The Asti Group Exhibition Company is among those who consider the international business cooperation to be the major instrument of the development and success achievement. The head of the company Nariner BAGMANYAN shared her thoughts on how, in today’s challenging environment to develop business cooperation with Russian and foreign partners.
— One of the main activities of the Asti Group exhibition company is the organizing of the specialized exhibitions dedicated to the food industry. But in Moscow, this segment of the trade fair and exhibition activities has a very tough competition. What innovative approaches help Asti Group to meet these competition challenges?
— We work in the food and agriculture sector. These industries are much more than others subject to state regulation, which makes it very difficult to organize the events. For example, the Meat and Poultry Industry/VIV Russia international exhibition. The situation in the industry at the moment is fairly complicated. The state first increases the quota on import of finished products, then reduces, thus «helping» the Russian manufacturers. The industry lacks qualified personnel, both among workers and among managers. There are limitations in the legislative arena. For example, the company cannot arbitrarily reduce the salary of the staff. It should abide by the tax and labor code, while the employees do not perform, in the meantime, the volume of work they should. Our exhibition company helps our exhibitors to identify these problems and suggests solutions.
The Business School of Agroindustrial Complex (AIC) was established under the aegis of our company and the first seminar was successfully held last year in the end of October. At the moment a new top management starts to replace the factories directors of the Soviet period. Very often it is difficult for them to calculate the optimal cost of the product or to effectively manage the staff. They lack knowledge. And it is hardly possible to leave the company and to go to study. Therefore, we were asked to realize such a project.
— What are the dynamics of attracting foreign participants to the Asti Group exhibitions? And what are the tendencies concerning the participation in the exhibitions of the Russian enterprises?
— All the exhibitions held by our company are international. The number of the foreign companies-participants depending on the subjects ranges from 30 to 70 percent. The status of the «international» exhibition imposes certain responsibilities on the organizer. It is necessary to provide the participants of an exhibition with the same services, as at a similar exhibition in any other country of the world. Therefore the company management pays great attention to improvement of the professional skill of the managerial staff.
The structure of the Russian and foreign participants directly depends on exhibition subjects. For example, the Meat and Poultry Industry/VIV Russia international exhibition which we organize together in partnership with the Dutch partners — company VNU Exhibition Europe basically represents the advanced foreign technologies, while the Russian companies-participants offer mainly poultry and livestock products.
To help both participants and visitors to achieve maximum results during the exhibition we introduced the so-called business meetings «one-to-one», which we organize in advance, on request from our exhibitors. In other words, we invite to the exhibition those companies which our exhibitors are directly interested in.
— What particular benefits can extract the participants of the exhibitions organized by the Asti Group?
— The exhibitors take part in our shows with the certain purposes. It can be: expanding of the trade and economic interaction boundaries between the operators of the market, possibilities of a wide exchange of experiences and mutually advantageous cooperation, bringing to market new products, services or technologies, sales increase, formation of a network of dealers and distributors, market research and so on. And if the exhibitors can formulate the purposes of their participation, we can well in advance before the show think over and realize the most effective methods of achievement of these purposes. In our practice, it is important to work with clients not only during the exhibition, but also throughout the year up to the following event.
It is necessary to take into account the fact that participation in our exhibitions expands the horizons of cooperation not only with Russian but also with foreign companies. The important point is to participate in the international competitions that take place within the framework of our exhibitions; they can expand the boundaries of products sales both in Russia and abroad. At the Meat and Poultry Industry/VIV Russia we traditionally hold the competition of innovative projects, the degustation contests for the «Best Traditional Product» and «Best New Product of the Year». The winners receive the Grand Prix and medals for high quality products in various categories.
— What special events planned within the frames of the scheduled for 2011 exhibitions can be particularly useful to Russian and foreign business partners?
— The upcoming on 17-19 May 2011 Meat and Poultry Industry/VIV Russia exhibition will host the International Congress of producers, processors and suppliers of meat. The Congress will allow discussing of the behaviour strategy of all meat market players in a real time mode. The reliable information about the condition and prospects of development of meat markets will be presented by the leading international experts and representatives of the executive and legislative bodies of Russia.
— What would you like to wish yourself and your colleagues in a new exhibition year?
— I wish that in our state business could feel more comfortable, that the government would listen more to the business community, and really help those who are bringing tangible benefits to the country. Then not only ourselves but our children will live comfortably in our Russia.
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