Alain Adler, partner and director at Sip Well, Belgium, has been Vice Chairman of WE since 2012. Last October he became the new WE Chairman, after Jeroen Peters concluded his Chairmanship. Even though mountains of work and responsibility are now on his shoulders, Alain found a moment to answer our questions.

• WE

  Who is Alain Adler besides being the new chairman of WE?

• Alain Adler

  I studied Business Management at the University of Brussels and started my business career in the jewelry and luxury industry. I sold my business in 2000 and joined Sip-Well, the leading HOD company in Belgium, as a partner and director where I am still active today. In 2012 we have started a new company called Belmoca with the aim to launch a new coffee machine with aluminum capsules designed for the HOD, the B2B and the B2C markets. Regarding my activities in WE I had the privilege to become Vice Chairman of WE in 2010 and last October I had the privilege of succeeding Jeroen Peters as Chairman of WE.

• WE

  What is your personal view on the water cooler industry today?

• Alain Adler

  The industry is going through challenging times. Nobody can ignore the economic situation in Europe. Nevertheless these are times for people to re-invent themselves. These are times of opportunities for those who are not afraid to invest further in their business and/or to start new ventures and pursue with the same entrepreneurial spirit as the one they had when they started their HOD business.

• WE

  What, in your opinion, are the main issues to face for the Watercoolers Europe (WE) association at the moment, and what do you see as the potential challenges for it in the near future?

• Alain Adler

  WE stand for high standards of expertise and education. Therefore we are seeking to encourage and educate our members to adhere to quality standards in everything they do. At the same time the HOD industry like any other industry is under pressure and it is the duty of WE to ensure that all its members can continue to operate in a secure environment while WE is defending the HOD’s interest through information, PR and lobby work.

• WE

  What are your main priorities as you begin your chairmanship?

• Alain Adler

  I would say that WE needs to develop further the bridge between Western and Eastern Europe integrating different cultures and different approaches of the HOD industry. When we will have achieved that then WE will be an even stronger organization. It is challenging and doable.

• WE

  In what areas do you believe WE has to focus in order to provide support for its members?

• Alain Adler

  WE need to communicate to all its members and make sure that people and companies know, understand and value the work that is being done by WE behind the scenes.

• WE

  Distributors, suppliers, producers, bottlers… What group within your members is in need of additional support?

• Alain Adler

  I do not believe that any group needs more support than another. It might well be so that they all need different kind of supports and WE is taking care of defending the interests of every group. At the end of the day all these categories are linked to each other.

• WE

  What was the most important achievement of Watercoolers Europe in the last year?

• Alain Adler

  Every year we set a certain goal to achieve. The last 2 years the emphasis was put into enhancing our communication to our members as well as to the outside world. I strongly believe that we have succeeded in doing that thanks to the drive of Jeroen Peters, to various people involved in the communication committee as well as to Keaton, the company in charge of our website.

• WE

  Can you share with us any of the important changes that you are planning to make?

• Alain Adler

  As the economic situation in Europe is changing and becomes challenging WE needs to seek the right balance between its services to the members and its financial health. It does not sound like something new but believe me it is more important than ever. In that vein the role of our Treasurer becomes vital.

• WE

  In your opinion, what is more important today in a water cooler business: product quality, concern for the environment or customer service?

• Alain Adler

  The quality of the product is the basis for the success of HOD and Customer Service is the area to exceed customer expectations. Nevertheless the world is becoming more and more aware of the importance of the environment and in that context the HOD business is a positive contributor with our reusable and recyclable bottles amongst other clean products.

• WE

  Lately, we have seen an important growth in POU. Do you believe that this growth is going to continue?

• Alain Adler

  Depending upon the country POU will continue to grow. In Western Europe it has grown quite a lot over the last years. In Eastern Europe POU does not really fly. This is probably due to the quality of piping in different Eastern European countries as well as a question of cultural differences. If we use the forecast of Zenith International then we can still expect a growth of 30

• WE

  Does HOD need an extra boost in Europe? In your opinion, which actions will help achieve this outcome?

• Alain Adler

  As mentioned earlier HOD is a service industry and as Europe goes through tough times then we need to reorganize ourselves and become creative. I do believe that the best boost one could get is to believe in what he is doing and invest further in providing existing customers with extra services and/or new products.

• WE

  How can Watercoolers Europe increase the cooperation between members?

• Alain Adler

  www.watercoolerseurope.eu is the best platform to increase communication with members. Our Trade Events are good opportunities to interact with fellow managers. Personally, I have several contacts with managers from companies that are operating in non-competing countries. This allows us to exchange information on best practice in an open way.

• WE

  Last October 10-11th, the 18th WE Trade Fair and Conference took place in Istanbul. Which event did you enjoy the most and what initiatives would you like to introduce into future events?

• Alain Adler

  This year in Istanbul I enjoyed the Aqua Awards the most. We have been successful in convincing companies to enter their names for the Aqua Awards and around 36 entrees in the different categories. I feel that the quality of all the submissions was of a very high level. Only one company can win in each category and in my opinion it was a close call. The level of the submissions was very high and the jury had a hard time deciding who the winner should be.

• WE

  What can you say to the members to encourage them to put themselves forward for the Aqua Awards next year?

• Alain Adler

  The Aqua Award is a beautiful reward for people and companies devoting their work and time to achieve high standards in what they do. This is also a tool that companies could and should use as public relations towards the customers, the media and the outside world. Therefore I can only encourage companies to participate.

Thank you for sharing your time with us, Alain.

Past interviews

• 

  Jeroen Peters

  Former Chairman of Watercoolers Europe and Country Business Manager at Nestle Waters Direct Poland

• 

  Beata Mąkólska

  General Manager, Idea & Marketing

• 

  Jordi Morera

  General Manager and Owner, Canaletas

• 

  Alain Adler

  Chairman of the Belgian Watercooler Association