By Aimee Chanthadavong
Catering to its growing multicultural customer base, Bupa has opened a retail centre in Sydney’s World Square Centre.
The centre has been designed to meet the needs of the Chinese community – the fastest growing migrant group in Australia – in Sydney’s CBD. The centre was designed in line with feng shui principles and will offer both Mandarin and Cantonese speaking consultants, translated materials and multilingual health and wellbeing education sessions.
Bupa’s director of sales Tony Forster said it was a logical move for the company as a way to further establish its retail presence.
“We believe this approach will help us better connect with new and existing members, which will ultimately drive growth,” he said.
“If you want to increase penetration, it’s essential that you recognise trends early enough to capitalise on them. This fundamental change in how we approach Australia’s evolving population will achieve that.”
“Our multicultural strategy forms an essential part of our growth strategy, and it’s logical for Bupa to establish a retail presence that’s specifically designed to cater for Sydney’s Chinese community.”
The centre was designed in consultation with Chinese feng shui expert, Cheung Hon, who ensured significant cultural practices were respected.
“Feng shui is very important in a retail space, as it sets the scene for the customer’s experience,” Hon said.
“It helps create balance and positive energy for a more welcoming and calming environment, which is a nice change amidst the hustle and bustle of a busy city.”
Additional multicultural centres will be launched in the next year.
“In the longer-term, we envisage that these stores will form a key part of our retail footprint in other major cities,” Forster said.