The BMW is in the luxury end of the car market, and this year we expect more than 3,000 sales. When people come in touch with BMW they expect a great deal, and I have to make sure that is realised. It is a special and unique car and we like to keep in touch with our customers, to give them something back.
Our chairman, Frank A Keane, takes a personal interest in our customers, knows all their names, and likes to meet them all individually.
My work involves dealing with the media and event management. Our promotions reflect our customers' interests, which include golf, sailing, opera, horse racing and fashion shows. Golf is the most popular interest among our customers and every year we host the BMW Cup. Usually the final is on in the K Club, and there are a number of other golfing events we sponsor.
Each season we sponsor Opera Ireland and entertain a group of customers. We also sponsor the National Hunt Festival at Punchestown; in fact, the first day of the event is now referred to as "BMW Day". We would have an area with a marquee specially for BMW customers. Last year we held an excellent joint promotion with Brown Thomas. Between us we jointly sponsored the launch of the BMW Lifestyle 2000 collection. It was a wonderful event. The collection consists of comfortable and sporting wear, and everything from luggage to watches to sunglasses, all beautifully designed. It was really the first showing of the collection so we don't have a retail unit as yet, but you can get some items at BMW outlets.
As for the car, the BMW is sold as a quality product, with advanced technology and high safety standards. Part of the deal with BMW is that you are guaranteed after-sales service and customer satisfaction and we're always looking at new promotional and event ideas with that in mind. The psychology behind it is appreciating our customers.
I would spend much of my day in close contact with the motoring press, particularly The Irish Times and the Irish Independent. I would have to keep them up to speed on things - new models coming on stream, upcoming promotional events and that sort of thing. I need to be immediately contactable all the time, and to have the information journalists need to hand. Speed is of the essence with journalists who have very tight deadlines to meet, and we have to ensure they can meet them and that the information we give is accurate. I would prioritise dealings with the press - I'd drop everything to deal with them.
I've a programme of new models each year. We know quite a bit in advance what's coming out and what the approximate dates are, and nearer the time we firm things up with the press, who take models out to test drive. This year we are launching the new C1 model, designed for city mobility. It is a 125cc motorised vehicle for the urban commuter - a two-wheeled vehicle covered by glass. I have to be very flexible in my job. I never know from one day to the next what's going to happen, and I always have to have the information to hand, so it's very challenging. The other part of my job is event management. I plan the launches we have, and the planning is quite vigorous. We have to ensure that our events are of a suitable standard for our customers and colleagues. We check and double check plans, and - so far, so good - we've never had a disaster!
In conversation with Jackie Bourke
