unique service called ‘remote trade fair visiting’. In 2006 an SBW branch was established in Russia, and now Russian companies can also make use of this innovative service. We have asked SBW CEO Douglas Robinson about the essence of this revolutionary idea and the characteristics of operating in Russia.
- Mr Robinson, how did the idea of setting up your business come to you?
While working at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center where I was in charge of organizing trade fairs, I understood that not all companies who wish to participate in a trade fair or visit it eventually send there their representatives, although it would really do them good. The reasons for it are varied: firstly, the enormous speed of modern life and business. A lot of top managers simply don’t have the time to go to a trade fair or to obtain a visa. The cost of a business trip per person (and usually two or three people are going) is more than 1 500 euro, which is beyond some companies’ means. So many enterprises just skip fairs, whereas you can ask another company to gather the fair’s brochures and samples, leave your contacts and distribute your ads among participants. The idea turned out to be viable. What’s more, it became a separate business, a kind of trade fair outsourcing. That’s how SBW was born.
- Does your business have good prospects in Russia?
What is going on in Russia is now is very similar to what took place in the USA a few years ago. The stages of business development are the same all over the world, although they are influenced by politics and economy of each state. In my view, Russia shows a great potential, and not barely in word but truly in deed, which is backed by statistics. For example, tourism is a booming industry in Russia at the moment. More and more Russians gain an opportunity to go abroad on a holiday or on a business trip. As a result, the number of tourist operators and agencies also grows, as well as the competition in the field. To survive, a company needs to be always in the limelight and show how unique it is again and again. That’s where our services would be of great help. And this is just one industry, not the only one, which may need our assistance.
- Do you have any ideas of developing your business or starting a new one?
Naturally, as any other business, SBW Ltd develops and transforms as well. I can’t show you my cards yet, the only thing I can say is that we are preparing a new business line for those who decide to visit a trade fair his- or herself: business tour organization, fair tickets booking, provision of interpreter services. So sky’s the limit, and we are always trying to improve the quality of the services we provide and increase our clients’ level of satisfaction. The word ‘Serve’ in the name of our company means a lot to us!
Serve Businesses Worldwide is an international consulting which offers a unique service called ‘remote trade fair visiting’. In 2006 an SBW branch was established in Russia, and now Russian companies can also make use of this innovative service. We have asked SBW CEO Douglas Robinson about the essence of this revolutionary idea and the characteristics of operating in Russia.
- Mr Robinson, how did the idea of setting up your business come to you?
While working at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center where I was in charge of organizing trade fairs, I understood that not all companies who wish to participate in a trade fair or visit it eventually send there their representatives, although it would really do them good. The reasons for it are varied: firstly, the enormous speed of modern life and business. A lot of top managers simply don’t have the time to go to a trade fair or to obtain a visa. The cost of a business trip per person (and usually two or three people are going) is more than 1 500 euro, which is beyond some companies’ means. So many enterprises just skip fairs, whereas you can ask another company to gather the fair’s brochures and samples, leave your contacts and distribute your ads among participants. The idea turned out to be viable. What’s more, it became a separate business, a kind of trade fair outsourcing. That’s how SBW was born.
- Does your business have good prospects in Russia?
What is going on in Russia is now is very similar to what took place in the USA a few years ago. The stages of business development are the same all over the world, although they are influenced by politics and economy of each state. In my view, Russia shows a great potential, and not barely in word but truly in deed, which is backed by statistics. For example, tourism is a booming industry in Russia at the moment. More and more Russians gain an opportunity to go abroad on a holiday or on a business trip. As a result, the number of tourist operators and agencies also grows, as well as the competition in the field. To survive, a company needs to be always in the limelight and show how unique it is again and again. That’s where our services would be of great help. And this is just one industry, not the only one, which may need our assistance.
- Do you have any ideas of developing your business or starting a new one?
Naturally, as any other business, SBW Ltd develops and transforms as well. I can’t show you my cards yet, the only thing I can say is that we are preparing a new business line for those who decide to visit a trade fair his- or herself: business tour organization, fair tickets booking, provision of interpreter services. So sky’s the limit, and we are always trying to improve the quality of the services we provide and increase our clients’ level of satisfaction. The word ‘Serve’ in the name of our company means a lot to us!
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