A tweaked management team, a new EPoS system and a renewed focus on getting the basics right has been the focus for the last month or so in Woodlands as we aim to deliver much-needed growth.
by Antony Begley
It’s spring clean time at Woodlands Local as we aim to get back to basics and start getting getting all the simple things back in place to attempt to deliver much needed growth in the store. One of the most significant recent developments was parting company with our store manager Gerry who has been with the store since we first bought it over three years ago. Gerry has been a fantastic member of the team at the store but with no history or experience in retail prior to taking over the management of the store he was finding it increasingly difficult to deliver the results that we were seeking.
His commitment, passion and effort were never in doubt – but we have learned to our cost the old adage that retailers are born and not made. It was a sad few weeks when he left but the time had come to make a fundamental change to allow us to increase the focus on the shop floor and the vital need to maximise sales.
Joining the management team in the wake of Gerry’s departure is Arlene Nixon, former Assistant Manager at the nearby Scotmid store. We have high hopes for a quick improvement, given Arlene’s formal training in retail and shop floor management and long experience in the trade, including a time at Woodlands Local many years ago with former owner Stephen Carr.
It certainly won’t be a simple task given the volume of flux in the business, not least because of the new RDP Epos system which is now fully live in the store. While we only have a few weeks under our belt with the new system, it seems exceptionally efficient, particularly for the day to day management of simple tasks like pricing, ticketing, delivery note management and stock control. It is also worth mentioning the absolutely superb support offered by RDP with the team always available on the end of the phone. Every time we have called, the phone has been answered in seconds and our query has been resolved in minutes. It makes such a huge difference to our ability to get the most out of the system.
Training
We are of course running into all manner of small challenges using a new Epos system but we’re quickly working our way through the key ones and we already have the system sufficiently functional to be able to run the store with a minimum of fuss. Our intention is to formalise the training process for the team so that we use as much of the Epos system’s functionality as possible.
On the subject of training, we are also set to embark on a new online training journey with Glasgow-based Bolt Learning. We have only just begun the process but the system looks extremely easy to use and helps us ensure all staff are fully trained in all key areas. Look out for a fuller report in the next issue.
On a related matter, we are also recruiting new staff at the store and have had a very encouraging response from a promoted Facebook post with over a dozen people getting touch and supplying CVs. We realistically probably need around three or four more staff to be back at full strength and the interview process is already underway.
As for in-store activity, we are currently working with a number of suppliers to develop several categories in the store. Our long-term project with Wrigley is well underway and the till point area now boasts a far stronger gum and confectionery offer. We have a series of plans for the next few months to continue to develop in this area.
Our project with Diageo on its range of price-marked premix cans is also in full swing and we’re already seeing huge growth in sales volumes, albeit from a relatively low starting point. The combination of great quality products and great value £1.50 price-marked cans is really working for our customers. The shelf trays and POS also help to enhance the fixture and bring new shoppers into the category, so we’re hoping for more of the same in future.
As SLR was going to press we were also expecting the arrival of teams from Hi Street Digital and Walkers. Our new digital advertising screen from Hi Street Digital is due to be fitted any day and should bring some colour and life to the window display, highlighting great deals and products, as well as allowing us to promote our own deals and activity specific to the store.
Walkers is also due to hit the store any day now to revamp our crisp and snacks range and the way it is merchandised in the store. Our core range is apparently “very, very good” but our £1 bag range needs a little work. A team from the crisps giant will be arriving under the watchful eye of Alan McCaffer to remerchandise the two main fixtures as well as a number of secondary and tertiary sitings around the store. We look forward to seeing that taking shape.
Working on the principle that you can never have too many offerings for customers, we have also installed a Snowshock slush machine in the store as we aim to cash in on any hot weather that might make an appearance in Falkirk. The unit comes with enough free stock to cover the cost of the machine and with margins north of 70%, you don’t have to shift too many to start making it work. We’re off and running with Bubblegum and Raspberry flavours and we’ve already attracted a lot of attention for the machine, particularly among the local school children.
It has been another tough couple of months at Woodlands, there’s no getting away from it, but we’re working hard at building systems that work and we’re hoping for a good summer that buys us a little breathing space to develop some of the grander ideas we have. Hard work and attitude seem to be what it’s all about, and we’re giving it our best shot.
