Retail has built up a bad name for itself over the years, but since the BCSC started to push for improved customer service in the sector, shopping centre landlords have placed more emphasis on this aspect of the business.

Royal Victoria Place, located in the centre of Tunbridge Wells, was awarded top performing centre globally for customer service in 2007. Owners Westfield operates a global programme measuring the standards of customer service provided by its portfolio of shopping centres around the world.

The 'Achievers' programme benchmarked Royal Victoria Place against 119 Westfield centres across the globe including strong contenders in key locations such as Sydney, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Auckland. The programme includes monthly audits and mystery shops of all services, including customer facilities, housekeeping and security, with a particular focus on customer service and the presentation of the mall environment.

Due to the enthusiastic efforts of the entire team at Royal Victoria Place, the centre was also awarded no. 1 Westfield UK centre for 2007, with an average annual score of 99.4 per cent, maintaining its position at the top of the UK league table. Westfield currently owns and manages seven shopping centres in the UK, located in Guildford, Derby, Nottingham, Dudley and Northern Ireland.

Denis Carruthers, director of shopping centre management and marketing for Westfield, says: "We're extremely pleased for all of the staff at Royal Victoria Place who have retained their position at the top for the second year running. Westfield considers customer service to be a key part of the experience within its shopping centres worldwide and the Achievers initiative acts as an opportunity for each centre to demonstrate its strengths. It also gives Westfield the chance to assess areas of best practice which can then be transferred to other centres to ensure we're delivering optimum customer service across the whole portfolio."

Meanwhile, a new National Skills Academy (NSA) for retail, being developed by Skillsmart Retail, will help to transform customer service in the retail environment across the UK. The new academy is backed by major shopping centre developers Westfield, Hammerson, Grosvenor and Land Securities, as well as high street giants such as John Lewis and Boots.

Mark Bradley, a customer service consultant, campaigner, writer and media commentator, and author of Inconvenience Stores, says: "The NSA aims to establish and run the country's first network of local retail Skills Shops in high streets and shopping centres. Later this year around 70 NSA Skills Shops are set to begin offering training, advice, placements and work experience for retail recruits or existing employees who want to gain more qualifications. In short, this is a locally targeted retail training system with a nationwide consistency of delivery that will create the pool of high quality recruits retail is crying out for."

Many NSA Skills Shops will feature 'mock shops', in which retail rookies will be able to practise selling merchandise in simulated store environments and learn the people skills that are so signally lacking at present, such as good eye contact, smiles, pleasant demeanour and a willingness and ability to help.

"We need to ensure the UK economy can foster innate talent and build a nation of highly skilled people who will be vital to the country's future economic success," says Martyn Chase, president of the BCSC. "With 10 per cent of the population employed in the retail industry it's extremely important that we encourage high standards."

In addition, a Diploma in Retail is being developed for 2010 - one of the government's 17 new diplomas for 14- to 19-year-olds. As well as core competencies like maths, English and IT, youngsters will receive a thorough grounding in retail skills.

For more information on the NSA, visit http://www.skillsmartretail.com.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend