Nearly every Latvian is familiar with such brands as Dormeo, Topshop and Delimano – we have seen the products of these brands countless times not only on our television screens, but also on social media and in shopping centres. Behind these and seven other different brands stands one company – Studio Moderna, whose Latvian office has been a part of the Mūkusala Business Centre since the very beginning. The Managing Director in the Baltic Market Erika Braukyliene talks about the success of Studio Moderna, the development of the company and its office as a home away from home.
The origins of Studio Moderna can be traced back to about 30 years ago in Slovenia. The company started with only one brand – the spine massager Kosmodisk, which was distributed to consumers using only one channel – television. Currently, the Studio Moderna group is represented in more than 30 countries around the world – not only in Central and Eastern Europe, but also in the United Kingdom, USA, Japan, and other parts of the world.
“The company expanded to Latvia in 2003, starting as a direct-to-consumer company mainly focused on selling our products through television. Over the years we evolved into a multichannel company with a strong platform of multiple channels, including e-commerce, telemarketing, own retail stores, retail partners, and more,” tells Erika Braukyliene. According to the managing director of the company, the success of Studio Moderna can be attributed to three main factors. “First, our great teams, who have been instrumental in providing excellent customer service all these years. Second, our multichannel platform, which has allowed us to reach a wide range of customers and build a loyal customer base. And third, our strong brands, which have helped us establish a reputation for quality and reliability in the marketplace,” she says. “Overall, it has been an incredible journey and we are grateful for the support of our customers and partners who have been with us throughout the years.”
There are over 4000 people employed in Studio Moderna across 19 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. “The combination of different perspectives and skillsets of our diverse and multicultural teams has helped us to innovate and grow as a company,” tells Erika Braukyliene. Another advantage of these diverse teams is to adapt to the specificities of consumers in each country. “The differences between consumers in different countries are not big, but some still exist. It is a matter of culture, consumer needs, presence of different competitors and brands on different markets, but no matter the difference between markets, we make sure we always comply with the highest consumer rights and protection standards, and offer the best quality,” she says.
Instead of focusing on selling goods in specific stores, since the beginning of Studio Moderna, sales channels such as television have played an important role, thus cultivating the idea of shopping from home long before the pandemic, when for countless brands such adapting was a matter of life or bankruptcy. “Of course, during the pandemic our operations were in big part focused on online shopping because there were limitations for other distribution channels. But we also have a strong network of own retail stores and these play an important role for sales of certain products.”
“One such example is the sales of mattresses – this is one of those products that the consumer still likes to see and try out in the store, even though we offer 100 nights of free trial period for all our customers. But our customers still like to come to the store, to see, to touch and to try them out first,” tells Erika Braukyliene. “Our cooperation partners are also very important – in Latvia we cooperate with major retail chains like Maxima, Rimi and Aibe, for example. We see that by dynamic interweaving of retail and online platforms, we can best serve our customers and follow their dynamic journey among different touchpoints.”
In the post-pandemic era, consumer options have only become wider – shopping from home has not replaced real-life experience, but for companies like Studio Moderna, this is an even greater impetus to pay closer attention to the nuances of market changes. “Today, it is crucial that our brands are present on the fastest growing and most popular social media platforms, have a strong e-commerce presence paired with the greatest retail experience and of course, at all times stay relevant in the eyes of our consumers,” she says.
This relevance for the customers is maintained not only via quality the brands guarantee, but via innovation as well. “For example, Dormeo has always been an innovator and a supporter of innovation – these products have implemented the best technologies of their time, which have shaped the way people sleep for years, and now a brand that started with a single mattress is now a successful international brand that is respected and loved by millions of people in Europe,” says Erika Braukyliene.
Studio Moderna’s Latvian office has been located in Mūkusala Business Centre since the company’s arrival in Latvia, and as the Managing Director of the company’s Baltic market says that she considers this place her home away from home. “One of the primary reasons we chose Mūkusala Business Centre as our base was its prime location, easily accessible from all parts of the city and in close proximity to the universities, which provides us with excellent visibility for potential employees and customers, making it more convenient for them to access our office,” she says. “I definitely have to mention that the Mūkusala Business Centre offers a spacious and highly convenient parking area, which is increasingly essential in today’s world. This allows our employees to park their vehicles without the hassle of searching for parking spaces and wasting valuable time.”
Most importantly, Mūkusala Business Centre offers top-notch facilities and consistent support from the staff which is essential for our business operations. It provides us with everything we need to operate efficiently and effectively, giving us a competitive edge in the market. Overall, our long-standing relationship with Mūkusala Business Centre and its exceptional location, facilities, and support has been invaluable in our success. It truly feels like home to us, and we are grateful for the ongoing partnership,” says Erika Braukyliene.
In recent years, more and more companies have reviewed their approach to cultivating office culture, and Studio Moderna is no exception – due to the pandemic, the company’s management has made a strategic decision to reduce office space and switch to a remote work model, which allows the company not only to approach the work process more flexibly, but also to cut costs while maintaining all the advantages of a physical office.
“Our office now serves as a valuable meeting place where team members and clients can come together for collaborative sessions, brainstorming, and concentrate on team-building activities. It is a place where employees can avoid the distractions of working from home and they have a space to focus on their work tasks,” she says. “Moreover, our office remains an ideal venue for hosting various training sessions, seminars, presentations and interactive activities. By leveraging our office in this way, we can maximize productivity, creativity, and innovation while maintaining a strong sense of community and collaboration,” she says.
According to the Managing Director of Studio Moderna in the Baltic Market, the presence of the neighbours of the Mūkusala Business Centre is also of great importance. “Being in the same business centre as successful companies can provide us with the inspiration and motivation to aim higher and strive for success for ourselves – we can learn from their experiences, successes, and failures and gain valuable insights into what works and what does not in our industry,” concludes Erika Braukyliene.
