Cornwall Retail Network

all that glitters...

As I'm sitting here, watching this evenings BBC News, with all its faults, and unapparent bias, I'm left wondering what clout as consumers, customers as voters we really have. I try not to watch the end of news broadcasts because I know that they are constructed so that the last thing we see as viewers is something light hearted, humorous, distracting just as the character of Boris Johnson is currently suggesting. What I do try and remember is what came first, the fact that the housing market is in somewhat of a collapse, the fact that a very strange man kept his daughter locked in a seller for the last 24 years, which I really don't want to think about, the fact that a 19 year old with a very privileged education is up on terrorism charges... Where ever you look and what ever news you watch, none of it is remotely helpful to us at our island end of this country. Apart from the housing market, perhaps the most important thing to us and our industry currently are the increase in fuel prices. £1.28 pence for a litre of diesel, and how do we respond as a country? A few of us blockade london. That's it. But surely fuel costs means something to us, something to our cost prices, something to our shopping budgets, something to our survival budgets. Doesn't it?
But perhaps our ethically minded actions also follow through to the european money that currently services our area. Several people today reminded me that although we as a sector try to encourage retailers to get involved in our projects so that we can say, 'yes this is what the industry want', some of our boundaries are already made before we have had a chance to mould them. As a sector, and as a business we can blame who we like, the LSC, (Learning and Skills Council), our local politicians, our public sector representatives, perhaps even those who so proactively state that they represent the sector, from people like me, right through to the likes of the FSB and our local chambers. But who ever we blame, these parameters are already set. So perhaps our real bug bearing lies with the current government who say and therefore actively pursue the line that NVQ training is what our current workforce need. Of course we could shout about the impracticalities of this, until we are blue in the face, but it won't change the current goal posts, or gain us any time in the process. Neither will it change the fact that there are certain things that are crucial and imperative to individual businesses, such as health and safety and employment law; things all businesses need to keep abreast of regardless of cost, if they want to continue trading within the remits of the law. And yes, as businesses they need to take responsibility for providing time and money for these essential things, thins that make their businesses work, otherwise they fail to compete and we fail to comply to plan and to trade as we should do.
What we can do currently, and easily, or perhaps not so proactively, jugging by our current active reaction to things like fuel prices, is consider our future. Who are we going to employ, how are we going to get them, keep them, encourage them to work harder and smarter; how are we going to invest in our current work pool? As a county and as an industry we have a transient workforce, one day you have a sales assistant, the next day, he or she is someone else's receptionist, the next day, the same person is another companies PA. We want skills to be transferable, we want a better work pool from where we can fish for the strongest and biggest swimmers, or at the very least, catch ourselves a few tiddlers that we can bring on, and nurture into full sized sharks...
So to get back to the news, which has I must admit, been some what diminished by the weather, and other such conundrums, there is always a bigger picture. There are those things we react to, those that we remember and the majority of which we simply raise our eyebrows at and comment to ourselves or our partners, about the current predictable behavior of our government and the 9 billion pounds profit that shell and its counterpart made out of our hard earned cash in the last financial year. But we do nothing about it. One vote is much the same as another these days, we swap one bad government, leader, proposal, project for another without voice, so by the time we think about saying, "what about us", we are always, just a little to late, to make a difference.

The Future of retail thanks to You Tube

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Backwards in comming forwards

Having just returned from a few sun packed mellow weeks in Tunisia, I'm relieved to discover that my mail box is not quite full to over flowing and that the weather is not quite as white as the overseas British post might like its ex-pats to expect.  Its been an interesting few weeks, learning how to barter with taxi drivers and local tradesmen for goods, after getting used to the fact that if you look western, or European, everyone wants to "make you good price".  More than often a "good price" is based on where your from, the strength of our pound leads most salesmen to think that charging quadruple local prices for items is acceptable, after all, "8 dinnias is the cost of a sandwich" here, over there, it is probably at least a few days work.  But every things relative, and if you argue, which is perhaps all part of the experience you tend to pay what you think things are worth, rather than, what the locals think your worth.  Its an interesting concept for buying and selling.  Sometimes as a customer I feel undervalued by retailers or shop floor managers, in-fact sometimes, I don't even get a buy your leave from who ever is manning the store, in Tunisia, it was the complete opposite, people fell over themselves to communicate, barter, swap, attract attention to themselves and their products, even if most of the time what they were selling was somewhat antiquated, the cajoling and shouting was never any less or enthusiastic.  However, shopping in Tunisia is not recommended to those with a gentle disposition, as you will get ram roded into buying things that you don't want for ridiculous prices.  What struck me most, is the seemingly complete contrast between both countries.  Several English people in our hotel, grouped together every day to complain about one thing or another, mainly the lack of infrastructure, the nothing to do line that we often hear as an excuse for teenage behavior seemed to apply here to very 'grown up' groups of visitors.  It got me thinking about how spoiled we are, both in terms of the simple things that we take for granted, and for those endless entertainment channels, both inside and outside our own front rooms that serve to keep us amused.  Here everyone shops, we absent mindlessly rely on food chains, delivery and supply chains to bring us what we want when we want it.  We have the infrastructure to support this and we rely on this to get buy in our 24hour lifestyles.  We have intensive farming, appropriate health and safety procedures; for example you wouldn't see builders working in flip flops, or people mixing cement by hand, or hauling bricks up hundreds of feet on a bit of string, or road workers working without barriers or lights or speed restrictions.  Nor would we see a single man with a hoe working acres of land, or rubbish and rubble dumped any old how throughout our roads and green areas.  Saying that, our current infrastructure has taken years to build and establish, our jobs currently afford us the lifestyle we have and our religions don't impinge on us as perhaps we perceive they might do in countries like Tunisia, which is predominantly Muslim.  And we also might like to take into consideration, that if we hopped over the boarder to Libya, you can fill up a two litre diesel car for the equivalent of about 25 pence.  In a way, Tunisia has the best of both worlds.  Its economy is supported by the influx of foreign visitors, giving local people the chance to double if not triple their weekly wage.  Its food is locally produced, organic, fresh and affordable, something concerned consumers in the UK can pay through the nose for.  While fuel is cheap, and cars are abundant throughout the larger cities, in rural areas, transport is still the good old horse and cart, safer for the environment, and retailers are salesmen, who not only sell through their own locally established trade routes, from soil to table, and manufacture to shop floor, but know how to drive a bargain and communicate effectively, if sometimes over zealously to consumers.  It makes me wonder, if that in being more advanced, in trading at higher prices and allowing technology to simplify all our lives, we as consumers find ourselves striving for the sort of service and relationships that my parents had with the local butcher, tailor and farmer, the sort of consumer lifestyle that the Tunisians have that we as such a well developed country might regard as backward, and indeed I heard that many times over my fresh eggs, tomato's and bread at breakfast, where a large man often complained, " I came here for a relaxing time, they are about 50 years behind here man, their's no Bacon, and I even have to keep my finger on the toaster.  I'm gonna go to Tesco's when I get back and send them one...."   

When the sun comes out....

Its always a bit of chore to get up and start your day on those cold winter mornings, feeling your way across a cold floor in bare feet to reach the bathroom, pulling faces at yourself as you look in the mirror, wondering what you could have possibly done last night to look half as bad as you do this morning, and finally getting dressed and into the kitchen for that life saving mug of tea to be met by the dark, damp mornings that resemble winter.... Thankfully, we have had a run of the most beautiful weather I can remember for February, and yes this is still February! Not to mention a run of fairly lucky breaks with the surf conditions, and perhaps its not every year that Valentines day falls in the midst of all these other joyous things. But I know that when the sun shines at any time of year it puts me in the mood for picnics, and perhaps a little romance, here and there.
In the retail world valentines day is up there with Halloween, Christmas and Easter, because for some reason, under the constraints of social pressure and all in the name of 'love', we splash out on cards, chocolate, perfume, dinners, flowers, romantic keep sakes and other such gifts to give to our loved one on the 14th of February. I must admit, that currently I'm rather disorganised, I have no card, no flowers ordered, no sweet verse to whisper into my other half's ear, and to be honest I'm not quite sure that such flamboyant displays are where I'm at with my romantic inclinations! I'm more of a disconcerting client, I want something a little different this year, and the next, and I'm gauging that unless I use a little creative flair, there won't be much on the market to satisfy my needs. Maybe that's a hole in the valentines market? or maybe its a suggestion that my romantic ideas are a little off the beaten track. What ever the conclusion, I'm still not getting serviced by the industry, customers won't necessarily have the time to look for you, or the something a little bit different you might have in mind, I certainly don't, what I want is someone to do that for me.
So if tomorrow, I'm a little empty handed, I will probably run to the garage, get a quick card and some flowers, a bar of Galaxy and a bike magazine and present my little offering, in some sort of red wrapping and be done for this year, but if there is anyone else like me who could have spent a small fortune on something different but didn't know where to look, well I guess that 's the markets fault. Lets hope next year retail moves on a little from the red ribboned 'I Love You', and puts a little romance back into valentines day....

A little bit of Winter Sun

Having spent the last few months pontificating about holidays, I find myself wondering as I seem to every month about the quality of what’s on offer and the ability of those in the ‘know’ to deliver something that is suitable for their clients.

Yesterday, amongst doing several other things, which were far more successful, like the redesign of the blog, which I hope all regular readers will like, I went to the travel agent, something I have never done before, in the hope of at least getting some good advice about a holiday.  I’m always a little suspicious of travel agents, because I’m not your typical tourist or holiday maker.  I’ve spent a considerable amount of time traveling around without the back up of bags of cash, and I like the real, in all the meanings of the word, of people and places.  Put simply that probably equates to a travel agents idea of a night mare customer, someone who is not just going to by a package holiday with a pool, bar and nightlife, which may be a miss conception of that type of holiday on my part, and if so I appologise, but I hope you catch my drift.

Anyway, what actually happened was the agent talked specifically to my partner, who was asking all the questions, while I sat at the desk making excuses for why I disliked this or the timing was wrong, or that place wasn’t warm enough.  Give the agent her due, she was fairly helpful and tried to be pleasant, but of course we are traveling in prime time, due to the Easter holidays, and things would be expensive and plane seats would be in demand….. A holiday to the canaries, for the price of a holiday to the

Caribbean

does not inspire me, or my pocket, but it did get me thinking about transactions.

What is it that a customer service person and I’m talking here about any one in a customer facing role, weather that be a gym instructor, a bank manager, a super market till operator or a train ticket conductor, what is it that they actually sell?  Is it a ticket or a mortgage, or is it themselves?  Part of me thinks that one of the reasons that I didn’t get enthused about any of the offers the travel agent put on the table, was because I didn’t believe that she really felt anything about any of the places she was discussing, and I knew that as far as holidays go we would have extremely different tastes.  If I had gone to buy a shirt from, Cult Clothing for example, or more locally from one of the small independents like Front Room, I would have received an honest opinion from the staff there about what would suit me, not what would suit them.  This is part of their service and also part of their success. I value their opinion, even though their personal tastes are probably different, I appreciate as do they that I am the buyer and they are the facilitator.

Holidays are a very individual buy, and therefore perhaps require a very individual sell and good facilitation.  Car sales men perhaps have the edge on this, working hard to give the customer specifically what they want, perhaps some times edging on the verge of what they perceive customers might want, but still holding the ball park for facilitating sales.  I wonder sometimes when I’m doing my rounds and visiting towns and I see shops closing down, and prime retail locations with empty premises, whether the reason they are no longer in existence was because they had forgotten how to, or perhaps never perceived that us shoppers are fickle, and need to be coaxed out of our money.  I still need a holiday, I’m still a potential buyer, but am I really looking for a specific package, or just someone with the ability to sell me one. 

January... The dilemma of the Apple Mac.

I’m sitting in Starbucks, with a cup of luke warm tea, watching the world go by, deciding that this has not been my best ever visit to the world famous coffee house emporium.  There are a few suits huddled over an empty table in the corner, but the majority of visitors are shoppers and taking a presumptions stereotypical gamble, I bet the rest of the blue haired rabble with pants clearly visible and trousers half way around their posteriors, who just happen to be reading ‘The Guardian’, are students.  I’m trying to write this by hand, which apart from being remissible of my own student days, is proving quite a challenge, as my hand doesn’t seem to work as fast as my thought process, or as smoothly as I would like due to the cramp penetrating through my index finger, but that’s another story and hardly worth the type space.

As I’m sitting here, I can’t help think that even though the shops are advertising huge discounts, 40-50% in some places, the shopping centre is somewhat deserted for the time of year.  I’ve just visited the Mac Shop, with a few bit of plastic burning holes in my very shallow pockets, I’ve been drooling over the white and black slickness, that is completely representative of the apple brand, and I’m trying, quite mindfully, to decide whether to be sensible with the little bit of money I have and pay off a few bills, or take the plunge and buy what will probably, no undoubtedly be the best tool, the best addition to my life, since my significant other became significant.

Perhaps everyone like me is being a little cautious with their cash and are thinking the same.  Have I actually got it, do I want to spend it, should I really spend it on other things?  The answer?  Well I expect its dependant on self restraint.  But it also lies in the hands of the shop assistant.  Last time and to be truthful the first time I have visited the Exeter shopping centre, it was to look at Apple Mac’s, slightly obsessive, especially as it was just a few days before Christmas, but very necessary.  If I had been greeted with the same interest, enthusiasm, respect and knowledge this morning, I would now be sitting in Starbucks several hundred pounds worse off.  As it is, I find myself wondering if a Mac is really a necessity. 

Traders and retailers alike are already reporting under trading over the festive period, and I’m eagerly awaiting results on the January Sales this year, but I wonder what Apple would say to discover that perhaps it is their staff rather than their product, which ultimately lets them down, and how many other shoppers are getting wise to the fact that they are important and do command a high level of service and care. 

So I go back to musing, drifting around Starbucks, nursing the cold tea, wishing for a little bit of consistency in the world, at the same time, feeling rather glad that I’ve still got a little bit of cash in reserve for dog food.                 

Christmas in the Capital

Well, what a hurricane of wind and rain, lights and sound constitutes the capital city at Christmas.  Office parties were well into their own, as restaurants and popular venues don signs saying sorry closed this evening for private function.  Groups of respectable suits, after dinner ware and heals all bundling into the eye for a private trip with a bottle of bubbly and huge smiles.  While I was having a little sight seeing trip myself, a man in the pod next to me was busy dropping to one knee to ask his girl to marry him…. From the shop windows, where in Selfridges you can find what looks like a diamond encrusted mini cooper, to the delights of a winter wonderland in Hyde park with mulled wine, German frankfurters, an alfresco ice rink and sparkly blue trees, the whole capital was buzzing with Christmas spirit. 

It’s been about six years since I’ve had time to wonder around London, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover how cosmopolitan it has become.  However, the real reason for my visit was the Skillsmart conference, to discuss the creation of SkillsAcademys.  I’ve been trying to upload the video with currently little success, but I will keep trying.

The meeting was positive, if not a little misplaced for the time of year, what with this being the busiest time for businesses.  The vision presented was ‘A one –stop shop for retail skills’.  To provide easy access to skills advice and support, a cost effective solution to recruitment, a comprehensive program of training and qualifications, pre employment training, promotion of retail as a career, and work experience opportunities.  Quite a lot to fit all under one roof.  But this is the concept in a nut shell.

Part of the concept has been delivered directly from the government in line with their 2013 aim to have all young people up to the age of 18 in education, and the rest is being put together by Skillsmart as a model for shops the length and breadth of the UK.

I will post more here when I get 10 mins… in the mean time I’m off to try and upload this video!!.....     

A wet end to November...

There are several things to talk about this month.  Those of you who are regular readers, I’m not sure that there is more than one, so a huge hello to you, will know that I try to blog monthly, perhaps I should also send it out as an attachment? 

Firstly, I’m not a big Christmas fan, I think I’ve mentioned that before, but I’ve just become hugely inspired by a site I’ve stumbled across on the web, http://www.timeout.com/london/christmas/features/3868/Christmas_shopping_guide.html its really well put together and constructed and makes it seem like London is a real community, spread over a huge area, which I think is an interesting thought in itself.  But its shopping remit is fantastic, where to go, at what times, to get what, even down to which streets have what lights.  It’s amazing to note the diversity from eco friendly bits of coloured metal, to funky retro balls sponsored by Nokia, it’s a really inspiring to see how different areas are approaching the Yule time season.  Perhaps next year Bodmin could think of some different approaches to Christmas lights, due to the extreme lack of help and interest in its (non existent) lights this year.  I’m off to

London for a few days next week so I will let you know how it all looks.  Plus I won’t be able to resist the draw of the winter wonderland set up in Hyde Park…..

… On a more local note the Totally Truro bid manager Neil has sent me a copy of

Truro's Christmas offer and it all looks really good, check it out, the PDF is attached. 

On a more, somewhat somber note, it’s with regret that I attended the funeral of David Lang, the Falmouth Town Centre Manager, recently.  David was one life’s little gems, and he will be sorely missed by lots of people, his input and enthusiasm for the retail development in Cornwall, and his determination and work in Falmouth will not be readily forgotten.  I will remember him best, for his love of eating cake, his incessant dislike of seagulls, or at least their mess, and his impeccable manners….

Download tt_christmas__uide_20_11_07_2.pdf

  To be continued...

Why not take another look at St Austell!!

Hi all,

Debs, St Austell Town Centre Manager here!! Jo has asked me to be guest author on the Cornwall Retail Network so here goes!!

Most of you may be aware that St Austell is going through a major regeneration project at the moment which has caused a lot of ups and downs for retailers within the town centre, with the closure of the Cinema decreasing weekend footfall.  Negativity throughout the town is widespread but I try my hardest to keep everyone happy.  The new development will bring 20 new names into the town, we can boast having the first Starbucks and Wilkinsons in Cornwall.  New Look are relocating to a store 3 times their original footprint so for some, and with provision of a brand new 4 Screen multiplex Cinema, this new scheme is a major step forward for the town.  We are still waiting for a decision on Anchor Retailer, lots of whispers, but nothing confirmed.  Once work has commenced, 200 to 300 local people will be employed, with 500 to 700 being employed once the development is complete.

Civic Pride enhancement works are improving the streetscape of the town, with new granite footways/roadways and improvement of the gateways into the town.  Using local material and local workers.

Projects that are being worked on for the town is getting Fairtrade Status.  Working with Eden and the Fairtrade Foundation, we are hoping along with Truro, we can promote and increase the number of retailers stocking Fairtrade goods.  We will be having a big community event to tie in with Fairtrade Fortnight in March 2008.  Best Bar None which has just been rolled out in Carrick is another boroughwide project being worked on with Guy, Newquay Town Centre Manager.  If you don't know BBN is a Quality Assured Scheme for Licensed Premises.  We want all premises to apply for this mark, we will roll it over the 2 town centres first then extend it to the whole borough.

Late Night Shopping starts on 27th November, then 4th, 11th and 18th December.  If you think you knew St Austell then come in and have another look. Bob McReadie from Pirate FM will be switching the lights on, snow is guaranteed with with snow machine, plus we have lots of musical and street entertainment.  We are running a 12 days of Christmas competition with Pirate FM so listen in and you may even win a prize. Starts 3rd December.   www.staustelltown.co.uk has all information about the town so why not visit!!

Signing off for now but will be back Debs

They’ve come to hijack Christmas… give a huge welcome to the Daleks…

Its getting to that time of year again, when you can’t find the things in the isles of the supermarket that have been in the same place for about twelve months, due to the deluge of shiny paper, sparkly cards and insipid ball balls.  I’m not a huge fan of the festive season, but for a retailer Christmas is huge.  What to have in the window? What to buy and in what amounts, trying to decided what’s going to be this years ‘hot or not’ choice with the punters, is often hugely difficult, because as a consumer nation we are very fickle and immensely difficult to please.  Even down to covering staff holidays and dealing with increases in footfall, arranging the dreaded staff party where someone always gets drunk and dances on the table, employers have their work cut out. 

It seems this year the market has its work cut out too.  With the Halloween merchandising market pushing a shocking £160 million this year, making it the third most lucrative trading period after Christmas and Easter (it even out sells valentines day), it’s a wonder that any of us will have any money left for that all important festive spend.  But with the top 12 Christmas presents already listed (check out http://www.guardian.co.uk/retail/story/0,,2188273,00.html ) it is clear to see what areas will be dominating our Christmas lists.  Personally I’d like a hot holiday some where in the middle of nowhere, that didn’t have much call for tinsel, (probably slightly difficult without the aid of a passport!), but it seems that many of us will be opening the seasons must have, a Dalek mask.  It also has a voice changer, and is designed with children and adults alike in mind.  My prediction is that once unwrapped it would be proving an annoyance in seconds, so perhaps I would go with “Are you smarter than a 10 year old?” or an “GR8 Art Bindeez Super Deluxe Studio Centre” both at a very respectable £20 mark, and hitting this years top 12 over all Christmas list. 

A big player hoping for Christmas peaks is

Argos

.  Having reported a 4.7% jump in sales during the last six months, perhaps they are quietly confident.  Home retail the group behind

Argos

and Homebase are predicting another technology Christmas, as the likes of flat screen TV’s, Ipods and sat nav all becomes cheaper perhaps they are right to aim high.  Another factor in their favor was the summer’s bad weather, which lead, perhaps unsurprisingly to a huge slump in the sales of bicycles and outdoor play equipment, and, wait for it, a rise in cinema visits!  Take a peak at the top 12 Christmas items for girls and boys, its pickled with interactive dolls, even the pre school don’t miss out with a voice activated version of the old favorite Rupert the Bear.

So after retailers Christmas has been hijacked by Dalek Sec the human hybrid, and littered with cinematic themed models, and interactive dolls, they face another dilemma – the internet.  If research, have a squiz at the guardian,  (www.guardian.co.uk/retail/story/0,,2197909,00.html) is correct £14 billion pounds will be spent on line this Christmas, which makes us Europe’s biggest internet consumers.  I must admit, in my house we all do lots of shopping on line, mainly for ease, after all we can do it in a coffee break without even leaving the office to get wet, or stand in a queue, and its delivered to our door in perfect timing for the big day.  Often it’s cheaper too, which is always an attraction… as a retailer I would want to be getting in on a little bit of that customer potential, perhaps offering something that others aren’t, like a gift wrapping service, because I’m not that keen on wrapping things up either….

But Christmas is also about thought.  Despite what’s on the top list, there are many of us who would perhaps have a toaster, or an extravagant bottle of bubbly, even some rare cheese, what ever it is that takes your fancy, part of the Christmas experience has to be about shopping, finding that perfect little item that might just make the present bearer smile.  And despite my reservations about the festive period, you can never beat a good old day of shopping….  Especially if it involves coffee and cake!