People in Retail Awards 2008 - The Winners!!
Hundreds of retailers gathered on Wednesday night to celebrate the 2008 People in Retail Awards, held in association with Kurt Salmon Associates.
Following a glittering champagne reception, comedian Chris Barrie entertained guests with his wry take on the retail industry. After a sumptuous meal and a lively awards ceremony the crowd danced the night away until the small hours.
The judges for the 2008 awards were: Richard Glanville, Chief Financial Officer, Mosaic Fashions, Richard Smith, Managing Director, Lloydspharmacy, Helen Mountney, UK Managing Partner, Kurt Salmon Associates, Nigel J L Rothband, Chief Executive, The Retail Trust, Sonia Sharples, HR Director, Poundland, David Russell, Group HR Director, William Hill, Terry O'Brien, Head of Retail, Vodafone, Gordon Rennison,Head of Corporate Affairs, LaSer UK.
And the winners are .....
Employee Of The Year
Winner -Jan Amos, Ernest Jones
The Judges said “The retail industry employs over 1.8 million people, so to win this award is a fantastic achievement. Jan has demonstrated commitment and passion for her job and has been an inspiration to her colleagues. The award was sponsored by Kurt Salmon Associates
Frontline Customer Service Team
Winner - Homebase Showroom Team, Letterkenny
The judges said “Customer care and commitment leapt off the page with many examples of how the team at Letterkenny has gone above and beyond the call of duty.” The Award was sponsored by Securitas
Employer of The Year
Winner -Pets At Home
The judges said “A great example of a retail business which is enjoying outstanding results in a tough trading environment through its people. Their commitment to training and development is clear. Their values have been defined from the “bottom-up” and they've stuck with them for almost a decade.” The award was sponsored by Retail Choice
Store Of The Year
Winner - Iceland,Sheerness
The judges said “This is a store where everyone cares - they care about the business, the customers, and each other. No grievances, zero staff turnover, and high morale coupled with outstanding customer service and company leading performance figures made Iceland Sheerness a clear winner.” The award was sponsored by TNS
Training and Career Development Award
Winner - Vodafone
The judges said “Vodafone is an exemplary example of how investing in the development of people through quality training programmes - many of which lead to nationally recognised qualifications - unlocks the potential of the workforce and creates a high performance organisation.” The award was sponsored by The Training Partnership
Responsible Retailer of the Year
Winner -The Co op Group
The judges said “The Co op has a sincere and sustained commitment to social responsibility - ethical behaviour is clearly part of their culture. Their work on improving their environmental sustainability has resulted in significant improvements not just within their own organisations, but also in the communities within which they operate.” The award was sponsored by Eversheds.
Customer Initiative Award
Winner -Comet 'click and chat'
The judges said "Really innovative and really simple. and the results in terms of both customer satisfaction and sales conversions are outstanding. A brilliant innovation! The award was sponsored by Vox Pops
Online Customer Service Team
Winner - Bravissimo
The judges said “This was a tough category to judge, with two finalists coming very close. Our winner, however, demonstrates a combination of rigorous processes, a pro-active approach to understanding the needs of customers, and a highly personalised service to those customers”
The award was sponsored by Hudson Communications
Support Team of The Year
Winner - Homebase Retail Support Team
The judges said “Successfully landing major corporate initiatives - particularly when they require behavioural changes at store level is always difficult, but not for this team - a remarkable achievement!” The award was sponsored by Recruit Retail
Team Player of the Year
Winner - Eimhear Kennedy,Principles
The Judges said “With a combination of personal initiative, passion for her brand, and dogged determination Eimhear is a worthy winner whose impact on her region is now resonating across the entire organisation." The award was sponsored by Workplace Systems
Store Manager of the Year - South
Winner - Melanie Knight,Homebase Ewell
The judges said “In a category where the quality of the finalists was extremely high, Melanie stood out as an inspiring role model and leader who has succeeded by taking her people with her and refusing to be intimidated by the sizeable business challenges they have faced.” The Award was sponsored by Retail Kudos
Store Manager of the Year North
Winner -Iain Finlayson,Blackwell UK
The judges said “ Iain's dynamism and innovative flair has seen him widen the reach of his store well beyond its four walls and out into the wider community. An inspiring winner.”