meet yvette
Time for some exciting news! Meet our new Retail Partnership Manager, Yvette Dorr, who has joined the AFI team this month. A familiar face to many in the industry, Yvette will be leading the charge on AFI’s client partnerships and collaborations. We catch up with Yvette to talk about her new role, the changing industry and what she’s most excited about for this new chapter.
1. Welcome to AFI! You may be new to the AFI team but certainly not new the industry, tell us a little bit about your background:
Thank you! Well it’s hard to believe when I think about it, but I’ve been in the print industry for more than 25 years now. I actually started as a printer in the early days – very much on the tools using hand benches and squeegees! I’m so grateful for that experience, it’s given me such an appreciation and grounding of how it all works and what’s possible. That said, I then naturally gravitated into client facing roles as that’s just something I love – collaborating and working together. I’m proud to say I have many lifetime friends that were and still are clients today.
2. Talk to us about the industry – what have you seen change over the years?
Everything! There’s been so much – from screen printing using a hand bench through to semi-automatic then automatic machines through to digital, AI and VR. In recent years, I’ve worked with clients to develop apps to enhance in store experience which is interesting in itself. I think it’s important not to get too caught up in ‘print’ as such – rather how can print integrate with evolving technologies to deliver a first class, in-store customer experience.
3. How do you think 2021 is going to unfold (in our industry)?
This year can only be an improvement on last year, right?! I think there’s some hesitation out there with the many unknowns that still lie ahead. I believe we need to look at this as an opportunity though. Experience is more important than ever but there’s naturally some trepidation for many about going to the shops as a leisure activity not a necessity. So the challenge falls to us to give them a reason to want to come into store – and offer an incredible (and safe!) experience when they do. I believe there will always be a place for bricks and mortar, it’s our job to help our clients offer a physical space where people want to be – because it offers some escapism, inspiration or both. It’s about the touch, the feel, the experience – everything you can’t get online.
4. What are you most excited about in starting at AFI?
I’m delighted to be working with a company and a team that I have admired for many years. One of their core values, ‘people first’, is and has always been my priority. ‘People’ covers clients, staff and suppliers. AFI has some exciting things in the pipeline and I can’t wait to show our clients how these will positively impact, and even revolutionise, what they do.
Connect with Yvette here