"Public Money-Making Efforts Spotted Easily"
A New Era for Shopping Centers. Aisha Aghakyan, now serving as the managing director of the "MEGA Teply Stan" shopping center in Moscow, began her retail journey 14 years ago and has been making waves ever since. With a stint at IKEA under her belt, Aghakyan wanted to create change within the industry. That's when she discovered shopping centers offered by Ingka Centres.
Ingka Centres owns 14 shopping centers in Russia across 11 locations, boasting a total trading area of 2 million sq.m and welcoming 237 million people per year – that's more visitors than some airports see! Aghakyan suggests we view shopping centers as public spaces, constantly adapting to the evolving mindset of visitors.
In 2020, this mindset shifted dramatically, and Aghakyan and her team worked tirelessly to adjust MEGA Ekaterinburg to meet the new demands. They do not consider other shopping centers as cutthroat competitors but as partners, striving for synergy to grow the industry. In times of adversity, like the pandemic, shopping centers rallied together, proving that competition is not always necessary for success.
MEGA Ekaterinburg sees over a million visitors each month, which places a significant burden on Aghakyan's team. However, each visitor represents an opportunity to influence their attitude towards public spaces and shopping habits. Ingka Centres' research shows that people today are meeting their basic needs at a younger age, leading to a rise in midlife crises and a desire to leave a lasting legacy. MEGA aims to make its mark by improving people's daily lives.
With a fresh approach to MEGA Ekaterinburg, Aghakyan's team has set shopping trends in the city. When MEGA first opened in 2006, it was popular in the region, but it faced stiff competition from a plethora of nearby shopping centers. To attract visitors, Aghakyan worked on transforming the space into an attractive destination, focusing on improved facilities, customer services, and bespoke offerings.
Throughout the process of revitalizing MEGA Ekaterinburg, Aghakyan's team worked closely with the citizens, ensuring that their needs and preferences were at the forefront of every decision. From a commercial upgrade to the introduction of MEGA Park, each project focused on elevating the visitor experience and creating a hub for the community.
Now, MEGA Ekaterinburg stands as a trendsetter in the market, attracting visitors from across the city and beyond. For Aghakyan, success is not just about hitting KPIs but creating a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that encourages visitors to return time and time again.
In her keynote speech at the XII Conference "RSTC Urals/Siberia. New Realities for Shopping Centers", Aghakyan shared her insights into the evolution of shopping centers and the crucial role they play in shaping city life. In today's modern business landscape, Aghakyan believes that a technocratic approach (focusing on data and analysis) is important but insufficient in creating loyalty. Instead, she advocates for a humanistic approach that caters to the physical and emotional needs of the visitor.
By prioritizing the visitor's experience and demonstrating genuine care, Aghakyan believes that loyalty will naturally follow. As businesses embrace social responsibility and strive for positive impacts, they will set themselves apart from the competition, attracting customers who share their values and desires.
Aghakyan will also be a keynote speaker at the online forum "THE RIGHT TIME. Social Entrepreneurship" on September 22, alongside prominent figures like Guzel Sanzhapova, a well-known businesswoman collaborating with IKEA. Stay tuned for more inspirational insights from Aisha Aghakyan and other visionaries in the retail industry.
In light of the evolving retail landscape, Aisha Aghakyan, the managing director of MEGA Teply Stan, advocates for shopping centers to be viewed as public spaces that adapt to visitors' needs, fostering synergy and collaboration with fellow centers rather than viewing them as competitors. To stay relevant, MEGA Ekaterinburg, a shopping center under her management, has undergone a transformation, focusing on enhancing customer experiences, facilities, and bespoke offerings, all in a bid to establish a lasting legacy in the hearts of visitors. In her quest to shape city life, Aghakyan believes that a humanistic approach, catering to the physical and emotional needs of visitors, is key to creating loyalty, as businesses embrace social responsibility and positive impact.
