NBG has held a series of sell out Supplier Workshops, helping its suppliers to build better business with NBG merchants, by improving communication and optimising the opportunities to grow sales presented by its Hub system.

The four workshops were extremely well-received and attended by over 100 NBG Suppliers. The sessions focused on how suppliers can better use the Hub to effectively and efficiently reach and engage with NBG's 82 UK independent merchants to mutually build their businesses.

The latest developments to the Hub, NBG's innovative IT and communications system, offer suppliers control over a vast array of information, and enable them to rapidly and consistently communicate promotions, new product initiatives, bulk buys and sales team contacts to the NBG membership at the click of a button. This direct and confidential interaction with merchants empowers both NBG's suppliers and Partners to build mutually profitable business together.

The workshops included live tutorials on how suppliers can optimise their Hub presence: updating products, promotions and price files and gaining a position on the NBG Daily Digest, which is the Group's most crucial communication summary, emailed to 350 key decision makers representative of every NBG merchant on a daily basis. Smaller interactive group sessions enabled suppliers to share best practice in brand building and product support, while a presentation from NBG Account Manager of the Year John Gaunt, from Knauf Insulation, focused on creating, implementing and succeeding with structured NBG sales plans.

Feedback from delegates was extremely positive, with every respondent to an NBG questionnaire rating the workshops as very good or excellent. John Dabb, sales and marketing director at tool distributor Brian Hyde, commented: "The NBG Supplier Workshop allowed us to get a much better understanding of the Group's aims and how to better use the Hub to help build the partnership between suppliers and Partners. NBG shows that it is a real shared responsibility for both sides of this partnership."

Suppliers also reported valuable insight into NBG's Hub system, describing it as "a great tool" and welcoming the increased openness and understanding the workshops delivered. Simon Dickinson, national sales manager at Fakro GB, was one such delegate. "The Hub is vital in helping to make sure that we, both NBG Partners and Fakro, get the most out of our partnership," he said.

NBG is the a buying group for independent merchants with a focus on negotiating competitive buying deals. It has £850m of end user sales, through 82 partner merchants who collectively own nearly 300 outlets across the whole UK. NBG aims to be the UK's most professional, progressive, reputable buying group with excellent hassle free systems for merchants and suppliers alike.