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Introducing St.Catherine’s Walk, Carmarthen

Celebrating Access Point’s New Partnership with St.Catherine’s Walk, Carmarthen.

Access Point is excited to announce that we have been appointed commercialisation partner for St.Catherine’s Walk, Carmarthen. This new partnership marks a fantastic opportunity for both the shopping centre and Access Point, as we work together to enhance the visitor experience and introduce creative marketing strategies.

What Does This Mean for St. Catherine’s Walk?

Nestled in the heart of Carmarthen, St.Catherine’s Walk is a vibrant shopping hub, home to a fantastic mix of high-street fashion, food, and entertainment. With Access Point overseeing commercialisation, the centre is set to benefit from dynamic campaigns boosting footfall and supporting local and national businesses.

Shoppers can expect exciting promotions, brand activations, and pop-up retail experiences that offer something for everyone. These initiatives promise to create a lively atmosphere, full of memorable moments and exclusive offers for families and visitors alike.

Why Choose Access Point?

Access Point is known for its innovative, results-focused marketing strategies. Our deep-rooted connections within the local community and expertise in tailoring commercialisation solutions make us the ideal partner for St.Catherine’s Walk.

With a wealth of experience in retail promotions and brand partnerships, we’ll work closely with the centre’s management to ensure that our campaigns resonate with shoppers and retailers—creating a thriving environment where businesses flourish and customers have an enjoyable, engaging experience.

Join Us in Celebrating!

We’re excited to see what the future holds as we take on this exciting new chapter with St.Catherine’s Walk Shopping Centre.

Stay tuned for upcoming promotions and events, and join us in celebrating this exciting partnership that will elevate the shopping experience at St.Catherine’s Walk.

Are you a landlord looking to enhance your retail environment or a business interested in promotional space at St.Catherine’s Walk, Carmarthen, then contact our team. Call us at 01704 544999, email hello@apuk.net or fill out an enquiry form to explore how Access Point can benefit you!

Garden Centre Product Placement

8 Reasons a Garden Centre is an Ideal Setting for Car Dealership Product Placement.

1. Target Audience Alignment: Garden centres attract homeowners, families, and individuals interested in outdoor living and landscaping. These customers will likely value reliable, spacious, and practical vehicles, making them an ideal audience for showcasing cars like SUVs, trucks, or eco-friendly vehicles.

2. Relaxed, Browsing Atmosphere: People visit garden centres for leisure, taking their time to explore. This creates a relaxed environment where potential customers are more likely to notice and appreciate product placements, without the pressure of a high-stakes sales setting.

3. Synergy with Outdoor Lifestyle: Cars can emphasise their practicality for outdoor activities (e.g., loading plants, transporting gardening equipment, towing trailers). Seeing a vehicle in a setting that highlights its utility or aesthetic appeal enhances its relevance. 

4. Appeal to Eco-Conscious Shoppers: Many garden centre visitors are environmentally conscious. Featuring hybrid or electric vehicles in this environment aligns with the sustainable mindset of these customers, creating a natural connection between their interests and your product.

5. High Foot Traffic and Dwell Time: Garden centres often have consistent, high foot traffic, especially during peak seasons, with visitors spending significant time on-site. This provides prolonged exposure to car displays or advertisements, increasing the likelihood of brand recall.

6. Spacious Outdoor Display Opportunities: Garden centres provide ample space for setting up interactive or visually striking displays, allowing for experiential marketing such as test drives or vehicle demonstrations. This showcases the car’s functionality in a relevant, open-air environment.

7. Non-Competitive, Low-Pressure Setting: Garden centres, unlike car showrooms, are not high-pressure sales environments. This allows customers to explore a vehicle in a more casual setting, which may make them feel more comfortable and open to learning about or considering a vehicle purchase.

8. All-Inclusive Environment: Garden centres are popular destinations for both couples and family groups, making them ideal spaces to engage with a wide range of decision-makers. This unique setting fosters an inclusive experience where all parties involved can participate in the decision-making process together, whether it’s selecting plants, outdoor furniture, or purchasing a new car.

What should I do next?

Access Point provides high-traffic locations nationwide for product placement at venues such as Blue Diamond, Hillier, Dobbies, and British Garden Centres. For more information on ANY garden centre product placement, give us a call at 01704 544999, send an email to hello@apuk.net, or visit our garden centre information page.

7 Great Reasons

7 great reasons why shopping centres and retail parks are the perfect places for car dealership product placement!

1. Diverse Audience: Shopping centres and retail parks attract a broad and diverse audience, enabling dealerships to showcase their products to people from various demographics. This diversity increases the chances of reaching a wide range of potential customers.

2. High Footfall: Shopping centres and retail parks typically experience high foot traffic, ensuring the vehicles receive significant exposure. The constant flow of people creates more opportunities for engagement and increases the likelihood of potential customers noticing and exploring the showcased vehicles.

3. Extended Exposure Time: Visitors to shopping centres and retail parks often spend extended periods browsing and making purchases. This extended exposure time allows car dealerships to capture consumers’ attention, giving them ample opportunity to showcase the features and benefits of their vehicles.

4. Impulse Purchases: Shopping centres and retail parks encourage impulse purchases. Placing cars strategically can tap into this behaviour, enticing potential customers to consider a new vehicle purchase or arrange a trip to your showroom in their plans.

5. Targeted Marketing: Many shopping centres and retail parks cater to specific demographics or interests. Car dealerships can strategically choose locations that align with their target market, allowing for more focused and effective product placement. For example, a dealership showcasing a family vehicle might choose a shopping centre with family-based entertainment like soft play or a cinema.

6. Brand Association: A positive and enjoyable shopping experience can enhance the overall perception of a car brand. Placing vehicles in a vibrant and dynamic setting like a shopping centre or retail park creates a positive association, reinforcing the idea that owning the showcased cars can enhance the consumer’s lifestyle.

7. Increased Brand Recall: Repeated exposure to a dealership’s products in a shopping environment contributes to increased brand recall. When consumers think about purchasing a car, they are more likely to remember and consider a brand they encountered in the shopping centre or retail park.

What should I do next?

If, like many other car dealerships, you wish to enhance your business visibility with product placement at a high-end location. Access Point has a selection of fantastic venues available to book nationwide.

For more information, call 01704 544999, email hello@apuk.net or visit our product placement page.

National Apprenticeship Week 2024

Sales Support Administrator to Qualified Sales Professional: An Access Point Apprenticeship Success Story.

National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect time to highlight the incredible journeys of individuals who have embarked on the path of apprenticeships, showcasing their dedication and achievements.

At Access Point, we are proud to share the inspiring story of one of our young employees who started life at Access Point from a customer service background with an interest in becoming a Sales Account Manager. Dan started as a Sales Support Administrator to learn all about our business. His passion for learning, commitment to customer service, and natural enthusiasm caught our attention, and, recognising his potential, we encouraged Dan to transfer to our sales team after 12 months. He then successfully worked towards and gained his Level 4 Sales Executive Apprenticeship and Diploma in Executive Selling from the Institute of Sales Professionals.

The apprenticeship programme at Access Point is designed to provide employees with a structured learning experience, combining on-the-job training with formal education. Dan embraced this opportunity, balancing his responsibilities at the front desk with a customised apprenticeship curriculum.

Dan’s hard work paid off as he completed the programme, earning a well-deserved apprenticeship certification and diploma. This accomplishment showcases both his personal growth and the effectiveness of our apprenticeship programme in nurturing talent within the company.

As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, Dan’s success underlines the value of investing in employee development. Access Point is proud to foster a culture of continuous learning and growth. Dan’s journey is an inspiration for all employees, emphasising that dedication and learning opportunities lead to remarkable achievements.

Let’s recognise and celebrate individuals like Dan during National Apprenticeship Week, acknowledging their contributions to personal and organisational success.

Are you interested in exploring job opportunities at Access Point? If so, please send us an email. We are always looking for talented and enthusiastic individuals to join our team. For more information about our company and potential job openings, please visit www.apuk.net.

Utility Warehouse ‘Amplify’ 2023

Access Point Embraced by The UW Community

UW Amplify 2023
 
Access Point was delighted to be invited to the Utility Warehouse ‘Amplify’ event at Cheltenham Racecourse on the 9th and 10th of September, 2023.
 
Having attended two previous UW ‘Power Up’ events, we were well aware of the scale and grandeur of these gatherings and excited at the prospect of engaging with hundreds of enthusiastic and energetic individuals. The enormity of these events had previously left an incredible impression on us, so we were once again privileged to be a part of this inspiring community.
 
This annual event celebrates the organisation and its employees, emphasising the significance of positive employee relationships. It also provides a platform for employees to connect, share tips and techniques, and motivate each other. There were 000s of people in attendance, some of which we had dealt with previously. It was great to put faces to names while others were unfamiliar with Access Point and what we do. It was fantastic that people found us so approachable and that our presence attracted a crowd intrigued by what our company could offer them. We were only too happy to share our expertise and experience.
 
Over the two days, we had numerous conversations about the long-standing partnership between Access Point and Utility Warehouse, discussing ways to strengthen our bond and guarantee that we keep working together in a way beneficial for both of us. Having received many positive comments on how friendly and knowledgeable our team was, especially in providing valuable insights into what promotional opportunities we could offer, it left our visitors eager to learn more!
 

The bottom line is that Utility Warehouse requires a platform to showcase its offerings. Access Point provides ideal venues to connect with the masses and achieve their objectives. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement, ensuring success for both parties.

A huge thank you goes to UW for their hospitality. We had so much fun interacting with everyone, and the interest it generated was unbelievable. Our ‘Win a Promotion’ competition proved so popular we ran out of entry slips and had to get more printed. With that in mind, congratulations to our two daily Champagne winners and an even bigger congratulations to Scott Mccaw for winning our big prize draw, a week’s promotion at a venue of his choosing.

Access Point and UW have built a highly successful working relationship over the years, and we are committed to continuing this partnership well into the future. Our team would be thrilled to attend your event again next year.
 
If you have a company or product you want to promote, Access Point can help you. With a portfolio of retailers and venues, we can find the best options that suit your company or product. Give us a call, and we can discuss the options that would work best for you or fill out an enquiry form.
Marc and Dom setting up
UW Get Together sign
Dom in full swing
Giveaway Prize
Technology – finding the balance

Access Point Booking Portal.

Whether listening to a recorded message telling you, “Your call is important to us”, whilst being left on hold for 40 minutes or trying to communicate with a bot, it is easy to become jaded.

Over the years, we have consciously selected the path of our customer-facing team still providing that personal service, always being accessible to chat with you - while investing in our back office systems to ensure we can provide the best service possible. Technological advancement seems to have accelerated by ten years as a direct result of the covid 19 pandemic, there is no doubting the benefits, but it needs to be implemented considerably so it adds genuine value.

We are continually looking for new ways to use technology to better our business processes and customer experience; while ensuring that it assists rather than replaces contact with our customers.

With this in mind, we are excited to launch our new booking process. This will allow customers to request venues online via their private portal and will be received by our team to check availability. Once approved, the entire booking can be processed online, including payment.

The booking information is then saved in the portal, allowing you to access it freely. In addition to existing bookings, your entire history of previous bookings with Access Point, including bookings prior to your Portal registration, is stored here for easy reference or referral. Queries can also be sent via your portal for the team to call or email you back.

If a venue requested isn’t available, the team will be in touch to discuss alternatives.

We understand that our customers may not be sitting in front of a computer all day. Today’s portable technology is specifically designed for our 'on-the-go' lifestyles. The new portal gives you all the freedom to book online; at a time that is most convenient to you.

The booking portal may not be for everyone. You can still contact the Access Point team directly. We will always be there to answer any of your queries or book a venue over the phone.

Our customer service will not be compromised, and we have not reduced the workforce to accommodate the portal. Your call is important to us and always will be.

For more information on how to get started with the Access Point Booking Portal, contact us at 01704 544999, email hello@apuk.net or register your Interest by filling out our enquiry form and one of our Account Managers will be in touch.

Portal on Iphone

 

Access Point Earns “Fair Employment Charter Status” At Aspiring Level

Access Point is delighted to announce that we have been recognised by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for its commitment to creating a fair and equitable working environment for its employees at ‘Aspiring Employer Level’ Status.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham’s inaugural Fair Employment Charter was issued on Tuesday 22nd November, with Access Point among the first 50 employers to be awarded ‘Aspiring Employer Level’ status.

The charter celebrates local businesses and organisations that are recognising the importance of good employee relationships and their responsibility to create a safe, fair and mutually beneficial environment for everyone within the company.

Since forming in 1997, Access Point has always considered itself a family-run company rather than a corporate business and has strived to create a fun, dynamic atmosphere inside the office and out.

Our ethos has always been to encourage an employee to further their own skill set and personal career development with initiatives and incentives, with the aspiration that as an employee grows so does the company.

David Robertshaw, CEO of Access Point said:

“Every company needs to constantly improve otherwise we stagnate and get left behind. We recognise that our ‘uniqueness’ comes from the people we employ; the front line, speaking to our clients and support behind the scenes making sure it all runs smoothly. We have survived at times but mostly flourished, which is all down to the people we employ.

We spend a lot of time looking at how we as a company can go the extra mile for our team, always looking to improve and making it a great place to work. Recognition for this is a reward to all of the team, so we are over the moon to be one of the first on the ‘Fair Employment Charter’. This award continues to push us forward, to keep investing, to keep paying a decent salary and to keep the workplace safe and a great place to come into every day.”

Steve Rotherham, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “When thousands of hard-working families across our region are struggling to make ends meet, there’s never been a more important time for businesses to step up and commit to investing in their workforce.

The charter is about highlighting and promoting good employers who do the right things – and we know that there are plenty of them in our region.”

He added: “I want our area to be known as the best place in the country to live, work, or run a business – and the more businesses we can encourage to join us on this journey, the faster we can make that ambition a reality.”

Find out more about Access Point.

For further media information, please contact Richard Hayden at 01704 544999 or richard@apuk.net

Employment Charter Certificate

 

March of the Pods

March of the Pods

Three words to ensure great engagement – location, location, location – this especially rings true for any business dependent on a customer facing activity. Typically, to facilitate this (pre-pandemic), a business would have prioritised being on the High Street. However, the problem now is that High Street footfall isn’t what it used to be (not recovered since Covid as more people work from home), and rent and rates are high, especially for the prominent locations.

There is another option: a space for your business, located close to high footfall, sensible rents and a considerate landlord.

Pods!

Pods offer a great alternative

The structure of a Pod can be highly versatile and highly branded, can be constructed for a specific purpose and built to your specification (Denmans, an Electrical Supplier, have a Pod that resembles an electricians toolbox). Pods can be situated on long or short term options and if an area becomes saturated by your message/offer it can be picked up and moved to the next target area. They don’t even need to be on the grid as they can be powered by solar panels, etc.

Pods can be cheaper than bricks and mortar with less overheads and on-going costs and can be situated where your market intelligence tells you the target audience is expected to be.

Businesses of various sizes have made great use of Pods from large organisations such as Timpsons to local barbers and beauticians.

Pods have appeared in railway stations over recent years but another great example is using Pods at supermarkets. Still experiencing high footfall, supermarkets with car parks can provide a great base for a Pod housing a complementary retailer, a service or utility organisation, a local government agent or a repair depot.

For any business that is looking for great value from their customer facing strategy, dipping their toe in the water with a Pod, could be the right option.

If you are considering using a Pod for customer engagement have a conversation with Access Point as we have 100’s of prime sites available.

Contact Access Point on 01704 544999

 

 

Access Point Wins Sailmakers Ipswich Brief

ACCESS POINT WINS SAILMAKERS IPSWICH BRIEF

Access Point has been appointed as the commercialisation partner for Sailmakers Shopping Centre, which is located in Ipswich town centre.

Sailmakers Ipswich offers a wide range of great shops as well as places to eat, drink and relax, including Boots, River Island, Pandora and Bakers + Baristas, right in the heart of the town.

As part of the commercialisation brief, Access Point has been tasked by ALB Group with maximising income potential for the shopping centre, whilst also introducing the right mix of brands and promotional partners to appeal to shoppers in the catchment area.

David Robertshaw, CEO at Access Point, said: “Sailmakers Shopping Centre is in a fantastic position with the main entrance linking directly to the prime pedestrianised area of Tavern Street – affording fantastic opportunities for local and national brands to engage the buying public in the heart of Ipswich town centre. This will be a great partnership and we are excited about building a relationship with the centre and delivering the commercialisation plan for Sailmakers.”
“Enhancing the visitor experience is an important part of our brief and we are ready to hit the ground running by bringing on board partners that will complement the strong mix of independent and high street brands already at the centre.”

Kerrie Ronayne, Property Manager, ALB Group, owners of Sailmakers Shopping Centre said: “We are excited about working with Access Point to deliver the next phase of Sailmakers commercialisation programme by delivering the brand partnerships and activities for the centre that will further the shopping experience for our visitors.”

In addition, the specialist commercialisation firm works with a number of retail and leisure destinations across the country including Putney Exchange, Dalton Park Outlet Shopping and Princes Quay Shopping Centre in Hull.

Find out more about Access Point at www.apuk.net.

 For further media information or images, please contact John Mcknight on 01704 544999 or john@apuk.net

 

 

We are . . . 25 years

Who can remember what happened 25 years ago in 1997 –

The world lost Diana, Princess of Wales, Titanic was the big film release of the year, the first Harry Potter book was published, the Labour Party swept to power, the UK won the Eurovision Song Contest with Katrina and the Waves ‘Walking on Sunshine’ and the Tellytubbies appeared on tv screens for the first time.

And a company called Access Point was founded.

Access Point celebrated its 25th anniversary on the 31st January 2022.

During the 25 years that followed we have been successfully helping Retailers, Landlords, Field Marketing agencies and Promoters and Traders of all shapes and sizes.

The business started off in 1997 in Hindley Business Centre, Wigan and relocated to offices in Lord Street, Southport in 2000, on the 1st floor above what is now the restaurant Bistrot Pierre. In 2015, we bought and completed our move to the beautiful Old Courthouse, which is where we are now headquarted.

Access Point has always offered support to the Retail/Hospitality and Leisure industries and for a number of years, provided Till Roll advertising services. However, delivering Commercialisation opportunities has always been the organisation’s passion and is now our sole focus.

Over the 25 years, we are proud to have been associated with so many promoters and traders, from those dipping their toes into the water for the first time as they start their own business journeys, to the multi-site experiential campaigns that have successfully launched major brands and products. Many customers have been with us throughout our amazing journey and we are truly grateful for the support they have shown us.

None of what we have achieved would have been possible without the amazing employees that have worked at Access Point over the years, and I would hate to start naming individuals as they have all played their part in getting us to where we are now.

However, the last couple of years, as with most businesses, have been a real test of the Organisation’s fortitude and I am proud to say that we did everything we could to support our customer base during the lock downs to ensure that they, and we, were still trading as restrictions are lifted.

And we are, and our journey continues. We are investing heavily into the company and expect to make some announcements in the near future as to how we are going to take our customer service to the next level.

We are proud to be a successful Southport based organisation – so it’s only natural as a Company that we support local initiatives to give back to the community where we reside. We also aim to recruit from the local community and are currently looking for Sales Account Managers to join us on the next stage of our journey based at our beautiful Old Courthouse in Southport.

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