No job losses as existing merchandise team will transition across
Hallmark is to outsource its field merchandising services to Dee Set Group, a specialist retail service provider whose client list reads like a who’s who of brands and retailers.
Coming into effect on 21 March, the Dee Set Group will be undertaking the merchandising needs of all Hallmark customers, from grocers and multiples through to independents.
There will be no job losses as a result of the switch as all members of Hallmark field merchandising team will be transitioning across to join Dee Set, thereby retaining the specialist knowledge.
Explaining the rationale behind the move Fiona Pitt, Hallmark’s head of commercial for UK and Ireland, told PG Buzz: “Having worked alongside Dee Set for a number of years, this outsourcing of services provides us with the opportunity to strengthen the service levels we provide to our customers, with the scope to easily accommodate and respond to seasonal fluctuations.”
Based in Stoke-On-Trent, Dee Set is a privately-owned company which employs over 3,500 people and prides itself on its technology and data as well as its sustainable credentials. It claims to have a merchandiser within 10 miles of 97% of stores in the UK, clocking up 40,000 merchandising hours a week.
It has reinvested £10million of its profits into data and technology, with a further £7m worth of investment planned by 2025. Its TS Eye technology provides real-time insights into how a product is performing at both store and SKU level.
“The technology and data in which Dee Set has invested will mean our retail customers will receive an ever more efficient and effective service,” added Fiona.
On the sustainability front, Dee Set is pending accreditation towards becoming a BCorp-credited business, is committed to net zero to landfill and continues to strive for greener approaches to packaging and distribution solutions.
Honing in on the role of merchandising, the message from the Dee Set website sums it up: “Field marketing is like a box of chocolates. Share it the right way and everyone will be your friend. Whether it’s coaching retail staff to become brand advocates or being your voice of customer care, we know what it takes to turn a single encounter into a long-term relationship.”
Top: Dee Set takes over the field merchandising for Hallmark customers from 21 March
