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Field Marketing: Grass Roots adds to European mystery shopping capability
The Grass Roots Group PLC has announced its first acquisition of 2007, continuing the policy of expansion that embraced the USA, Europe and the Middle East & Africa in 2006. The newest member of the Group is Shopcontrol GmbH in Germany, where a controlling interest has been secured following a period of partnership and minority investment.
Grass Roots Group Founder and Chairman David Evans is enthusiastic about this latest development. "We were first attracted to Shopcontrol as a means of extending our mystery shopping presence into Europe. After a period of working well together we decided to make the association permanent by taking a majority shareholding. As well as becoming more involved in developing their business in Germany, we now have access to their licensed partners in Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland. We see these as fertile territories for expansion, taking our experience and our expertise farther and wider. Added to our operations in France, Ireland, Spain, the Middle East & Africa, we now have a powerful mystery shopping presence in Europe and beyond."
Nigel Cover, Executive Director at Grass Roots in the UK with overall responsibility for the Group's measurement services, including mystery shopping, added "We are seeing a growing demand for this type of service from clients whose products, brands and services are international and who want to ensure that their customers are enjoying a positive and consistent experience. To a large extent that depends upon the attitudes and actions of the people in customer-facing roles - something that we can measure accurately and report rapidly. With more than 100,000 mystery shoppers on our books, we can match any client customer profile to ensure credibility and objectivity."
David Evans was quick to reassure clients and other interested parties that very little would change on the surface. There will be continuity of local Shopcontrol management and client service will be unaffected. He also stressed that this acquisition, like the others preceding it, was funded by accumulated cash reserves and not by borrowing. "I am proud that we have managed to combine a position of market leadership with one of financial strength. This vindicates the judgements we have made over the years, and is a tribute to the good husbandry practised by the Group's managers at all levels."
12 February 2007