Visiting vente-privee.com

I had been invited to visit the Headquarters of vente-privee.com by Bunty to see the size and scale of the core operation. Bunty joined the business as Country Sales Manager, this summer, to head up the recently opened UK site and build a team to support the growing business here.

Over 90 UK sales have taken place in the first half of 2009 and there is an ever growing membership so the UK business is already significant.

Housed in the former printing factory of Le Monde the building is filled with the most incredible art and full of very busy people!

I was able to spend time with Isabel Schell who heads the PR teams internationally and Isabel from the UK team. It was an excellent way to learn about the business.

My visit to the Paris warehouse gave me my first taste of scale when I learnt that some 30,000 parcels are dispatched a day – and I was visiting the smaller warehouse!

Back at HQ I met James Storie-Pugh who is the UK Marketing Co-ordination Manager. The UK team in France is around 21 strong and support the new team Bunty is building who are based in the UK. With around a 1000 brand relationships globally communication between countries and head office is key. Did this breakdown often? I asked. I was assured that it did not and having spent time with the team I can believe it! Everyone was incredibly focussed and hugely enthusiastic.

Vente-privee has the largest European photo production studio; over 6000 shots a day which taken in 18 photographic studios.  I sat in on a shoot that was excellent but of course I cannot say whose! Brand sales are known to members only.

All the music for the fabulous vente-privee trailers is bespoke . I sat in the sound studio amazed at the incredible talent of Jean-Reol who took me through the process.

Vente-privee’s hospitality was fabulous and they are extending it to you dear readers so this week’s Best Kept Secret (BKS) is: A special referral code to join vente-privee.com: www.vente-privee.com/drapers