pacious, comfortable and professional are the words that spring to mind, looking at the new business lounge. This is the result of a year and a half long project to launch the first Amway business centre, in Cape Town.




















The centre is unique in that it is the first of its kind in the world. It combines a product showroom with extensive easy-to-access business resources housed in a comfortable and chic open-plan lounge area. This is all to support the Independent Business Owner in a thorough and holistic manner. The new centre is set to become a fantastic resource and tool for IBOs to develop their businesses and, through this, expand Amway Southern Africa. The opening was attended by both the people who had been involved in the project and prominent IBOs in the business. The Amway business centre developed from product selection centres with an important goal being the creation of a tool to support IBOs in all their endeavours. This centre showcases both the brand and the product in an original and fresh way. This world-class facility has two floors. The ground floor showcases Amway's extensive product range. This area marks a strong progression from past practice where people would travel around with product and catalogues visiting various clients. With the opening of the business centre, IBOs can now proudly bring customers and prospects to show them the extensive product lines in a highly professional environment. They will be able to sample different items with the advice and guidance of trained product consultants. As Gwen Anders, General Manager, remarked in her opening address,"Visibility is very important. This business centre is incredible and real and makes Amway and what it offers tangible."





" With this new product store in place, both the Amway brand and sales should be boosted." This store will provide customers with instant gratification compared to delivery times in the past when customers in Cape Town had to wait up to about 72 hours to receive their products," explained Tina Stockdale, Financial Manager.

The nationally and globally unique element to this centre comes in the form of the ultra-chic and comfortable business lounge situated above the product store. Here IBOs have all the resources to manage business transactions with the utmost of ease and professionalism. Anders explains the importance of this innovation, "People can invite their prospects and customers to the lounge and discuss the products and the business oppor tunity within an easy sort of environment. So if somebody doesn’t have facilities at home then they can experience the full benefit of utilising Amway's new business centre. That's what it's about - providing support for people in the management of their business. The full range of products will be on display. IBOs will also have access to the internet, to information, photocopiers, faxes and telephones. They will be able to liaise with customers and prospects in the comfortable lounge environment. It is about giving them maximum support in the management of their business."

IBOs are excited by this new resource and intend to make maximum use of it. "It is a great venue and I look forward to introducing my leaders to this initiative", remarked Kevin Harris, diamond level IBO.

"I think it's stunning, classy and smart. It's going to do the right thing for the image of the company", said Carol Polden who has been with Amway for 10 years. These statements are echoed by Marita van der Riet, a platinum level IBO who has been involved with Amway for 9 years.

"I have seen Amway grow and how it empowers people on many levels. It has a wonderful value system and this centre is fantastic."
       

     
       
Responsible for the interior design was JP Beukes of Interior one point zero. "An important aspect of the design was the decision to make it all open plan. With this structure, interactions are visible and people are part of what is happening around them." Christopher Abrahams of Tadpole Design Studio worked with three design students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) on the graphic artwork. " Our use of colour in the artwork was important as we wanted to create a mood and capture a feeling", explained Naasier Adams, CPUT student.




  




       
This centre marks the beginning of fur ther expansion for the region. The next Amway Business Centre to be launched will be at Longmeadow in Johannesburg towards the end of 2008.