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JESSOPS’ FUTURE: “PHENOMENALLY MORE STABLE”
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)
new. The new ones are all
changes in the next year. I’m
reveal too
driven service and sales
excited by theatre in the retail
much at
professionals, who we think
environment, so my focus is on
present.
are right for the team. Our new
more big brands and branding,
We’re
Head of Central Operations is
more interactivity and making
putting
Andy Clarke, formerly of Best
the stores an exciting place to
1,500
Buy. He supports Chris Yates
shop.
members of
in his role. We had quite a bit
I want Jessops’ customers to
staff through
of work to do on improving the
stay with us for life, hence the
our new
operation of Jessops’ stores.
slogan ‘advice for life’. We’re
customer
Steve Pooley, who has now
aiming for this through clearer
service
left, did an absolutely fi rst class
window displays, to help
training
job of improving our logistical
customers feel less fear of the
programme.
structure and building up a
techie environment and create
Our
up a very confi dent new plan
brilliant system. The team
interest. We want to evolve
Head of Training is Ian
with no real changes to the
he coached is now taking
the products, bringing them to
Smith. Consistently high
stores’ futures. Customers saw
responsibility for this, and he
life rather than having them
standards of training in our
the news, some didn’t quite
has moved on elsewhere as a
in glass cabinets. We’re not
new look stores are the most
understand it, but after that they
friend of the business.
the only retailer doing that, of
important thing: in the Jessops
saw that their local Jessops’
Pixel: What other changes are
course, but it is very important
of the past, customers had
store was still there so they’ve
yet to be implemented?
to us. I’m expecting to be able
mixed experiences. In some
stopped asking now. Our
Trevor Moore: Logistically/
to announce some more store
stores, they reported fantastic
contracts with our landlords and
organisationally, we’re not
refurbishments and some other
experiences with friendly,
suppliers are unaffected.
going to make any radical
exciting news soon, but I can’t
helpful, knowledgeable staff,
Jessops’ fate is phenomenally
and in other areas this was not
more stable now: we have what
the case.
we need to turn the business
We now have to work hard to
around.
photo • video
keep this standard consistently
As it stands, we have around
tripods
high across all stores. We’ll do
200 stores, and this isn’t going
this through LOTS of product
to change. We’re not intending
for the professional
training, on a scale never
to close any, nor open any more
seen at Jessops before. This
in the near future. However, if
would focus on both product
rent is not viable in a particular
knowledge itself and how to
location or a store isn’t making
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communicate this to consumers.
enough money, we may close
Of course, this will be
it down and open it elsewhere,
reinforced through motivations
effectively just moving the store.
and reward schemes.
So, in a year’s time, for
Pixel: What difference has the
example, we’ll have the same
liquidation of the original PLC
amount of stores we do now,
made to the Jessops’ chain?
give or take a few depending
Trevor Moore: David Adams
on where we happen to be in
made it clear that there was
that ‘close one, open another’
for the enthusiast
no value in the business as a
cycle.
PLC last year, hence the de-
This is normal practice for a
listing, but this has only just
nation wide retail chain, and it’s
TP1700 been fi nalised. It’s old news how we’re going to return to a
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to us, we’ve put it behind us
good level of profi tability.
and moved on to the benefi ts
With a stabilised future and
of not being a PLC: we’re not
a plan for extensive store
subject to shareholders’ opinion
refurbishments, improved
now, we’re free from all the
management structure and
intricacies of that format.
better customer service, Jessops’
The bank has been very
future looks brighter than it has
supportive. What we now owe,
in a while. In 2010 we should
we can afford and is in keeping
see the difference on the high
www.camlink.eu.com
with our turnover. We’ve built
street.
PIXEL 04
Pixel Feb 22f.indd 4 19/02/2010 12:56
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