Page 25 - DMGT551_RETAIL_BUSINESS_ENVIRONMENT

Retail Business Environment

Notes Amber is a Harrods Retail Manager who started as a Sales Associate at Harrods through an
online application. Harrods has created a web site www.harrodscareers.com to enable
candidates to apply for roles easily.
‘I wasn’t sure I would get the job but it seemed a really challenging role and I was keen to
try. I had only a little background in retail and none at all in the luxury retail market.
Mostly I had been working in the hospitality sector.’ Amber.
However, Harrods Learning and Development ensured Amber acquired the skills she
needed to carry out her role. Development at Harrods is linked to the company’s Business
Competencies which fall under four headings: Working at Harrods, Your Impact on Others,
Making Things Happen, Focus on Improvements.
Each Business Competency is supported by workshops so that every skill can be improved.
Learning is offered off-the-job in ‘bite-size’ sessions. These sessions give employees the
chance to learn more effectively over a much shorter period, reducing time away from
work and bringing a tightly focused approach to skills development. They have been
described as concise and punchy and a workshop typically lasts 90 minutes. All the Business
Competencies are supported by self-help guides which are run either on-or off-the-job
and include activities such as observation and review, reading, and ‘one minute guides’
offering top tips and tactics.

Identifying key competencies also helps Harrods to design its recruitment process to
ensure that it attracts the best candidates. They must have the right approach to sales,
customer service and decision-making and support the ‘theatre of retail’ that underpins
Harrods’ reputation. This is about flair, showmanship and expertise. Harrods Learning
and Development department must be proactive in responding to changing customer
needs. For example, Harrods has introduced cultural awareness training for employees
better to serve the increasing number of customers from the Middle East, China, Brazil
and Russia.
Developing a career path

Harrods stands out from its competitors by providing a wide variety of development
opportunities for all employees. This means the business can recruit and retain good
managers and maintain improvements in sales and business performance. Individuals’
self-esteem and motivation is raised. Once a year, managers talk to employees about their
progress and ambitions during appraisals. Employees then identify their personal
development targets.
The sales and service programmes include the ‘Harrods Welcome’. This induction provides
essential training for new employees, such as Harrods’ brand values and the Theatre of
Selling. Other courses ensure the effectiveness of Harrods sales associates:

‘Your Theatre’ is a two-day programme to improve sales skills and provide the highest
level of customer service. It introduces the idea of selling as a ‘theatre’ requiring specific
skills and expertise. ‘The Theatre of Selling’ element covers personal presentation, effective
questioning, product selection and closing the sale. ‘The Science of Selling’ develops
employee awareness of customer types and needs.
The Harrods Fashion Programme is run in partnership with the London College of Fashion.
It enables sales associates to understand the entire ‘product journey’ from design to sale.

The School of Communication offers voice, body language and presentation skills
workshops.

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