Introducing change in a small family business presents a multiple challenge, that of marshalling family members' agendas, and then communicating a strong, corporate message through to the end of the enterprise.
From my experience, self-belief is the single biggest obstacle to clear, having been brought up on a recipe of if you are not a big player, there are many things that just cannot be done'!
Having cleared this first hurdle, persuasion must be exercised with care and humility if the whole business is to work towards new and higher goals.
It is probably fair to say that in many a family business, the eponyms are habitually seen by their colleagues as "good chaps". But the knack is to create enhanced value by ensuring that both family and non-family members become a team at operating level both within the boardroom and outside.
Families, and mine is no exception, are more often than not passionate about their business, and this needs to be shared with as many members of the organisation as possible if a strong corporate culture is to be developed.
Enactment of the vision in a multiple store scenario takes patience and a great deal of commitment from management.
The hunger for excellence at the most basic level in business is all too often not recognised by those charged with providing leadership and to whom "soft skills" are not perceived to provide the same job satisfaction as the old, more autocratic methods.
Latent talent
I never cease to be impressed by the amount of latent talent that exists within my business and the degree to which it can be organised to progress the quality of the retail offer.
Customer satisfaction starts with the internal customers, and the trick here is to nurture a confidence to celebrate change as a profitable activity for staff members and external customers alike, and to provide opportunities for colleagues at all levels to contribute to the process.
Staff retention is a big buzzword in our industry and at the entry levels there needs to be a keen balance between providing interest in the workplace and an acceptable pay packet.
With increasing automation, there is an opportunity to develop a new strata of grocers' whose role will reach beyond that of simply replenishing fixtures.
Sense of involvement
Perhaps now is a good time to promote a passion for food and drink more widely throughout the industry and provide customers with a degree of value and expertise that transcends the (so called) loyalty card.
Training alone will not be sufficient to achieve excellence in the retailing of food and drink but more a sense of involvement in what is sold, how it looks, tastes and smells.
Product knowledge at the point of sale and an understanding of food preparation create a new opportunity for sales, and provide staff members with an increased sense of worth.
So what of the bottom line? For years it has been said that our neighbours over the channel will pay for quality food, and that our market is largely driven by price. There is a huge opportunity here to romance the whole eating and drinking thing' and build a value model that benefits suppliers, retailers and customers.
Sustainable profitability will follow, stimulating shareholder value and our customers' palates.
{{JOBS & CAREERS }}
From my experience, self-belief is the single biggest obstacle to clear, having been brought up on a recipe of if you are not a big player, there are many things that just cannot be done'!
Having cleared this first hurdle, persuasion must be exercised with care and humility if the whole business is to work towards new and higher goals.
It is probably fair to say that in many a family business, the eponyms are habitually seen by their colleagues as "good chaps". But the knack is to create enhanced value by ensuring that both family and non-family members become a team at operating level both within the boardroom and outside.
Families, and mine is no exception, are more often than not passionate about their business, and this needs to be shared with as many members of the organisation as possible if a strong corporate culture is to be developed.
Enactment of the vision in a multiple store scenario takes patience and a great deal of commitment from management.
The hunger for excellence at the most basic level in business is all too often not recognised by those charged with providing leadership and to whom "soft skills" are not perceived to provide the same job satisfaction as the old, more autocratic methods.
Latent talent
I never cease to be impressed by the amount of latent talent that exists within my business and the degree to which it can be organised to progress the quality of the retail offer.
Customer satisfaction starts with the internal customers, and the trick here is to nurture a confidence to celebrate change as a profitable activity for staff members and external customers alike, and to provide opportunities for colleagues at all levels to contribute to the process.
Staff retention is a big buzzword in our industry and at the entry levels there needs to be a keen balance between providing interest in the workplace and an acceptable pay packet.
With increasing automation, there is an opportunity to develop a new strata of grocers' whose role will reach beyond that of simply replenishing fixtures.
Sense of involvement
Perhaps now is a good time to promote a passion for food and drink more widely throughout the industry and provide customers with a degree of value and expertise that transcends the (so called) loyalty card.
Training alone will not be sufficient to achieve excellence in the retailing of food and drink but more a sense of involvement in what is sold, how it looks, tastes and smells.
Product knowledge at the point of sale and an understanding of food preparation create a new opportunity for sales, and provide staff members with an increased sense of worth.
So what of the bottom line? For years it has been said that our neighbours over the channel will pay for quality food, and that our market is largely driven by price. There is a huge opportunity here to romance the whole eating and drinking thing' and build a value model that benefits suppliers, retailers and customers.
Sustainable profitability will follow, stimulating shareholder value and our customers' palates.
{{JOBS & CAREERS }}
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