What the future holds for your industry

Focusing on some of Kent's most important industries, this year’s Kent Vision LIVE includes high-level briefings to highlight the key trends and opportunities for the coming decade in three rapidly changing sectors…

Manufacturing - presented by Professor James Gao from University of Greewich
Retail - presented by Debbie Kemp from the University of Kent
Tourism - presented by David Curtis-Brignell on behalf of Visit Kent

See below for full details and timings, then CLICK HERE to register in advance and pre-book your chosen sessions.

FREE WORKSHOPS: WEDNESDAY 11th MAY 2016

10.30-11.00am
Manufacturing Futures: Embracing the opportunities
- Professor James Gao, Medway Chair of Manufacturing Engineering & Head of Centre for Innovative Product Development & Manufacturing, University of Greenwich

The manufacturing sector is going through an exciting period of innovation and evolution, with many new opportunities and some significant challenges starting to emerge. In order to remain competitive in the global marketplace, Kent's manufacturing businesses need to understand, embrace and prepare for these changes as soon as possible.

Join Professor James Gao (PhD, CEng, FIMechE) from the University of Greenwich for a high-level overview of the key trends and technologies that will shape the manufacturing sector over the next 5-10 years, including digitisation with Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things, the move towards servitisation, the growth in on-shoring and the benefits of open innovation.

11.15-11.45am
Retail Futures: The power of customer service
- Debbie Kemp, Retail Management Specialist, University of Kent

With the domestic and international retailing sectors constantly changing shape, competition for consumer spend and customer loyalty have never been more fierce. There have been many casualties on the high street, as online retailing continues to grow, new niche players emerge and overseas entrants crowd into the UK market.

Successful retailing is still about selling the right product at the right price – but what can make the difference between success and failure is how seriously you take customer service. Debbie Kemp explains why understanding your customer’s needs and exceeding expectations is now more important than ever, whilst also discussing a service measurement technique you can use to critique your own business and determine if you are set up for success.

12.00-12.30pm
Tourism Futures: Trends to watch and opportunities to grasp
- David Curtis-Brignell, Head of Destination Partnerships, Visit Kent

2015 was another record year for British tourism, with inbound visitor numbers rising for the sixth year running and total spend increasing at a similar rate. As the primary gateway for Europe and home to a wide range of unique attractions, Kent is well placed to take advantage of this continued growth – but the buoyancy of the sector is also creating more competition that ever before.

To help you compete effectively, Visit Kent will provide some key insights into the current state of tourism in Britain and Kent – highlighting the trends, opportunities and challenges for businesses in this, the country’s third largest industry.