Azione Prepares Members for Changing Market Dynamics
Azione Prepares Members for Changing Market Dynamics
Azione members grow 14.63% in 2018 and group is emphasizing stronger relationships with architects in 2019
Jason Knott · April 5, 2019
The 206-member Azione Unlimited buying group is coming off a strong 2018, with members reporting cumulative growth of 14.63% last year. Heading into 2019, members are reporting strong pipelines for projects, many of which are still in infancy. Those in-progress projects that have yet to hit the books were reflected in the group’s numbers for the first two months of 2019, which were down 2.53% overall. Specifically as a group, members were down 5.2% in January, but up less than 1% in February.
“This is not doom and gloom. This is the environment we are in,” emphasizes Richard Glikes, executive director, who kicked off Azione’s Fulgent Fling fall meeting in Bonita Springs, Fla., with a state-of-the-market report.
“It has been the land of milk and honey for seven years. The good news is that the pipeline is great for many dealers.”
“Remember that we are in the luxury business,” he continued. “Rich people can tend to pucker early when they see warning signs. But don’t be fooled, there is still more cash than ever out there. Employment is strong. The stock market is way up.”
Glikes believes the plateauing of the market is due to several factors he calls “weird stuff,” including the tariff uncertainty, the labor shortages and the general media sensationalizing any dents in the economy for political reasons.
“We will all be in business next year, but we have to be smart,” he advises.
Azione Focus on Architects
One way Azione is looking to maintain its members’ growth is by working closely with the architectural community.
To read CE Pro’s entire article on the Azione Spring conference, click here.
