‘We can’t just stand still’ on the floor
Keeping up with the industry is a full time job in itself for Phil Cox, sales director of West Midlands retailer Borshch Electric
What’s your background? I grew up in the family business. I served my apprenticeship cleaning, delivering, repairing, selling…
Tell us a bit about Borshch Electric. We’re a family firm, with my brother Simon, my son (another Phil) and daughter Page. My mum and dad - Alicia and another Phil - act as overseers. My father started the company in
Wolverhampton in 1982. We moved to Birmingham in the mid-’80s and we opened in Dudley three and a half years ago, and Walsall a year ago. We’re white goods and we specialise in new, end of line and graded. The graded we repair and sell in the shop and all over the world. And we’re winner of the Sirius 2012 Retailer of the Year Award! We only joined Sirius four years ago. We thought of ourselves as fiercely independent but friends in the industry kept telling us we should join. It’s been hugely beneficial and helps us keep in touch with like-minded retailers and dealers with quarterly meetings. Now I wish we’d joined four years earlier.
What’s an average day? I’m in at between 7.15 to 7.30 in the morning. I have a quick management meeting and then it’s selling or answering the telephone or dealing with suppliers – or the cleaning!
What’s on your agenda? We’re constantly moving forward. Keeping up with the industry is a full time job in itself. We can’t just stand still. We’ve seen a real lift in
sales, possibly because of the economy and people are looking for a bargain. We might possibly look at opening another shop. If we do, it will still be in the West Midlands.
What’s the last product you sold? A Smeg range cooker for £2,000.
What’s the most amusing thing that has happened in your store? I got a smack around the face! There were these two women who were disagreeing. So I suggested to one of them that she should listen to her mother. It wasn’t her mother, it was her (possibly younger) sister. I smoothed things over with a discount and yes, they have been back since.
We might possibly look at opening another shop
What do you do outside work? I’ve a young family - a six year old and a seven year old. I spend most of my spare time with them: parties, parks and more parks. Sometimes it seems easier to go to work. And, when I get a chance, I try to watch
Birmingham City. We’ve been quite tied in with Birmingham. In the past, we’ve had a box [at the football club’s St Andrew’s ground] but we haven’t renewed it this year.
Which of ‘your’ products do you use? Anything fresh and new, I love. So I’m constantly changing. At the moment,
we’ve got a Smeg range cooker, and LG direct drive washer and a Fisher Paykel dishdrawer. But, I’ll be changing them all soon. I change everything two or three times a year.
Best aspect of your job? Without doubt, the people and the staff. And the people in Sirius. I’m in touch with them every day and it’s nice to know that someone is worse off than you are! And the customers: we have a good laugh with them – well, most of them.
Worst aspect of your job? Lack of support from manufacturers who sell online. It’s sad to see products on sale online for cheaper than I can buy them.
Biggest issue facing the electrical industry? See above!
Name one change you would make to the electrical industry. Business rates. Retail premises pay councils and we get nothing for it. They don’t even empty our bins; we even have to do that ourselves. We’ve got three shops (the Birmingham shop is 52,000sq ft over four floors!) and a warehouse and workshop. And as soon as you mention the word ‘retail’, rates go through the roof.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in electrical retailing? Don’t open in Birmingham, Walsall or Dudley.
October 2013
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