Minilab News
“FUJIFILM ARE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I KEPT THE COMPANY GOING…”
BPI News catches up Winchester Photographic owner Magali Cook, to discover how Fujifilm’s support has helped an established business under new ownership continue to serve and expand its loyal local customer base…
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ujifilm are one of the reasons why I kept the company going,” says Winchester Photographic’s Magali Cook, who bought the 20+ year-old business in 2018, after the previous owner retired. “Because if I need help, I know I have it.” She adds that she felt the shop continuing to offer its print services locally was important as: “I consider Winchester Photographic as being part of Winchester itself.” Formerly a fulltime mum with experience in customer related roles prior to taking over, “I always wanted to run my own business,” Magali says, “but it always had to be a freehold, as I didn’t want to have to pay rent to somebody. I chose a photographic business because I studied interior design, so anything ‘arty’, I’m into it.” With an enviably loyal customer base to support her, many of whom have been coming to the shop for the past 15 to 20 years, there is longevity and heritage to draw on here. “Every time customers need a new passport picture for the children, they automatically come here,” she reveals, acknowledging that ID photos are a steadily busy and profitable part of the business. In short, Magali’s timely and ambitious purchase looks to have literally saved the photographic business – a customerfocused, family owned shop located near a busy bus stop in the centre of town – from vanishing entirely. However, initially at least, there was a short-term exit plan in place. “Originally I said to my husband, when the wet lab goes, we’re closing down,” she admits. “But the shop is so popular and so loved by the customers in Winchester I’ve kept it going. Also, our full time manager, Tom, has been working in the shop for 14 years and knew inside out how the machines worked.” Last October Magali and her team took another big step in replacing their ageing wet lab with a brand new Fujifilm dry lab – without any dip in the high quality of the prints, she notes. A contemporary update
On brand: No mistaking the services offered by Winchester Photographic since its recent makeover
was completed with the installation of three new front-of-house Fujifilm kiosks, plus a cosmetic store makeover and refresh into the bargain. Further ambitious plans for 2020 include opening a dedicated photographic studio – Winchester Photographic Studio – just around the corner. With the aim of providing customers who want a portrait session with a more affordable option than most, naturally this plan to add a second arm to the business will help increase print sales with it, as well as bringing in more custom. “We presently have all sorts of customers, including youngsters who know how to use technology and who are quite happy to use the kiosks. Even though the kiosks are very easy to use, if anyone has difficulty, we’re also quite happy to show them how to use it at any time. If we don’t answer the phone it’s because we’re busy helping customers. We’re very customer focused.” As well as the installation of a new dry lab and black liveried kiosks to go with it, Magali says that after 20 years of the shop having not altered, she wanted to
go for a brighter, more inviting interior, reflecting contemporary trends. “Before it was very dark with a huge counter right at the front,” she notes. “It needed a lick of paint to make it brighter and we also changed the floor to make that lighter. I didn’t want to put new kiosks in and just leave the rest of it how it was. The refresh was part prompted by the dry lab – I didn’t want our wet lab replaced with another wet lab because, as, since the cost would have been twice as much as a dry lab, we’d have had to increase the cost of our prints by quite a lot.”
‘CUSTOMERS NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY’ As to whether Winchester Photographic’s customers have noticed the difference in how the store is now presented, the short answer is “definitely.” Acknowledging that some of the changes were obviously influenced by Fujifilm itself, the brand’s business advisor Wendy Gray was once again on hand to advise Magali on her venture.
To discover how Fujifilm can inspire ideas and help boost the profile and bottom line of your own store or minilab, 22 February / March 2020 | BPI News
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