Issue 15/08

Monday, 16th July 2007

This week was a good week on cumulative target again. So well done to you all. We finished on ready to wear 111% of Target and 159% of last year which was very similar to the previous week even though low footfall was reported in most branches. Made to measure was much better than the previous week and we reached 89% of target and 124% of last year (Europe - Notes from John Collins

Show me the money USA!

Europe - Notes from John Collins

This week was a good week on cumulative target again. So well done to you all.

We finished on ready to wear 111% of Target and 159% of last year which was very similar to the previous week even though low footfall was reported in most branches.

Made to measure was much better than the previous week and we reached 89% of target and 124% of last year.

  Week
Actual Target % Tgt % L/Y
Ready Made
002 Aafes - Europe 27,765 26,206 105.90% 153.70%
Made to Measure
002 Aafes - Europe 5,955 7,145 83.30% 112.20%
Shirts
002 Aafes - Europe 638 0 0.00% 0.00%
Area
020 John Collins 35,833 33,847 105.90% 151.40%

The Top Managers / branches this week on Ready to Wear are:

  • Dave Cox I bet Dave is happy to see his name in lights. GB Shape came in at a whopping 576% of target.
  • Gary Bloom Storming away in Lakenheath at 179% of Target.
  • On even stevens with Gary is: Paul Kerslake - way out on the German/Czech border Vilseck came in with 179% even with an inflamed muscle in the shoulder. Well done Paul.
  • Vince Blackett in Stuttgart without his outlying branches contributed with 171% of target.

Great stuff lads. Keep up the good work.

On Made to Measure - Congratulations to the following four branches :-

  • Kaiserslautern John Collins/Paul Worrall 120%
  • Ramstein Trevor Scarrett / Rob Miller / Paul Worrall 113%
  • Lakenheath Gary Bloom 113 %
  • Vilseck Paul Kerslake 104%

These are the only FOUR branches that had any made to measure on the books this week and they all beat target. I know at the moment there is a big change over of troops and personnel happening but please remember when a customer approaches “Introduce the made to measure first”.

Let us look forward to this week and let’s see some other names up there.

Do not forget: We all need to work together to succeed

Good luck and good trading.

John Collins

Made to Measure Refunds

It is important that all made to measure refunds are put through as such on the OASys system.

Please keep the following instructions to hand for when you have to put your first one through.

The refund should only be processed as such if it has been balanced and collected on your store order progress screen.

If it was never collected by the customer, you should put a correction through to reduce the value of the order down to its markdown price, not a refund.

If it has been collected by the customer, the order needs re-opening up so that it can be re-sold at a later date. To do this:-

MTM System (Store) -> Processing -> MTM Returns
MTM Returns

Once that you have processed the above, you should save the order and you will receive a message saying “Do you want to process a refund of $505 on the above with a reference of not happy with fit”. Click on yes, and you will see a line appear in red:-

MTM Returns

This order will now appear on your front page of the MTM Returns Screen (as below) and this will provide an audit trail for all garments currently held in your store which are on markdown. It will also show as a refund on your MTM DSS and will reduce the amount of cash taken during the week which will in turn reduce your commission.

When you sell the garment, click back into the order on the returns screen:-

MTM Returns

You can now post cash against the outstanding balance on the order as below, a payment of $299 has been paid and the order is complete.

You must mark the order as complete if the customer is taking it away and there is no outstanding money against it. This will remove it from your returns screen.

If you mark it as N for instance if a customer paid a deposit on it to pay the balance later, it will remain on the screen until you mark it with a Y.

MTM Returns

Please ensure that all of your refunds are processed as soon as they occur so that your MTM DSS is correct. If you have any problems with this please do not hesitate to contact Alexandre Support for assistance.

Should you transfer a garment to another store or to the warehouse, you would not process the payment against the order, you would simply type in the store number that you are transferring it to and OASys would automatically move the order into the returns screen of the receiving store and remove it from your enquiry.

Bernie Collins Leaving Gift

You will have read in the last edition of Back Chat from Trevor Scarratt, that he and John presented Bernie with a leaving gift of a clock especially made in the gem-stone capital of Germany at Idar-Oberstein. The clock had an engraved message saying “To Bernie from the Export Guys “. Below are the pictures of Bernie receiving his gift.

Bernie Collins receiving gift The clock

Overseas Factory Holidays

Our Overseas factory will be closed for two weeks during August therefore any orders taken between 16th and 24th July will incur an additional 10 days on delivery time.

USA - Notes from Andy Schofield

After such a good result in week 14 it is difficult to write this week’s Team Talk. Finishing with only 65% cumulative against target is a big let down, and wipes out all of the hard work you guys did in the previous week.

It was a difficult week on Made to Measure with 42% against Target but 120% against Last Year – last year we had just come off the 50% sale so things were flat there. We had hoped that having the Merchants sale on in July would keep the business flowing but many of you commented that footfall in the exchanges was at a minimum which suggests that many customers may be away on vacation.

Ready Made did not fair any better, finishing with 73% Cumulative and 78% against LY.

Hopefully the fact that it’s a pay week this week and that we are coming to the end of the current MtM sale, will help to generate some much needed business.

Whilst visiting some of the local shops this week, I notice that our displays are starting to look “Tired”. I want all of you to make sure that any display is re-dressed this week please. We have to make an impression on our customers and entice them to buy in this quiet period we are in.

Some branches did very well last week...

FORT BRAGG – With 132% combined target Adelle showed us all how to reap the benefits of planting those seeds early on and then sitting back and riding the wave back to the shore later in the year! Adelle’s fashion shows and Dress For Success classes paid off this week and even though some of you refused to be beaten in the $50 competition – Adelle coasted home to take the prize, and first place in the branch rankings. Well done Adelle, keep it going!

FORT DIX MCGUIRE – Just pipped at the post this week, Nicky slogged it out with Adelle to see who was going to finish first. With 108% that wasn’t enough to take the prize, but Nicky did manage to come in second and is still managing to keep her branch in first place overall for the year – Good result….. looking forward to increasing the grade next year!

FORT CARSON – This guy continues to keep his two branches in the top three spot lately. Paul also joined in on the fight last week but was beaten by the two girls (!) – not the worst way to go Paul!! Coming in with 104% and 106% over last year was a very good result. Paul refused to go down without a fight and even stayed late till 7pm Sunday trying to get every last sale – Great effort Paul… thanks.

No other branches exceeded their targets last week...

Top Tip

We have two Top Tips this week:

  • From Travis AFB
    To save money and help the trees when printing out more than one stock enquiry, simply turn the same paper upside down to print the next one And then with the same paper use the other side and do the same you can fit 4 items on 1 piece of paper instead of using 4 papers for each 1
    Thanks, Dominic.
  • And from our resident "Tipster" at Fort Carson
    Don’t throw away those used POS tubes, simply trim length as needed, shape with tissue paper and place inside your display models trousers for that natural look. Happy dressing!
    Thanks, Paul

Sales Competition - Results

Winner of the $50 Gift Voucher to a store of their choice is... Adelle Miller! 3507 Fort Bragg.

Well done Adelle, you pulled out all the stops to get the business on the books this week and all of your hard work paid off. I hope you get something nice with the prize!

Good weeks trading everyone... Andy