| Jessops (top)
Jessops is Europe's leading specialist retailer of photographic equipment and accessories, with a network of over 200 stores in the UK. Touchstone's training programme was launched in March 2001, commencing with NVQ Retail Operations Level 2. Following the success of the programme, Distribution and Warehousing NVQs were initiated in August 2001, followed by Sales Management and Customer Service in March 2002. There are now currently over 150 staff at Jessops working towards NVQs in Retail Operations, Customer Service and Distribution and Warehousing.
Tim Brookes, Chairman of Jessops, comments "Jessops has always had a strong reputation for the quality of service in our retail outlets. The fact that we have won numerous awards including Practical Photograph Magazine's coveted Readers' Choice Award for Best Photograph Retailer four years in a row speaks volumes. Touchstone have directly contributed to us achieving this status through their professional approach and their training officers ability to motivate staff to achieve their training goals
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| Ann Summers (top)
Ann Summers has grown to become the UK's number 1 pleasure retailer. With over 125 high street stores in prime locations, the UK's leading Party Plan network, mail order and one of the most successful websites on the internet, it ranks as one of the most thriving and profitable private companies in the country. Ann Summers is a family run business and central to its success is its appreciation of its employees. This led to the creation of the Retail Training Academy to encourage staff development. Ann Summers was recently listed as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, in the DTI survey published in the Sunday Times, with 78% of staff saying they feel they can make a valuable contribution to the company's success.
Employee development and training has been a common feature of Ann Summers since its foundation, as it strives to create a culture that promotes continuous personal development and the pursuit of individual and business excellence. The launch of its Retail Training Academy epitomises this philosophy and also led Ann Summers to adopt Apprenticeship and NVQ training.
During 2003, Ann Summers selected Touchstone Learning & Skills to commence the delivery of apprenticeships and NVQs throughout its stores to give its staff the opportunity of external recognition of their retail skills. "A major reason for the introduction of the retail NVQ programme was to increase longevity and career development amongst our store staff and Touchstone has consistently supported us with this aim" comments Jacqueline Gold, Ann Summers' Chief Executive. "Since starting the programme with Touchstone, alongside other initiatives, we have seen a significant increase in staff retention. Touchstone shares our commitment to providing a service of excellence to our store staff, demonstrated by its quality approach to training and assessment."
Touchstone Learning & Skills, working in partnership with Ann Summers, established a contract with the National Employment Service to provide Ann Summers employees with funding towards NVQ and apprenticeship training throughout its stores. There are currently over 100 staff in Ann Summers stores working towards retail apprenticeships and NVQs across the UK. Jacqueline Gold comments: "We enjoy a high level of customer service from all Touchstone staff. They positively support the training we offer our staff and the initiatives we have introduced to our business through NVQ assessment. Touchstone Training Officers' dedication and enthusiasm towards training and development matches that of our employees and managers."
The introduction of apprenticeships and NVQs throughout Ann Summers stores has been a success from the outset. Indeed the impact made has meant that Ann Summers is planning to introduce customer service and administration apprenticeships into its head office in the future. The ever-changing and competitive nature of the retail market place is becoming more challenging than ever before. Ann Summers and other retailers have embraced external assessment of their staff as an additional means of validating in house training and ensuring customers are offered excellent service. "It is good to see Ann Summers showing real commitment to developing its employees through apprenticeships," comments Martin Loftus, Managing Director of Touchstone Learning & Skills. "The benefits of training employees are extensive in terms of customer service and improved levels of motivation amongst staff. It is so important that people continually learn and develop their education within the workplace".
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| Lloyds Pharmacy, Walton, Liverpool (top)
Connie Jones is pharmasist and manager at Lloyds Pharmacy in Walton. She is manager to Joanne Hincks, who's case study we feature in the Working in Retail section of this website. She says:
Joanne's confidence has grown so much and her customer service skills have improved as she progressed with her qualifications.
I am very happy with the service I have received and since observing Joanne’s progression, I saw the benefits to the business and as a result, other staff are now completing qualifications.
I am really pleased that Joanne has achieved her Key Skills at level 2 and that this qualification was a recognised City & Guilds qualification.
Joanne is now very confident in progressing with her Dispensing Technician's course and I feel Apprenticeships have helped her with her new challenge.
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