FIELDREPORT
holds £50-60k of stock. Get rid of 15% of it and you release, say, £8,000 that can be reinvested more usefully.
“And second, refitting allows you to stock more appropriately, with the higher-margin products better represented and prominently displayed. By rearranging the shop we can increase the more impulsive sales that tend to be the higher-margin ones.”
Two who recently took the plunge were Hadley Wood pros Paul Foster and Alastair Archibald. “It’s fair to say we were
nervous of making that kind of investment,” Archibald admits. “We were basically teaching pros, taking over the shop. But Paul’s enthusiasm and ability to paint the picture of how the shop would work better as a commercial exercise were both very persuasive… and we felt his design was extremely good.”
That design, which included room for a simulator area, took place in early 2013. Two years on, the pair have had a chance to assess its impact. “We’ve more than doubled the shop’s turnover,” Archibald reports. “Our hardware turnover was around £15,000; last year, with the help of the simulator, it was around £65,000. “Soſt goods have doubled. We went for a minimalist layout, which has made it easier for people to see what we’ve got in stock. On Paul’s advice we also went upmarket to the higher-end goods that oſten have a better margin. We now stock Galvin Green substantially, and more ladies’ clothing. I believe the ladies have enjoyed coming into a clean, well-designed shop and spending money on clothing.
“Paul’s projection of how quickly you can earn out the investment has been born out. Overall, the money we ploughed in has been extremely well spent.”
Archibald also argues the refit has done its bit to enhance the place, bringing the shop into line with what is a prestigious club, complete with Alister MacKenzie layout. And importantly, the committee appreciate it.
“At a time when lengthy retainers are hard to secure, that’s something worth having,” he adds. “If you’re thinking about doing this but need the support of your committee, I’d advise anyone to come down and talk to us. Everyone can see just how positive this can be.”
Sanders believes Foster and Archibald represent a new, more proactive breed of club professional. “There are many well-documented reasons why it’s been tough for green-grass retailers in recent times,” he asserts. “But there is a new mould who recognise the need to adapt and move forwards.
“Oſten, though by no means always, it’s the younger pros who are ready to respond to changes. For the pros who qualified 20-30 years ago, golf was a different business. They came in to the industry feeling their life was going to be about teaching and doing what a traditional pro does. But that’s changed now. Clubs are so much more commercial. Pros play a different role. Some have adapted, some haven’t. The younger pros have found it easier. For example, a shop refit with a swing studio would be seen as essential, rather than merely desirable… but
then they haven’t known it any other way. ”Most adaptable pros are thriving… and potentially
at the expense of the least adaptable. “There is a trend at the moment of pros running multiple shops,” he argues. “If the shop isn’t performing to a club’s satisfaction, that club might do away with its pro, ask a commercially-minded pro to manage their shop for them, and simply employ some coaching staff. “In theory there’s nothing wrong with that, if the
club pro is more interested in coaching than running a shop. But in general terms, that pro is then confined to earning a living through coaching, and missing out on the potential for income the new shop manager will tap into. You can be leſt in a position where you have no choice – and that’s a position always best avoided.” While Sanders
believes a vibrant and modern shop refit is part of the pro’s new, more commercially savvy role, he accepts it is not the be-all-and- end-all. “We do our best but you have to keep on top of the way you operate, be more disciplined about getting rid of old stock, be tougher with the reps, be more focused. “But sometimes, a vision of what a redesigned and newly-laid out store could achieve is all you need to put you on the road to getting more out of your retail establishment.”
www.themillerbrowngroup.com SGBGOLF 21
Most
shops we refit experience a 10-15% upliſt in sales per annum.
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