Strategy & Business Development Manager, Rubis Caribbean, Stewart Gill, says the rebranding of the retail network late last year has had a very positive effect on business locally.

He was speaking to the media recently, where he revealed that within a couple of months, sales started to increase.

According to Gill, “Through the end of the year, we have had a double digit increase in our retail sales volumes, which is very significant considering that the island is under some economic pressure.

“That demonstrates that we have pulled market share from our competitors, and the public has liked what we have done.”

He attributed the company’s success not only to the rebranding effort, but also “softer attributes,” such as customer service training, image, marketing, promotions, consistent advertising and merchandising.

Gill said that the success was not only seen in Barbados, but also regionally.

“Within the Eastern Caribbean the company rebranded all of its operations at the same time toward the end of the last year, and in every market, we have had a similar story with increased sales.”

“Again, looking like we have pulled market share from our competitors in each of our markets.

“In the western Caribbean, we have just recently rebranded, so we haven’t started to see that impact as yet, but we have seen great strides in our businesses in the Bahamas, Cayman, Turks and Caicos and Jamaica. We expect similar results, because the roll-out was very well done and we have added not only to the physical changes, but also customer training and advertising campaigns along with physical rebranding.”

The company acquired the assets owned and operated by Chevron under the Texaco brand in the Eastern Caribbean on April 1st 2011. The acquisition meant that Rubis became a formidable competitor in the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

These territories joined with the already acquired assets in Bermuda, Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana. Further acquisitions during 2012 included the Chevron assets in The Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands. (JH)

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http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=business&NewsID=34107