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CLIENT'S COMMENTS – RETAIL DESIGN AND BRAND DESIGN "We were attracted to DP because they had a lot of variety in their portfolio, a lot of different kinds of shops, and it showed that they were able to not just apply the same principles to all their designs, but they really focused on what was special about each project and how they could communicate that through the architecture and the interior elements, and that's what we wanted-a boutique bookshop. "Design Portoflio's work has been a major factor in our retail stores' success. I can confidently recommend them as experts in their field." "You have converted our old canteen and pro shop into a sleek, modern cafe and retail space that our customers enjoy so much. I am very proud about the result we have achieved, and have enjoyed working with you and your team during this project." “In developing the Nad's Hair Removal Clinic it was critical to ensure we were dealing with professional design consultants so as to create the appropriate Clinic image, unique atmosphere and leverage the Nad's branding, in order to differentiate Nad's Clinic in the marketplace. “Our new superb shop is now recognised as the benchmark for retail liquor in Australia. It is a credit to yours and your team's creativity, innovation, skill, attention to detail and dedication to all aspects of the job.” Jason Lavigne - CBD Cellars
“As aspiring young professionals with merely a good idea, we chose Design Portfolio to bring our new concept to life. We were completely amazed by the quality of the finished product. The meticulous attention to detail was truly remarkable.
Throughout the project, we were impressed by Design Portfolio’s professionalism, prompt communication, and genuine concern for customer satisfaction.” Dean Taylor - DVD Lounge
“We had ideas, Design Portfolio had ideas, we did not always agree but with discussion we achieved a great result. That's a good partnership in my book! Mathew Page - Burger Bar
“The restaurant is trading better than our expectations. Our customers are loving the variety of different environments you’ve created for them, as well as a traditional European ambience with a number of modern touches.” Michal Sestak - Prague Restaurant
“We are delighted with the new showroom. It enables us to deliver even a better service and bigger range of products to our customers.” Julian Farren-Price - J Farren-Price Jewellers
“We constantly hear positive comments about our stores because they are extremely well laid out and presented. They are warm and inviting and very easy for customers to navigate.” Jan Hore - Alfresco
‘I wanted to let you know that your fantastic designs for V Pharmacy look first class. The customer response that we’ve had was amazing.’ Nick Loukas - V Pharmacy
"We are very happy with the result and the look you have created, as well as with the new distinctive branding for the business.” Martin Fielder - Little Italy Restaurant
"It has not only been a pleasant experience to deal with Design Portfolio, but a successful one too. I was particularly impressed with how you turned a concept of ours into something visible and tangible that reflects the original concept in a new, for me in many aspects, unexpected and innovative way. Your retail branding experience and know-how has certainly been of great value in developing the Grill Stix brand." Florian Salzgeber - Grill Stix
‘This exciting concept enables us to successfully compete for premium retail locations that are otherwise difficult to obtain.” Paul Katsavos - PharmacySelect
"Design Portfolio’s design price certainly wasn’t the cheapest but they have easily saved us the value of their fees in shopfitting costs and gave us a beautiful, well performing store as well." Andrew Topp - Batesmans Bay Capital Chemist
“Our new cafe is extremely aesthetically appealing, the colours are yummy, the atmosphere is stylish but not intimidating. The street presence is so powerful that we often create a road traffic problem.” Kevin Birger and Gavin Rubinstein - Sugarplum Ice Cream and Cafe
“I particularly liked the research that Design Portfolio put into finding out what makes us tick and their attention to detail during the design process. As a result, we‘ve got a concept that truly represents the core values of our business.” Peter Taylor - Taylor’s shoes
“We have had a very busy time with the business, thanks in a large part to you. Since the launch of our new logo we’ve had a definite increase in sales and our corporate identity is firmly in place within our industry." Trevor Holt - Hydro Masta
“I would like to thank you and your team for a magnificent project that transformed the ugly duckling into a most beautiful swan. Our business is up 70% since we re-opened in the same location, with the same menu and the same staff - so this must be attributed to your design.” Bob Wallace - Ummarin Thai Restaurant
“We are experiencing a 20% increase in store visitation since the refurbishment’... ‘I found Design Portfolio very creative and also extremely professional. I was impressed that they spent so much time learning about my business. I really enjoyed dealing with your team - their customer focus made a big difference for me during the project”. Hedley Gordon - Book Review
“At the end of the day, the re-fit has to be able to pay for itself. Our pharmacy business performance has been nothing short of outstanding, with monthly turnover increases ranging consistently from 35% to 60% higher than the corresponding months last year.” Steve Spicer - Mentone Pharmacy
“The re-branding has reinforced our position as a market leader in food retailing. The innovative and professionally designed store presentation has enabled us to win excellent new sites and ramp up our expansion program. The new concept also supports the franchisee recruitment process because stores are easy to operate and maintain. We are looking to expand Michel’s to over 400 outlets, nationally and internationally, by end 2005. We couldn’t do this without the contribution from professional associates such as Design Portfolio.” Chris Fitzmaurice - Michel’s Patisserie
“The new store is doing better business than the old one which was 3 times the size. This is a real testimonial to Design Portfolios talent and skills”. Jessie Campbell - Captain Grant’s Game Reserve
“When an opportunity came to set up a new shop in a very difficult, ‘impossible’ location, but the one with a real high customer traffic potential, I knew there was only one company who could do it - Design Portfolio. This is the third different store they have done for us in the last couple of years and it has again exceeded our very high expectations.” Yacov Kerner - Ignite Fashion
“The café is doing so well, we’ve had to rent additional space from the council outside for 40 additional chairs in order to cope with the demand.” Tony Kaman - Anthony’s Pasta Deli Café
“ I couldn’t be happier with the new salon. It not only looks great, it fully supports my new way of doing business.” Paul Boffa - Boffa Hairdressing
“The new store is consistently trading 80-100% up compared with the last year. It looks stunning - we hear it from our customers all the time.” Brian Ahern - Mackays Books
‘Before the refit, the old store was very successful and therefore provided a challenging base for comparisons. Yet turnover has increased by more than 50%.
The store is now selling to 45% more customers; it is also selling 10% more items to each customer, which is quite amazing. The resultant turnover increase is more than 50%.’ Phil Dibben - Scott-Dibben Chemist
‘Almost twelve months later, sales, customer counts and scripts are up. Most importantly, gross profit is significantly improved. In the same time period another pharmacy moved next door to the closest doctor’s surgery. Many of our customers are now walking past two pharmacies to us. Considering the years and hours I’ve put into this pharmacy, I deserve the best pharmacy and Design Portfolio have provided one that integrates with the way I do things and the future direction of the pharmacy.’ Ron Elliott - Ron Elliott Pharmacy
“People often ask me, ‘What is it in particular in your store that makes it work?’. My answer is, “It’s not one single thing, it’s the whole package how it was designed and put together that works so well.” Steve Pinalli - Cairns Central News
“Creative design that is functional, flexible and truly able to integrate every required aspect - plus complement marketing - could only increase business, staff productivity and overall a better return on our investment. The problem I’ve always had is finding someone who knows what this really means AND being able to have the skills and methodology to make everything a reality.
I rang over 20 organisations who specialise in retail design and put them through a thorough interview process. Design Portfolio met my criteria. I was particularly attracted to recent examples of their work and the detailed methodology they were prepared to undertake.
Now it has been open for several months I am pleased to say the response form our customers has been excellent. It also meets all of our operational objectives exactly. For example, no matter how busy they are it never looks busy. It now costs less for our merchandising to be displayed and maintained with far greater impact than any other of our locations.
Most importantly, we are achieving a product sales ratio as high as 300% greater than other locations.
The location also looks great. That’s the key difference between Design Portfolio and the others. It’s easy to have a great looking design. They give you this and everything else that really matters. ” Colin McCall - Police Credit Union
‘By focusing simply on the consumer, the critical success factors of the business and the essential associated marketing programmes, you demonstrated how through retail concept design, the total business could be revitalised or in some cases reinvented with a significant impact on profitability - not to mention job satisfaction on the part of pharmacy staff.
It was only natural when the Guardian Pharmacy Group was in need of being brought into the 21st century and relaunched, Design Portfolio was selected to achieve the desired objectives. An the outcome! From a low profile pharmacy group with fragmented national distribution and an inconsistent image and marketing programme, Guardian became Australian’s second largest pharmacy banner group - or more importantly the leading pharmacy group with professional health care positioning. What more could one ask for? Pamila Sinclair - National Marketing Manager - Sigma Limited
“For me the Guardian concept store was much more than a refit, it was a total transformation of my business. Since implementing it my business has experienced increase in customer traffic, increase in total sales (OTC and scripts), increase in transactions. The result…increase in gross profit!” Neil Cutting - Cutting Pharmacy Group
“Just a quick note to thank you and your team for the design of our new corporate identity, which I am very happy with. The reaction that I have received already from clients has been very positive. I am sure the identity will help me to secure many contracts in the future.” Adam Hanley - Hanley Hospitality
“Our company is thrilled with its unique store and the excellent relationship built up with Rae and the team of Design Portfolio.” Bill Wallace - Hannahs (NZ)
“Your design has been so successful that I now am so busy that I have very little time for anything but the serving of multitudes of customers.” Rick Anderson - Healthy Life - Centrepoint
“...We are delighted with the outcome and even more delighted with the customer response. We are also happy to advise that the new store has produced most pleasing results since we re-launched it.
...it is quite obvious that the hours of time, effort and research put into the project by your company produced the desired result. Both you and all your staff handled this project in the most professional and efficient manner from start to finish.“ Howard Sher - Uncle Pete’s Toys
Rae Bolotin, Principal of Design Portfolio, has made an outstanding contribution to Pharmacy Practice in terms of reinventing the physical premises of pharmacy to reinforce the new, more professional paradigm of pharmacy. Not only it is significant that Rae Bolotin achieved the appropriate image, but the process followed to achieve the image needs to be commended.
Today the work of Rae Bolotin and her company Design Portfolio speaks for itself’ George Savvides - CEO and Managing Director, Sigma Co
‘Business is booming! We have experienced sales growth of 30% since December. Profitability figures are even higher. The pharmacy is functioning very well - thanks to your skilled design and our respective input! We are attracting enormous amounts of praise from customers about delightful ‘feel’ of the business - and this reflects in increased sales and customer satisfaction. We have been nominated for ‘Business of the Year’ by the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce. Thanks so much to you and your team for assisting is in the growth of our business and the realisation of our pharmacy dream.’ “The new Pharmacy looks sensational! The workflow and design is friendly to patients and staff and allows us to practice pharmacy the way we want. The new environment further differentiates us from our competitors.” David Heiner - Range Pharmacy
“Our shop has always been one of the strongest performers in Warringah Mall. Nevertheless, it has performed even better since refurbishment - up 10% in December and 25% in January. This is in spite of a new, very strong competitor opening their shop next to ours. We can expect the figures for the year to be 15-20% up, which is very pleasing indeed.
We will be more than happy to recommend Design Portfolio to anyone who is thinking about refurbishing their cafe or restaurant.“ Phillip & Cris Feros - Mall Coffee Corner
“ Design Portfolio was well recommended to me so I allowed the concept and design to be your responsibility. While expecting substantial increases in turnover, I was not prepared for the business to more than double...” Bob Johnson - Miss Browns Coffee House
“Our brief...has been accomplished in full by your design team...on time and on budget, to our complete satisfaction. We are delighted to report that the new design and layout has greatly improved, not only the appearance of the shop, but, more importantly, has given us the facility to better display the product and maximise customer access to it. We believe we have a shop which is now the benchmark for our industry.” ..and an update 5 years later: “We just wanted to let you know that.. we have new lease, signed and sealed. In no small way, you contributed to the fact that we were not required to fit out the shop again. The comment was, ‘perfectly lovely shop, no need to change it’ - we heaved great sighs of relief but thanked you and your team for it. We are still receiving compliments regarding the shop - and being copied!” Brian and Jean Aubrey - Queen Victoria Card Shop
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"You have a good understanding of both the retail and the pharmacy business, can express client's ideas as well as add your own, and make it all happen. With the new concept and branding, we now have an exciting new platform to build our business." Sanjit Khaira & Halimah Shams - In form Pharmacies
“ Our sales have grown 30-50% compared with the old store, and I can see lots of potential to actually double our previous turnovers in the not so distant future. Considering the fantastic store we’ve now got, all this time, care and attention to detail your people have put into our project, your cost saving ideas that saved us thousands of dollars, as well as the amount of personal time, problems and headaches you’ve saved us, I feel that using Design Portfolio was the best move we did. “ Roman Luzhansky - Healthy Life - Chadstone
“ The shop, as you know, looks great. We have had many comments from customers just how different and smart it looks. The colours and lighting combine beautifully to give a wonderful ambiance. Sales have been building even though this is the quietest time of the year for the jewellery industry generally. We are looking forward to a great reaction from the community closer to the Christmas period which we anticipate to be very busy based on current interest and sales.
This concept store also means that I have a store designed by professionals whose expertise is in shop design. Had I gone for a plainer store, I think I would have always wondered what I had missed out on by not going for the professionally designed jewellery store. To this end, I feel it is easier to sell lower priced goods from a better looking store than to sell higher priced goods from a plainer looking store. ” Sam Coote - Diamond Showcase Jewellers - Bathurst
“By using you I managed to achieve much more for my money because of your knowledge of tradesmen and materials and other valuable help and advice I received from your company. Since we have re-opened, I noticed all my regular customers have come back, and I am also getting new ones. I’ve had excellent feedback from everyone about how beautiful the cafe is. I can recommend to any cafe to use Design Portfolio because you are the people they can trust.“ Priscilla Wong - Old Vienna Coffee House
“Sales are 25-30% up, but even more pleasing is that in the new store we are not being asked any more to ‘match our competition prices’. This means that our profit margins are well above what we had before. I think this is because our store is so special that customers can not compare it with any other stores. Everyone agrees it looks fantastic. It’s become ‘the place’ in town to visit.” Steve O’Brien - Uncle Pete’s Toyworld, Wagga Wagga
“The new store design complements our merchandise very well. It’s the merchandise that stands out - we know that because people who come in tell us. If you stand outside our shop on any given day, you will hear the customers saying, “There’s no way I’m going in there today - I just can’t afford to buy any more. Every time I go in there, I buy something”. It has this sort of appeal. The main thing I have to say about you is that you are functional. You think up concepts and designs that function. Your whole team was always there for me, never at any time did someone not try to attend to a query, they always made it their job to help. I feel it was more of a friendship than a business relationship.” Daralyn Lee - Club 31 Designs
“The shop itself has turned out to be exactly what I wanted, if not more than what I expected of it. It looks a few years ahead of its time. It is completely different from anything in Warringah Mall, which is what I wanted. It’s easy to clean, now that I’m working in it. It’s very practical. The colours are very much of today. From the financial point of view, my expectations before going ahead with the design were very high, but since I opened my new shop I realised I can do at least 20% better than what I originally expected. There isn’t a customer that doesn’t walk into the shop and comments on either how nice the shop is, how warm the shop is, the colours of the shop. I do nothing but receive compliments all day long.” Julian Amore - La Cucina Italia
“...our perception of designers was that they just ask ‘ What type of a shop you want’, then draw a couple of pretty pictures, and that’s it. With Rae Bolotin it was exactly the opposite. When Rae started to work with us, she first asked whether we wanted a shop with a difference. Gradually we started to think that we really wanted something different. ...we are already enjoying increase in sales between 35-40%. This is a result of both outstanding design which is highly commented by our customers and our own determination to provide our customers with an awesome service. Nick Savvas - Sportscene Leichhardt
“Thanks for such a superb design, it [our shop] not only looks terrific, but it has also had a good impact on sales.” The supervisory role done by your firm was excellent both in ensuring the job was completed on time (in fact we opened one day ahead of schedule) and coping with the nervous shopkeeper who wondered how it would all come together.” Earle Porteous - Everything Nice
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for the fabulous job you did in the designing of my new shop.” “I am very proud of the shop and enjoy coming to work, maybe it’s the great atmosphere you have created or the extra business it’s now projecting, no it’s both.” Jim Marsh - Lyceum Jewellers
“I thought your design presentation was excellent. You handled everything, and we could always visualise how it was going to look.” “ Now we’ve got something different. Everything’s different: It looks great. There’s more storage space, and everyone says it looks bigger. It’s easy to clean. The impact is good and the customers are thrilled with it.” Barbara Saggus - Love All Tennis
“Owing to the careful and detail project management by Design Portfolio, the business was reopen on total completion, only two weeks after closing. It was a very high quality fitting with attention to every detail. I am extremely happy with the result. The new elegant image, the flexibility of table setting and the reorganisation of our menu had all made contribution to the 25% increase of turnover in the first year.” Alex Chan - Chantilly’s Cafe
“The staff works better, and the store traffic has increased and with it the number of sales recorded daily. ...I have nothing else but admiration for you and your staff, for the professional approach you took from the first time we talked.” Roelf Alma - Semicon Electronics
“Design Portfolio would be the wrong company for him, if he is someone who is not that professionally orientated, or not an entrepreneur, but someone who is just minding the store. On the other hand, if he is someone who is really serious about the business he is in, and about being in it for a long term, and wants to be professional and to achieve excellence in what he is doing, then I think it’s very worthwhile to go to Design Portfolio.” Lionel Rabie - Healthy Life - QVB
“The design is really working. People notice us now - we’re making a point...We’ve been in the shop for 10 years and some people never knew we existed before. People just think it looks terrific. ... We’re very happy too....Over Christmas we did around 30% increase on last year’s Christmas figures - that’s after we opened up in November. January, February and March dropped off to about 20%, but it’s creeping its way back up now. We’re selling the same product in the same location - the difference is the refurbishment. When things pick up, I could expect a lot more that that - at least 50% increase. With figures like these, I expect the refurbishment will pay for itself in around two years - after that everything will be profit. I just think the whole design is fantastic really.” Steve Paitos - Puffies Donut Factory
“We are more than happy, we are jubilant about the result, and we are very, very happy about the personal service and attention to detail throughout the course of the job. The level of professionalism was very high. ...There has been a 30-40% increase in our turnover which is still improving, and we don’t feel that we would have achieved this with an inferior type of re-fit or renovation. ... We saved a lot of money on the actual construction due to Design Portfolio’s contract administration and knowledge of materials and suppliers. The response from our existing customers, who as far as we can see have all returned, and the comments of the new customers have all been extremely complimentary and positive. There is not one aspect of the job that I’m unhappy with at the end of the project.” Geoff Bennett - Columns & Roses Cafe
“We expected to talk to the designer about nice colours and finishes. Instead, we found ourselves discussing the operational aspects of our business, our targeted customers, our products, our advertising and marketing strategies, and many other fundamental issues. ... Every dollar we spent on the new concept turned out to be a very wise investment and gave us great value for money. If someone asked whether, looking back I would do it again, my answer would be unquestionably ‘Yes’.” Ron Baskin - Sunglass World
‘I congratulate all the team at Design Portfolio for the work on our shop. It is a fantastic result. You have incredible tenacity for a quality outcome.’ Des Lardner - Des Lardner’s Pharmacy
“We are glad to have made your acquaintance at the time of employing your services and would not hesitate to recommend your firm to any of our colleagues in the pharmacy industry” Kiran and Minu Shah - Norwest Amcal Pharmacy
“The re-fit to Springvale Guardian has brought our pharmacy into the 22nd century. The concept store has created a very attractive place to shop which has given our existing customers that little bit of pampering that they deserve and truly appreciate and at the same time we found that it grabs the attention of prospective new customers. This we know for a fact as it is reflected in an increase in trading.” Arthur Rabavilas, Chris Fletcher - Springvale Pharmacy
“Customers are most impressed with spacious layout and general appearance. Staff are impressed both with new layout and customer comments. We’ve had good increases both in front of the shop and in the dispensary.” Steve Spicer -Paynesville Pharmacy
‘The new environment is better to work in, we have more space, better facilities and cope better with increased business.’ Geoff Brentnall - Geoff Brentnall’s Pharmacy
‘The new store has got this ‘WOW!’ factor. Our closest opposition was petrified when they saw it. They were so concerned about us making a dent in their market share. And we are!’ Paul Katsavos - Plenty Valley Pharmacy and Medical Centre
‘In the six months that we have been operating from our new store we have a noted increase in sales as well as customer flow. We are finding that not only have we attracted more customers, but those customers are spending more whilst they are in our store. Our average sale has increased by over 32% and our dispensary by 55%.’ Steven Kastrinakis - Lloyd Street Pharmacy
We have a wonderful store now. It is really beautiful . Thanks to you and your team for making it happen in such a short time, and for all your support and patience’. Lynne & Richard Turner - Frith’s Pharmacy, Toronto
‘This has been the easiest and most successful shopfit we’ve gone through. Both the shops look terrific. It makes me smile each day as I walk into one or the other of the shops - they are just so great to work in and customers are still telling us how good it is to shop there.’ Toni Riley - Toni Riley Pharmacies
Our customers love the new pharmacy. The design makes them feel good about coming here, makes them feel welcome. They call it ‘our pharmacy’. Greg Irvine - Golden Beach Pharmacy
Since the completion of the Guardian concept shopfit, I have had nothing but positive customer response including a local farmer observing that he felt ‘invited’ into the whole sales area rather than looking for the closest service counter to the front door. [Design Portfolio’s] attention to detail translated to customers exploring the entire floor space. The staff were amazed at the rationale behind even the smallest details, I was amazed at the results such details brought. For me, the Concept was much more than just a refit - it was a transformation I am delighted to have witnessed. For anyone considering undertaking the Concept - Just Do It!’ Don Clarke - Yarram Pharmacy
The new design has increased our traffic flow with both increase in our sales and script volume. Personally I find it creates a great atmosphere for working in and for the customers, and at the same time not losing the professionalism.’ Chrysi Adams - Chelsea Guardian Pharmacy
The most pleasing aspect of our Guardian concept pharmacy in the eyes of our customers, is the ease in which they can shop. The defined walkways, eye-catching signage and clear, uncluttered displays allow them to easily find their products. The stunning colour scheme and lighting used around the pharmacy also add to the general feeling of a ‘pleasant experience’. Chris Warne - Chris Warne Pharmacy
“The new pharmacy is wonderful. The customers love it, my staff love it. We do more on our quietest day than we ever did on our best day. It shows, you’ve got to listen to the experts.” Les Czeizler - Gaslight Pharmacy
“Even though we have been open for more than three months, I’ve yet to have one single day when I didn’t hear someone telling us how beautiful, comfortable and friendly our new store is. The old customers all came back, and I am seeing new and younger people all the time. The dispensary is trading 30% up and the retail area is showing even better increases.” Kamal Vyas - Shelleys Guardian Pharmacy
“The results have turned out to be everything we hoped for and more - the front of the shop is up 80%, the dispensary is up 25% on the last year. Every person that comes in says the store looks great. Customers tell us they feel looked after, less stressed in our pharmacy and are happy to wander around.” Greg Goldby - Williams & Goldby Guardian Pharmacy
“The final result in terms of design and colour co-ordination and general customer comfort has been nothing short of spectacular. The appearance and layout of the pharmacy is a “quantum” leap in terms of pharmacy design. It has been described by those who have seen it in terms such as “brilliant”, “the best in Queensland”, “the best in Australia” and “shifting the standard of pharmacy appearance up another level”. David Aprile - Mackay Day and Night Pharmacy
“Our new pharmacy’s workflow design allows us to service more customers at a higher level than before, the professional area was greatly enhanced, merchandising at the front is more purposeful, the staff are greatly enthused. All this equalled to a more professional and enjoyable working environment with a corresponding increase in turnover.” Chris Thompson - Bellarine Village Pharmacy |