Frontliners

in the Spotlight

'Store Stars': Integral Store Manager Development Program

Frontliners are often forgotten in business. Not for global apparel company Mexx. This innovative company saw its frontline staff as their most valuable marketing asset. Their Store Managers in particular were the unsung heroes of the business and founder of Mexx Retail, Ashish Sensarma, wanted to do something to reward and grow this vital part of Mexx.

Suspicious of ‘training companies’ Mr Sensarma was attracted to Pearl Group by our focus on personal and professional development. He wanted to create a virtual university for Store Staff, a faculty that would build their self-esteem and confidence in life as well as their entrepreneurial and management skills on the shop floor.

So began an intensive, creative and very enjoyable process of research, development and piloting. Pearl Group adapted a template originally designed for use with frontliners in the UK Government’s Employment Service. The result was Store Stars, an innovative program for Mexx’s international store manager community that unfolded over a 2-year period resulting in participating stores generating on average increased sales of € 228,000 per year, per store.

Key areas of focus:

• Self Leadership
• Connecting your Team to Your Customer
• Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of your business
• Thinking and Acting like an Accountable Intra-preneur

Key Results of the Program:

• Conversion rate rose to 18% (from a starting base of 12%)
• Productivity Strong – with participating stores generating increased revenues per year (on average increases of €228,000)
• Mexx attracts, grows and keeps skilled Store Managers that make an exceptional contribution to the business
• Employee turnover and absenteeism decreases (>10%)

"I have always believed that "unleashing our minds" can have a dramatic impact in our daily life - be it at home or at work. Pearl Group astounded me in capturing the thoughts, emotions and passion which goes through my head daily, and managed to transmit this in a professional, controlled and impactful manner to our Shop Managers across Europe - an incredible tribute to their work, which is world class".

Ashish Sensarma
Founder, Mexx Retail