Europe Notes from John Collins
Well the time has come and another era has come to an end. Bernie Collins’ last day on the export team was Thursday 31st May. After 30 years on the job, he is finally hanging up his tape measure and going on to pastures new here in Kaiserslautern Germany.
I would like to wish Bernie on behalf of all past and present “Alexandre Lads” all the best for the future and that he enjoys his new adventure as much as he did his old.
I have now taken over from Bernie and look forward to working with you all in my new capacity as ASM. When I am not in my branch Kaiserslautern you can contact me.
Email john.collins@baird-group.co.uk – this is on your global address list without the globe.
My mobile number is 0160-97082316
If you need to send anything to me my address is:
John Collins
Laemmchesberg Str 11
67663 Kaiserslautern
Now down to Business...
Week 9 was a little better on made to measure but still down 7% on target. The top Manager on Made to measure this week was Vincent Blackett with a total of $3,505 coming out of the three branches he visited, plus his home branch Stuttgart so well done to you Vince.
Top 5 branches on made to measure:
- Kaiserslautern $2502
- Aviano $2435
- Ramstein $2053
- Lakenheath $1727
- Heidelberg $1436
Well done a good effort from all.
Let us pull out all the stops to make up for the deficit of the past weeks, we are only at 57% of target on the year so far. I know it is hard with troop rotations and training but just keep on as we have done in the past and TALK ,TALK ,TALK. With the latest sale $650 for two suits it should help with the good cloth selection that we have.
Ready to Wear - Week 9 was a terrible week on ready to wear we only reached 74% of Target and 86% of last year. This was due mainly to a lot of the proms that were moved forward this year compared to last year.
We all know that we have a shortage on black suits but this does not stop us offering something else instead. If not a suit, a trouser, shirt and tie plus cufflink outfit, this might not work every time but it could be that extra sale to put us on target to make bonus.
Top 3 branches $ trade:
- Kaiserslautern $6755
- Lakenheath $5035
- Ramstein $4165
And a mention for Vince Blackett with his 4 stores this week $5540
The targets for next week are lower than this week so let’s go for it and pull some of the deficit back against our annual bonus.
Good luck and good trading
USA - Notes from Andy Schofield
First of all - "Great Week Guys!!"
We had a much better week last week and thanks to all of you that gave that extra push over the weekend, it made it all worth while. There were some super “Star Performers” this week, but more of that later...
Overall the week started out busy with 37% at the mid week mark and by close of business Sunday we finished the week just short of target with a very respectable 103%. Very good after coming off the Memorial Day Sale.
Ready Made did very well and we managed to clear many of the older lines, although new ranges sold well also. We finished at 106% against target and 163% of Last Year – A great achievement!
Made to measure whilst smashing last years number by 382% came in under target at 91% but this was still a great way to end the month of May.
So Who Did What??
– Nicky seems to be on a roll again. She can’t do anything wrong at the moment in the store, and managed to smash her target with over $7000 in combined sales this week to give her 218% - Wow!
– Nathan has been good enough to do some relief for us at Macdill over the last couple of weeks. This week saw an excellent figure from a branch that was covered only at the weekend this week. Over $5000 in sales this week, although Nathan admitted some of this was from last weeks count!
- Paul had a terrific week and achieved 188% Combined target. This could have been more but for a discrepancy with the MM figure. Paul also managed to beat target at his other store which came in with 111% - Excellent result!
Many other branches exceeded their targets last week and the list looks like this:
Several branches just missed target but for getting in the 90’s receive and honorable mentions – .
Flyer - Mail Shots
On a recent visit to Andrews AFB last week I spoke with the new Store Manager to see if there was anyway we could get the “Word” out about our new promotions. She suggested I send her a copy of the sales flyer that I make up every month and they will include it in the store’s email mail shot and also in the printed packs she sends out each month. This is an excellent opportunity for us to get more exposure and to get the word out about the promotions we have.
AAFES send out their flyers each and every month, and this won’t cost us a penny! For those of you that think they are “Bothering” their customers with sales literature – take a page out of AAFES’ book, and make sure your customers are informed of our promotions.
Ask your Store Manager if you can do the same as Andrews AFB – What have you got to lose?? NOTHING! In fact you have everything to gain with the new 4% commission scheme in place.
What's Happening In Your Store?
Talk to your Store Managers, Visual Managers and Department Managers and ask them what events are planned over the next several months.
Maybe there’s a tent sale, a side walk sale, Xmas in July etc. etc. Two of these events are taking place around the Beltway in the next couple of months and we will be taking part in them with extra sales incentives and promotions.
Find out what’s happening in your store and let me know...
Let's do it again this week!
Andy
BMB Make The Suits For Manchester United In The Recent FA Cup Final
Our Goole factory recently made 45 suits for the Manchester United squad when they played Chelsea in the FA Cup final. Suits were made for the entire team including Christiano Ronaldo and Sir Alex Ferguson. A copy of the article will be attached when we go live on Oasys.
Unfortunately Manchester United lost on the day but they were nevertheless the best dressed and this was a great publicity stunt for BMB.
Following is the article that appeared in the Yorkshire Post on Wednesday, 16th May 2007.
Man Utd sure to look sharp at Wembley
By Simon Bristow
IT'S a long time since a Yorkshire team contested an FA Cup final, but the county will have a representative at the historic match at the new Wembley on Saturday.
Leeds-based clothing manufacturers BMB is hoping to outsmart Chelsea after being invited to provide the suits for rivals Manchester United.
The Premiership champions will make the traditional pre-match parade in the best that Yorkshire has to offer. Their elegant single-breasted navy suits have been handmade at a BMB factory in Goole from cloth produced by Premier Worsteds in Huddersfield.
Keith Ashby, made-to-measure controller at BMB, visited the squad at their Carrington training complex yesterday for a final fitting. Forty-five have been made, including one for manager Sir Alex Ferguson, director Sir Bobby Charlton and other officials.
He said: "The suits are beautiful. They have peaked lapels, red and white lining and look very sharp. It's the first time we've been asked to do Manchester United and we hope we'll be able to do it again."
The contract was swiftly arranged after a conversation between Saville Row tailor William Hunt – who makes suits for United skipper Gary Neville – and BMB owner Peter Lucas and managing director Mark Cotter.
"We only received the material two weeks ago," said Mr Ashby, "so it's been a tremendous effort by everyone to get them ready. We're delighted with the results."
The footballing giants are the latest in a string of illustrious names to be kitted out by the company.
It provided the suits for the England squad at the last World Cup and also for the Sebastian Coe-led team during the successful 2012 Olympic Games bid.
In the world of rugby, Leeds Tykes, Leeds Rhinos and Leicester Tigers are among their other clients.
Mr Ashby believes United are as well prepared as they can be for the final.
He said: "The players look in great spirits; relaxed and confident, and I'm sure they'll do very well. Of course, we hope the best team wins."
News from Stamford Bridge, meanwhile, suggests the Londoners have already blinked first.
Reports last week suggested the Blues had decided to shun the idea of having a cup final suit specially made.
2 Suit Special / Cloth Fabrics / TSO's
The grades for the 2 Suit Special fabrics have been amended to Senator which will calculate the sale price on each garment when you place the order – you do not have to add in any discount.
The fabrics also appear in the cloth bunch list held under Resources in Team Talk in a bunch entitled 2 Suit Special.
TIP! Print the bunch list off every morning so that you can very quickly check the availability of each cloth number. If there are less than 10m in stock please ensure that you take a reselection.
Message of the Day
Over the course of the last two weeks you will have seen the Message of the Day appearing on the front screen of your RM Oasys.
During this week, we have added a list of current TSO fabrics and their anticipated delivery date into the factory. Please look at this daily as you should find this information very helpful when placing orders.
Fathers Day Promotion
The RM Fathers Day promotion will begin on Friday 8th June to encompass this weekend for gift purchases.
The promotion is:-
FREE TIE AND CUFF LINKS WITH EVERY OFF THE RACK SUIT PURCHASED OVER $290 Europe and $350 USA .
A4 posters were sent to all stores a number of weeks ago therefore you should be able to put these in your A4 perspex frames in prominent positions within the store.
When you enter the free tie and cuff links onto Oasys these SHOULD NOT be entered at 0 they should be entered at full price and the suit should be reduced by the discount to balance the amount correctly. This ensures that if the customer returns the suit he does not get the full price refunded as the receipt will show that he has paid for the tie and cufflinks.
The offer is available on the BOXED TIE AND CUFF LINK SETS or individual ties and cuff links.
Further reductions not applicable in the above offer will be sent out separately.
Commission
The new commission claims screens will go live on Oasys as follows:-
| |
Week Commencing |
| Germany |
28th May 2007 |
| Bermuda |
28th May 2007 |
| USA |
2nd June 2007 |
| Macy's |
2nd June 2007 |
Any Manager who has not submitted a manual commission claim for any week prior to the above should do so immediately.
From the above dates you will no longer have to submit a claim form to Leeds for your commission to be paid, this will automatically be pulled off Oasys by our wages department and you will be able to see your statement daily on Oasys. Commissions will always be paid a week in arrears to cover any eventuality such as your ready to wear sales which may require amending during the course of the following week.
We now realise that any payments made during the month of April have been paid at the old rates of 2.5%, this will be resolved and you will be paid the difference between the old and new rate in your salaries.
We have also had an issue with Buckingham Mills orders placed before 1st April which were attracting a rate of 1% - this has also been resolved and Oasys will now reflect the new rate of 4% on all orders placed on Buckingham Mills since we launched the bunch, therefore any payments made on cloths of this grade will attract the correct grade.
PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ANY COMMISSION CLAIMS TO LEEDS FROM THE ABOVE DATES UNLESS THEY ARE OLDER THAN WEEK 9 FOR EUROPE AND WEEK 10 FOR USA.
If you have any queries regarding this please contact me directly.
Size Cubes / Tie Hangers / Icon Brochures
We now have a selection of size cubes available in Goole to replace the incorrect cubes which are currently on some Spring Summer 07 ranges. If you require replacement sizes please email a list showing the size and quantity required to Alexandre Support and we will send them to you in your next delivery. We also have tie hangers or Icon brochures available upon request.
1m x 1m Sale Banners
As promised at the conference we are despatching the 1m x 1m 50% off MTM promotion and the RM SALE SALE SALE banners to all stores (USA will be via UTI). Your ASM has compiled a list for each store regarding where they should be hung in your department and they will be contacting you regarding this in the very near future.
Outstanding Manifests
I am concerned by the number of outstanding manifests currently in transit on the system. A list has been emailed to the stores in question this week and I would be grateful if you could action this and follow up on each delivery this week.
Trade Report Variances
There are an increasing amount of trade report variances occurring on a weekly basis particularly on made to measure. Please remember on a Sunday evening before you submit your figure to check your mm trade enquiry screen on made to measure as this will show the orders that you have entered and your final trade figure. Figures other than the one shown on this screen will not be accepted and if there is a genuine problem we must ensure that we resolve it.
This screen can be found in:-
Made to Measure » Mtm Store System » Enquiries » MM Trade
Input the dates from Monday to Sunday for the week to access your trade figures.
IAG Shirts
Some Managers are still faxing IAG orders direct to America. Please remember that all orders should now be emailed to Kathryn Watson for input over the internet.
Sandra Andrews - Made to Measure Technical Help
Sandra is currently off sick with pneumonia and could be off for a few weeks. If you require any technical help on any made to measure orders in the interim please either email Alexandre Support and we will email an answer back to you or call Kathryn or myself and we will direct you to Brian Vause or Kevin Roche who will help you.
