Berry Koldewijn

“We always aim to keep developing as a company.”

Scala Playhouse have taken the next step in the evolution of the company, and to learn about the details this step entails, EAN spoke with Berry Koldewijn, the Director of Scala Playhouse. During our interview, Berry also explained that restructuring the company was not a response to special circumstances but rather the result of Scala Playhouse’s core philosophy.


 

What are the reasons behind Scala’s focus on expanding, centralising, optimising and investing in 2016?
Berry Koldewijn: There isn’t a particular reason for our recent expansion; it has more to do with our core philosophy. We always aim to keep developing as a company. We want to learn, innovate, and grow as a whole, taking our business to the next level. 2016 has presented us with various exciting opportunities, which we are taking advantage of and using to better our company’s position as the largest European wholesaler of erotic novelties.

Integrating Scala’s logistics into the Beate Uhse logistics centre seems consequential when considering costs and work-flow. Couldn’t the geographical separation between Scala in Almere and the logistics in Walsoorden become a problem?
Absolutely not! The Beate Uhse logistics centre has been in business since 2006 and has proven to run smoothly, efficiently, and successfully. The centre has a capacity of shipping up to 42.000 parcels a day, making the integration of our Scala Playhouse logistics a task that is easily handled. For our customers, it doesn’t make a difference whether a shipment is sent from our location in Almere or Walsoorden as the delivery times will remain the same. Using the expertise of the Beate Uhse logistics centre, Scala Playhouse will still provide the same excellent service and logistics as we’ve always prided ourselves on.

At Scala Playhouse, we will always do anything within our might to accommodate our customers’ demands.”

Can the Beate Uhse logistics centre serve the special demands of b2b customers?
At Scala Playhouse, we will always do anything within our might to accommodate our customers’ demands. If a B2B customer has special demands, our Beate Uhse logistics centre will step up and find a fitting solution to match the amazing service the Scala Playhouse customers have always received and come to expect.

Scala has announced investments in the show room in Almere. What exactly do you have planned?
The Almere-based Scala Playhouse showroom is the ultimate location for our customers to come and see the products for themselves. Holding a product in your hands, smelling it, feeling the texture; it certainly gives you a better impression of the product’s qualities than an image and description online. Customers are always welcome to stop by our showroom and browse all the different brands and collections. We often see that visitors to the showroom go home with products they had not previously heard about, adding an element of excitement and surprise to a visit at Scala Playhouse. Come visit our showroom yourself and discover what hidden treasures await you! To make a visit to the Scala Playhouse showroom even more worthwhile, we are launching a special Loyalty Program for customers.

What is the meaning behind the ‘Loyalty Program’? Who can profit from it?
The Loyalty Program will be available to Scala Playhouse customers, providing them with even better offers, deals and rewards if they stop by our showroom. We can’t reveal all the details yet, but I can promise that the Loyalty Program will be an amazing incentive for customers to make the most of their valued working relationship with Scala Playhouse. Keep an eye on our weekly newsletter and PLAY Magazine for more details about this exciting new programme.

We want to learn, innovate, and grow as a whole, taking our business to the next level.”

In the official press release, there was word of Scala introducing an ERP system. What results/optimisations do you plan on achieving?
By implementing our new ERP system, we can provide an even better, all-inclusive customer service. It is another example of a project that will cement our position as market leaders, with the additional bonus of even more customer-focused service.

You want to hire more staff. Is Scala’s sales team also going to grow further?
Yes, it certainly is! At the moment, we have a very well-established team with a lot of expertise and we will take this chance to add new sales talent to complement the current team’s abilities.

Beate Uhse will also open the World Class Marketing Powerhouse in Amsterdam. What function will the Center serve?
The World Class Marketing Powerhouse in Amsterdam will be contributing to the innovation and growth of Beate Uhse group. By centralising the marketing activities in Amsterdam, it allows the cooperation to optimise its fullest potential and start new, exciting projects from a core base. For Scala Playhouse, this means we are able to provide our customers with even better service, news, and marketing materials than ever before.

How will Scala profit from the World Class Marketing Powerhouse? And how will Scala’s customers profit?
The Scala Playhouse marketing team will be splitting its time between Almere and Amsterdam. The World Class Marketing Powerhouse in the Dutch capital enables us to grow as a team, take advantage of new knowledge and the expertise of our Beate Uhse colleagues. The new location will allow our marketing department to take it to the next level and we are confident customers will benefit from this new, exciting move as well.

Why is the marketing not managed at the headquarters in Almere?
First of all: The marketing department will still be part of the Almere-based Scala Playhouse headquarters. That being said, our marketing and communication channels are continuously digitised. This means that our online activity doesn’t demand a ‘permanent’ office location, but allows us to be more flexible – now switching between offices depending on the projects we are working on. Our roots will remain in Almere, but the marketing is just flourishing in other new directions (such as Amsterdam) as well…

Will Scala hold on to Almere as a location?
Definitely!