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and as a shopping destination for 20 years - which is powerful and important to tap into. So although much of the high street is affected by changes to town centre management, high rental costs, car parking difficulties and increasingly falling footfall – challenges that only look set to increase in the years to come - Masson Mills has been able to stay contemporary and at the forefront of the public’s mindset by offering a different shopping experience at a more relaxed pace, which suits the overall traditional demographic of customer and the way they want to shop. We believe that our customers still enjoy the social
aspect of the traditional shopping experience, and enjoy being able to speak to an adviser face-to-face with experience and knowledge of our products. Employees are on hand to explain and understand the
features and benefits that customers are looking for and can look for alternatives if and when necessary – all as part of a personal service. What could be better than a day out with friends and
family where the staff know you and have developed a positive relationship with you, enabling them to provide good old-fashioned customer service? In our eyes, that’s got to be better than sitting at home
on your own looking at a phone or computer screen – and I think that idea lies at the heart of what retail outlets and institutions will look to tap into moving forward and something that, arguably, ecommerce cannot compete with, even if they do offer click-of-a-button convenience. A lot of us still want that human interaction, and to see what we’re buying in the flesh. To my mind, you cannot replace a good customer service
experience, being able to try out numerous outfits and experiencing the product you want first-hand, touching and feeling the product. No matter how quick an online service is, it can never beat buying it and having it straight away. A day out with friends and family cannot be done online
so we have to continually enhance our shopping environment to enable this – and appeal to a sense of community and desire to interact with friends, family and other people. There’s a real Corporate Social Responsibility element to
retail these days too, and that’s something that lies at the heart of our offering here at Masson Mills. We offer many different community services and
experiences which involve working with – and developing relationships with - many charities and local organisations. These range from Rotary clubs and organisations to raise much-needed funds by way of fashion shows, charity auctions, choir competitions, sponsored art exhibitions and providing free venue facilities. We also offer professional assistance with organising and marketing events, on average raising between £1,000 and £3,000 per event. And what of the future?
The retail sector will continue to evolve with customers determining how they want to shop, which is why it is so important that existing destination shopping sites offer something more than cheap disposable shopping. It’s also very much about
understanding and acknowledging the values of customers and what is important to them on a wide range of different levels.
‘We offer many different community services and experiences which involve working with many charities and local organisations’
54 business network December 2018/January 2019
The high street has been affected by many new challenges At a time when the environment and sustainability
become even more important, discerning customers know that quality comes at a price. Customers like to know that the places they shop and spend their money have a good business reputation, which is a very important consideration when buying anything either instore or online, and that retailers can offer different types of value that isn’t just based on competitive pricing. There are a lot of economic and political uncertainties
that mean it can be nigh impossible to fully prepare and plan for the future. As such, the future challenges that face the retail sector – from small independent stores to established, renowned shopping centre chains - are not yet fully understood, with rising prices, fuel and salary rises, the weather, economy and rents all important elements to factor in. And then there is Brexit, and the
various permutations that may not be known for many months or even years. Of course, alongside challenges come opportunities. Like the future challenges, the opportunities for the retail sector are also unclear but what we do know is that unless you offer the very best customer experience, your customer will go elsewhere – such is the level of choice and options available these days. Here at Masson Mills, we like to think
that we offer a great service and listen to our customers and when we get it right our customers are as happy as we are, which is why they keep coming back – ultimately making us sustainable as a business. Our customers travel the
furthest out of all our associated
destination sites to shop at Masson Mills to enjoy the food and a good day out and that is a fact we are very proud
of and one which stands us, as a retail outlet, in good stead for the future – whatever that future may look like.
Left: A statue of Richard Arkwright takes pride of place at Masson Mills
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