CCCS: MEETINGS OF THE MINDS

JAMES TENSER

Central to the General Merchandise Distributors Council's record of success, and fundamental to the attitude of cooperation that pervades the group, is its meeting format, say executives who have been active in the association.

The organization is regarded as the originator of the system called Controlled Casual Conferences, or CCCs, in which manufacturers host as many as 200 eight-minute minisummit meetings in a highly scheduled but efficient three-day gathering.

The CCC concept is a deceptively simple one, yet distributors and manufacturers agree that it makes for an extremely powerful form of interaction. As a result, the association's two annual conventions attract participation at the highest levels of their organizations.

Said a general merchandise executive from a Western supermarket chain, "Important alliances have developed from those meetings. In some instances, the appointments with smaller firms have resulted in contact we might otherwise never have had. A smaller supplier might have something to offer that we would otherwise never learn about."

He added, "The format is flexible enough to touch on any issue that you have. You can raise issues with the upper management of those companies and agree to move forward and follow up on those issues. It makes it easier to act on agendas during the rest of the year. Even though there is mimimal interaction time, there is more follow-up that comes out of this than any other show we participate in."

Noted Dick Swain, president of Valu Merchandisers, a wholly owned subsidiary of Associated Wholesalers, Kansas City, Kan., "Ours is not a buying-selling meeting; it is a top-to-top meeting. Suppliers are there not to sell but for problem-solving -- top-to-top exchange.

"If you talk to any supplier, they will tell you they get more out of the meetings we have at GMDC than any other function they go to," he added. "The atmosphere has been built for good, frank discussions. Everybody's there to move the business forward. I see people wanting to work together. That's been fostered over the years."

Manufacturers widely share the positive outlook on the GMDC conventions.

"The real strength of GMDC is the meeting format, which puts you face to face with almost anyone you need to see. It is issues-oriented, succinct, and it prepares you to isolate issues for follow-up," says Scott Roberts, vice president of business relations at Gillette Co., Boston.

"It also represents a pretty good window to your business in that segment of the trade."

The CCC meeting format, added Leon Galitzen, senior vice president of strategic business development at Confab Cos., Baltimore, "gives you the most quality hearing possible because both retailer and manufacturer come to business sessions to work, to see what's new, to learn as much as possible. The atmosphere is charged with positive energy and an outlook to make that possible."

Said Norm Loringer, national business development manager at Colgate-Palmolive, New York, "I used to think CCCs were a bit short. But on the other hand, the productivity is very high among any meetings I've gone to.

"Then, when we hold a social function at GMDC for the members," he added, "you get total participation. We have a dinner one night and they encourage everyone to go. That's productivity for you." Swain said the style of interaction and trust built up over the years through the conventions has positioned GMDC members well for the category management world.

"It is a problem-solving opportunity with the decision-makers. Also, [it's] a chance to address, how do we move our business ahead? How can we do more business together as business partners?"