Sponsors
Kurt Salmon Associates
Employee of the Year
The premier Award for Employee of the Year is sponsored by Kurt Salmon Associates, the leading global management consultancy specialising in retail and consumer products.
“The best retailers are those that have great staff that can deliver great customer service throughout the organisation, whether they are at head office or at the sharp end on the sales floor. With more than 3 million people working in retail, to be singled out as the best is a fantastic accolade for both the individual and their retail employer,” says Helen Mountney, UK managing partner, Kurt Salmon Associates.
“We expect the competition will be as fierce as it is on the high street as reputations are at stake. As this is such a personal Awards competition, we know that we will be involved in not just an exciting, but a very emotional event.”
Kurt Salmon Associates have been working closely with retailers and suppliers for over 50 years to achieve proven results across a range of disciplines to stimulate business growth, advance productivity, increase margins and improve inventory efficiency. Recent projects have identified 7.5% labour cost savings in labour hours scheduling; uplifted sales by 17% through store merchandising and by 0.5% for every 1% improvement in on-shelf availability; and reduced product lead times by up to 10 weeks through improving sourcing strategies.
To find out how we can help your business, visit our website for more details, client case studies and testimonials.
RetailChoice.com
Retailchoice.com is delighted to once again sponsor the People in Retail Employer of the Year Award.
The contribution made by its employees to the balance sheet is in sharp focus for any quality organisation. In modern retail, the talent we recruit and develop can make the ultimate difference between success and mediocrity.
Good practice in retention, motivation and career development is a feature of the brands that succeed – and is often lacking in those that falter. By promoting and communicating the highest standards we will ensure that our people continue to make retail the most dynamic and exciting business of them all.
Good luck to all entrants!
Retailchoice.com is the largest recruitment website for retail professionals in the UK, and is committed to offering excellence in the efficient recruitment of people in all disciplines.
Recruit Retail Services plc
Your Brand, Your Customers, Our Service
Recruit Retail Services are really looking forward to the awards this year, this is our first year of attendance. The award we are sponsoring we feel is representative of how working together as a team can deliver fantastic results in the retail industry.
This year the award that we are proud to be sponsoring 'Support Team of the year'.
Retailing made easy.
Recruit Retail Services plc offer a range of solutions to help retailers and manufacturers manage the demands of 21st Century retailing.
Our philosophy is built around recognising our clients’ needs for a range of services that allows them to focus fully on serving their customers.
We provide the industry benchmark in performance and experience, taking on full responsibility for retail projects from conception to completion including Merchandising, Shopfitting and Installation, Reverse Logistics and Project Management.
The Training Partnership
The Training Partnership is delighted to once again be a sponsor of the People in Retail awards 2008 and we believe these will help to ‘raise the bar’ throughout the retail industry..
Established in 1998, The Training Partnership is an independent training provider working in conjunction with FE colleges nationwide. We deliver high quality work-based training and development in the retail and associated sectors throughout England and Wales.
The qualifications are accredited by major awarding bodies, such as City & Guilds and ASET, and are recognised and respected by employers and trade bodies. This year, and for the second year running, an apprentice trained by The Training Partnership was the winner in the Advanced Apprenticeship category of the Staffordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2006.
We are members of both the Chartered Management Institute and the Institute of Customer Services, recognised as an Investor in People employer, and hold ISO 2001.
Most of our programmes are either fully or part funded by the local Learning and Skills Council via one of our college partners. Apprenticeships and training up to first full Level 2 qualifications are, in general, fully funded. For larger organisations (those with more than 2,000 employees), direct funding may be available using the National Employer Service of the Learning and Skills Council. We are happy to advise employers about the funded training available in their own area.
We take the time to understand the requirements of your business and to identify the skills gaps and training needs and we know that to deliver training successfully in the workplace, the Learner needs the support of the employers and the management team.
Almost 80% of our learners achieve their chosen qualification and, in a survey we recently carried out of our learners, 60% said that the quality of our training was excellent and 92% said they would continue with us on another programme on completion of their current programme.
Retail Kudos
As Retail specialists with over 60 years experience we have successfully placed key personnel at all levels including CEO’s of global brands.
Working with a range of businesses from emerging growth companies to international brands we have the experience, together with tenacity to assist you with your most challenging of recruitment assignments. Our size allows us to provide a tailored personal service without delegating assignments down to inexperienced junior consultants.
Our consultants are fully trained search professionals, with passion, knowledge and the ability to deliver beyond your expectations covering all levels of Head-office and retail operations positions.
We have built our reputation serving major retailers and are able to provide written or verbal testimonials upon request.
If you are a company that is looking to hire exceptional talent or you are looking for your next career move, Retail Kudos will exceed your expectations.
Securitas
In the UK, Securitas is the 5th largest security company and it is our policy to remain focused on security and customer segmentation, while continuing to build on the company’s knowledge and expertise. This enables Securitas to delivery tailor made services, having developed a comprehensive range of flexible, integrated security solutions, within the specialised areas of guarding, mobile services, key holding and alarm response. Securitas operates in customer segments including retail, banking & finance, transport and facilities management.
The ever-evolving world of retail security provides Securitas with the opportunity to develop its Security Solutions. From Shopping Centres to High Streets, or affluent destinations to deprived communities, the challenges facing our Officers are very diverse.
These differing environments dictate the skill base required of our Officers. At the higher end of the Market Sector, Customer Care and advisory skills are essential, whereas in the socially more challenging locations, the focus is concentrated on public safety and profit protection of Customer assets. Securitas has developed a range of training modules that reflect the specific retail environment.
The partnership of our Branch teams with our Customers provides the ideal opportunity to understand the economic, demographic and logistical challenges facing our Customer and provides the opportunity to discuss, agree and implement a bespoke solution for each location.
TNS
Great service is undoubtedly what makes you stand out from the crowd in a challenging and competitive retail environment. It’s no secret that the key to great service is enthusiastic, committed and well trained people. And it’s no surprise that organisations who deliver great service have ‘happy’ customers who spend more, stay with you and recommend you to others.
But how can you ensure your people are always delivering great customer service and doing it consistently? As a global market information and insight group, TNS provide a portfolio of solutions to help our clients understand not only what great service really means from a customer perspective, but how you can define, deliver and assess it, helping to make it happen in every outlet, every day.
From retail and shopper insights, to our world class stakeholder management system (TRI*M) and mystery shopping, TNS identifies customer expectations and evaluates the reality of the service experience, helping your people in retail to be the very best they can be.
That’s what makes us stand out from the crowd. And that’s what makes TNS the Sixth Sense of Business™.
TNS are therefore delighted to be celebrating customer service excellence via our sponsorship of the ‘Store of the Year’ category and partnering with organisations who recognise that great service is a fundamental principle of successful retailing.
Eversheds
The retail sector continues to be one of the most dynamic environments in which to work. With both businesses and consumers placing increased emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility and green issues, there is growing pressure on retailers to demonstrate that the CSR is high on their agenda.
Eversheds is therefore delighted to sponsor the ‘Responsible Retailer of the Year Award’. This award will recognise individuals, teams (be they in stores, distribution centres or head office functions) and retailers who have encouraged and enabled their colleagues and customers to reduce their environmental impact
With the ever changing challenges facing the sector, retailers need skilled advisers with a high degree of sector-specific knowledge to help them turn threats into opportunities, to reduce the risks involved in operating in this fast changing sector and to ensure they can evolve strategies for success.
Our Environment & Sustainability team is one of the largest in Europe and works with a number of companies in the retail sector to help them develop and implement green strategies profitability and improve their green credentials.
We are also working with a number of major retailers on waste solutions, such as biomass waste to energy plants, and advising on the use of land banks for renewable energy projects.
We are a top ranked firm for the Retail Sector in Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession, and have more than 60 lawyers with genuine retail expertise. Through our network of UK and overseas offices, we offer sector specific advice on the options for expansion, whether through acquisition, own stores, concessions, franchising or other routes to market. We guide retailers through the maze of other issues requiring consideration, such as the regulatory environment, advertising and promotions, branding and competition. And we provide sector specific advice to retailers in fields as diverse as employers’ and public liability, real estate portfolio management, product liability and dispute management
To find out how we can help your business, visit our website for further information on our retail expertise and services.
Brooklands Executives
Brooklands Executives is a specialist Retail sector Executive Search and Interim Management provider. We share a passion for achieving and celebrating excellence, and of delivering and supporting the very best talent in the Retail sector and are therefore delighted to be involved with the People in Retail Awards. .
We offer a refreshing change to the industry approach to talent management. Working at senior level we provide a multidimensional resourcing capability, operating in the UK and internationally. We listen to your needs and ensure that we understand your challenges, thereby taking an integrated approach to campaign delivery.
As the chosen provider of Interim Executives to many of the UK’s top retailers, specifically in the areas of shared service operations, commercial and general management, we can parachute the right talent into your organisation fast. And in retail, speed matched with quality are cornerstones of success.
Our specialist Retail Consultancy team is part of your competitive advantage. We want you to experience the Brooklands “WOW” factor. Find our more at www.brooklandsexecutives.com.
WorkPlace Systems plc
WorkPlace Systems, the leading UK based supplier of Retail Workforce Management Solutions and of Consulting Services is pleased to sponsor this important award category, Team Player of the Year.
We recognise the importance and potential of a Retailer’s entire team working together with the aim of improving overall Retail performance. Workforce Management is proven to help all functions of a Retailer’s organisation coordinate and plan activity, particularly helping HR and Retail Operations work together to guide and shape the team that is available to be scheduled in-store to deliver great customer service cost effectively.
WorkPlace Systems has a versatile and scalable solution that can be applied in most Retail segments and formats. Specifically for HR it can ensure correct pay, reduce absenteeism and help with staff related projects including; new store opening recruitment, recruit to replace, future training programmes and special projects, such as major seasonal periods of sales.
More details can be found at www.workplacesystems.com
Vox Pops International
Vox Pops International is a video and market research communication company, specializing in recruiting, interviewing and filming people, be they consumers in the street through to expert voices. We have our own video production company with edit suites, cameras, lights and provide a high end product and our editors and producers are highly creative with great skills.
We can help you produce videos for your websites, to bring your consumers to life through a variety of methodologies and services, including customer segmentation videos, video diaries, accompanied shops, street interviews, exit interviews, webcam research and observational filming.
Our Multi-skilled teams of project managers, qualitative researchers, producers, camera ops and editors are all experienced in producing high end quality videos that you can use for sales, presentations and training purposes.
We have a great deal of experience in working with the retail sector, providing services such as observational filming and accompanied shops. Our retail clients include Asda, Boots, Sainsbury’s, Iceland, Waitrose, Retail Why, D&A, Habitat, Bezier, Littlewoods, Marks & Spencer and WH Smith.
For more information, visit us at www.voxpops.com, phone 0208 786 8855 or email info@voxpops.com