Cornwall Farmers

Branch Manager

Key Objectives1) Maximise Profits2) Minimise Costs3) Customer Focused Team4) Deliver Excellent Customer Service

I visited both Helston and Truro branches on Thursday the 12th of July over the lunchtime period, the weather was very wet, I spent around 40 to 50 minuets in each branch.

Both stores appeared to be of a similar size, they offered differing ranges, my experience as a customer was similar in each branch, I was not a regular, I had a shopping list in hand and looked lost/confused, I was passed by a number of task orientated staff, no one noticed me, acknowledged me or offered assistance, when I made my purchases there was no greeting or thanking me for my custom.

After my visits I knew there were opportunities to deliver improvements in the four key areas.

OverviewCustomers are now looking for one stop shopping, a quick in and out, they expect the same ranges in each branch they expect to be able to find it quickly in store, and now with the younger customer shopping online, retailers are having to change, and retail outlets have to move quickly to keep up and offer more to retain footfall.

The challenges facing Cornwall Farmers must be, changes in our weather patterns, farming practices, rising costs and shopping habits namely the internet. I have made the assumption that 75/80% of your customers are farmers/smallholders both owner and tenant, your remaining custom comes from allotment associations and growers with a smaller % coming from the general public.

I have looked at what I could do to face these challenges if this was my retail business. On the following pages I have outlined some key plans for increasing profit, managing costs and delivering customer service.

Store Development

Full review of store layout based on sales and range analysis, to include depth and breadth of stock to create core ranges.

Removal of supplier stands, use our own equipment Bring together products from around the store to create departmentsCreation of a demonstration area inside and outsideCreation of a customer service area for bulk purchases Concessionary space to rent out for complementary retailersHigh level displays and advertising Planograms for all ranges to eventually roll out to all branches

Additional sales opportunitiesLocal Papers, Farming Trade Magazines Impulse purchases, Sandwiches, Drinks Hot and Cold Suntan Creams, Basic Health products for the younger heath consciousLive Plants (could be a concession)Bee keeping accessoriesRare/Special BreedsYour customers produce Jams, Honey and Services they offer.

Range ImprovementsElectrical FittingsHomewareHousehold DiyCarLighting and TorchesToolsIronmongeryChristmas Decorations (seasonal challenges)

Demonstration Area and Concessionary SpaceBurger/Ice Cream Van in the car park £100 pwDemonstration area £250 pwConcessionary space £ dependant on who goes in

Staff Training and DevelopmentCustomer service training, courses on new products and servicesMystery shopper to test service and knowledgeAdd on linked sales training with targets and rewardsStaff notice boards, Team meetings, set challenges and targets Celebrate and reward success, Ideas box rewards for any usedNVQ training to gain qualifications Personnel Development Plans, succession planningRight person right place right time, best use of skill setReview of trading hours, Bank Holidays, Weekends Customer baskets and bags, staff uniform wear with pride

Competitor AnalysisVisit the competition, what do they do well, where can we surpass themHow do they drive customer sales, what can we learn from them Customer questionnaire on service, range and expectations of competitor/CF

Customer Service AreaDedicated space for customers to place bulk orders Manned by a salesperson who knows their customers and the products (Example B&Q kitchens?)Computer with web access, and account facilitiesTea/Coffee comfy seating Salesperson who calls their customers to secure repeat businessPersonal serviceCustomer suggestion box for product or services

Store Development Process and Timescales

Induction period and basic training – Four Weeks - split over two branches prior to taking over my own branchAs Branch Manager from week one in store I would undertake the following,

Week One – Work on the sales floor with the team watching and evaluating individuals.

Weeks Two to Three – One to Ones with each team member to discussTheir backgrounds – getting to know them My background – them getting to know meTheir career aspirationsWhat would they do differently if they could?

Along side this I would want to be looking at the basic store layout and plot the sales by department on a plan to see where the sales come from, how the store is shopped.

Week Four – I would have a basic plan for opening hours, and a basic plan for an updated store layout. I would then want to discuss in detail with the Head of Retail an outline of the proposed range enhancements, consolidation of products in departments and the next stages, namely which departments to work on first, I would start with the ones offering the greatest returns, then discuss fully at a team briefing to outline the changes and why, and the part they individually play.

Weeks Five to Seven – Using the existing suppliers and working with the buying team to pull together the proposed range, review any shortfall, do other branches have a supplier? Can a source be found?

Weeks Eight to Ten – Working with the buying team putting together a planogram to implement on the sales floor, and then deliver it, monitor and review performance weekly.

Weeks Ten to Twelve – Undertake the same process on a number of other departments, the process will be quicker from now on as we will have established a process, and any departments performing well should be considered for rollout across the chain.

Weeks Twelve and beyond – At week four if the outline plan has been approved, I would be getting quotes for a racking system that delivers our requirements, we have improved sales data from the reworked departments, I would then put forward a proposal for a refit, the benefit of this staged approach are that there has been no major outlay to date so we are able to refine ranges to our customers needs, along side this we will have been working up a POS pack to improve customer ease of shopping, and we will not have alienated our customer base with major changes.When the refit is fully implemented and the sales performance is providing the required return then further stores should be considered for updating. The only challenges to the process I propose, would be around the systems and procedures you currently use for buying and ranging, if all buying is done locally and you have no central buying team then there would be a longer delivery time as I would be dealing with a greater workload to pull together ranges and planograms

Other suggestions to promote Cornwall Farmers

Brand Identity

Corporate Message/Statement on display and on all advertising materialCore range of products that deliver the Corporate MessageIn store directional and departmental signage

Clothing, Fencing, Pet, Diy, Footwear, Horse, Car, HouseholdHomeware, Ironmongery, Garden, to name a few.

Promotional Material used on clearly defined promotional space.

Website

The opportunity to develop the website is vast, you can get revenue from your unused website space by advertising links to specially selected partners this brings extended ranges to your customers, in store at your customer service area or from the comfort of home, I have listed some of the links that could be of use to your customers, most of these could be local companies covering your sales area.

Financial Services, either branded CF or local provider Vet Services, on call or advice line, weblink Property Sales or RentalBuildings to Buy or HireEquipment to Hire, Buy new or Auctions Cookers and Aga/Rayburn sales and serviceHeating Oil supplier, Steel suppliersLivestock auctionsAdvance booking for tickets to shows Breakdown servicesFarmers Unions, Staffing Agency/Jobs An outlet for your customers to sell there produce

Order and pay for products online, from our stock catalogue for delivery by us.

Introduce Cornwall Farmers to the wider General Public

When the range review is completed the opportunity exists to entice the local community to try there local Garden/Pet store, with free parking you could offer an attractive alternative to other outlets.This can be achieved by using flyers delivered to local post codes with discount offers attached for first purchase and return visits, local radio and word of mouth. In the demonstration space you could have open evenings with guest speakers on topical subjects advertised on the website, Newspaper, Flyers and local radio with cheese and wine for customers new and old.

Environment

Other opportunities exist with the climate change and ever increasing cost to capture some revenue from renewable sources of energy, plan demonstrations inside or out from companies supplying. Bio mass boilers, Straw power boilers Solar panels, Wind turbines, Water power, Recycling, Bore Holes This is the future to help farmers reduce costs of heating grain silos and heating and lighting animal houses, and their own home.

How do my plans fit with the Key Objectives?

1) Maximise ProfitsWebsite – Income for minimal outlayGeneral Public – improved customer numbers increased turnoverEnvironment – securing the long term future of CFStore Development – increase revenue, sales per square footRemoval of slow lines – more faster selling products

2) Minimise CostsWebsite – minimal cost for greatest returnsEnvironment – helping our customers become more profitable and sustainableConcessionary space – income for minimal outlay in unused spaceRemoval of slow lines – frees up money otherwise tied up

3) Customer Focused TeamBrand Identity – What are we know forGeneral Public – A different customer more demanding less loyal Environment – Longer term career prospects for staff Focused Team – Putting the customer at the heart of what we doStaff Training – Retains staff, helps build a team

5) Deliver Excellent Customer ServiceWebsite – Added value to our customer servicesEnvironment – Helping our customers save money and the environmentRange Enhancements – One stop shoppingStaff Training – Improved customer experience, happier staff