Issue 33/08

Europe - Notes from Tracey Roberts (as John is in Italy...

So how did we do this week?

WEEK 33

We were almost there but not quite with 96% against target overall and 87% against last year. We missed target by $2209 which was a shame, when one additional tie in each store would have done it. Despite that, well done to each of you it was a very respectable figure in the run up the Thanksgiving promo starting.

The top branches this week on combined targets are:

• Lakenheath 162% of combined targets and $9,966 in combined trade. Well Done Gary that was a very good week keep up the good work.
• Heidelberg 155% of combined targets and $7,689 in combined trade of which $2400 were made to measure. Excellent week Alan, this just might be the week where you knock Vince off the top spot in the competition.
• Chievres 121% of combined targets. Dave’s last week before he went on holiday turned out to be a good one. Let’s hope that John Knight can keep the performance going this week.
• Kaiserslautern 111% of combined targets and $9,214 in combined sales. John and Leigh had a good week with 7 overcoat sales helping to increase the business.
• Ramstein 109% of combined targets. Well done to both Trevor and Leigh. 43 tie sales and 10 shirt sales really helped to pick up the week

The Business Week

Made to Measure

The FREE promotion seems to be enticing our customers as we had sales of $10k last week on made to measure which is a good follow up to the 50% off promotion. Remember that all bunches are included in this offer even merchant cloths. Use the flyers emailed to you last week advertising the offer to your advantage by distributing them at the front of the store or in the coffee shop. Ask the cashiers to place them in AAFES bags for you at the registers, or put them in the bags yourselves so that when the customers get home they see them.

Do you have a made to measure advertising that may help one of your colleagues ??? if so please let John know so that we can include it in next week’s Team Talk.

Ready to Wear

We were 96% of target but disappointingly only 83% of last year. Even so some very good figures this week with three branches going over the $7,000 mark.

The Black Venetian MJ303 which is the new Techno suit is currently helping us keep on top of our targets in Europe, with sales over the last four weeks on this suit alone amounting to $16k and 54 jackets and 61 trousers sold.

Also our tie sales are on the increase and in the 10 stores which are in Europe, in the last four weeks we have sold 743 ties totalling $15,675 – keep up the good work guys!!!!

All stock has been allocated from the warehouse now so there are no more new lines to send out, there is however replenishment stock available and we will be replenishing every 30 minutes or so between now and Christmas. Remember to check your store stock enquiry so that you can see which sizes have been replenished for you during this busy time.

Here is the leader board for Europe for week’s 31 to 33. Vince is still at the top, who will be the first one to knock him off ………………. ???

Store	Description	Actual	Target	Variance	% of Target
Aafes - Europe
3230	Stuttgart	15,814	12,851	2,963	123.10
3192	Heidelberg	18,405	15,323	3,082	120.10
3162	Lakenheath	22,489	19,151	3,338	117.40
3197	Kaiserslautern	28,490	25,600	2,890	111.30
3259	Ramstein	21,877	21,177	700	103.30
3282	Mannheim	9,708	9,912	-204	97.90
3268	Wiesbaden	15,493	15,983	-490	96.90
3281	Chievres	9,382	10,632	-1,250	88.20
3256	Grafenwhor	8,043	10,929	-2,886	73.59
3362	Aviano	1,340	2,393	-1,053	56.00
3156	Schweinfurt	7,593	13,700	-6,107	55.42
3216	Brussels Embassy	1,505	1,000	505	150.50
3223	Bamberg	1,940		1,940
Aafes - Europe Totals		162,079	158,651	3,428	102.00

Thank you, good luck, and good trading.

Tracey Roberts on behalf of John Collins.

DO NUMBERS

Following a very hard few weeks for us with the special order system changing within AAFES, it now seems that their accounting team have finally resolved the issue of allocating DO numbers to our made to measure invoices.

The new system is such that they will issue us with DOR DO numbers, which is exactly the same way that they issue DO’s for our Ready to Wear sales. So going forward all of your DO numbers will have an F rather than an X for made to measure.

Since Friday we have been receiving DO numbers from certain stores for made to measure invoices but we still have quite a lot outstanding which up to last week were totalling $90,000. We understand that this is a very busy week for you and you could do without having to chase DO’s but we cannot allow this debt to continue otherwise we will have a cash flow issue on our division. If you haven’t managed to resolve this issue in your store would you please do so prior to Thursday to allow us to input all of the DO’s into OASys for faxing to Dallas on Friday.

If you need any help please contact either Andy or John or for help for your accounting office contact details are below or you can print off the link from sdhelp at AAFES:-

From: Cosby, Julie E.
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 1:13 PM
To: zzAAFES MSM
Cc: zzHQ SD S3; zzHQ SD S; zzHQ SDO All
Subject: REVISED ALEXANDRE SUIT PAYMENT PROCEDURES

SUBJECT: REVISED ALEXANDRE SUIT PAYMENT PROCEDURES

APPLICABILITY: MAIN STORES WITH ALEXANDRE CONCEPT SHOPS

DIRECT QUESTIONS: SD HELP DESK, EMAIL SDHELP@aafes.com

ACTION REQUIRED

With the advent of RETEK, we have made changes to the payment processing procedures for Alexandre Cut-to- Order men’s suits. Our future strategy is to treat this as a DOR contract.

• Click here to view Alexandre Suit processing procedures.
• Important items the store should note are highlighted in RED.

JULIE E. COSBY, Director
Store Communication, Execution, Programs, Policy
Store Operations Division, Sales Directorate

Below are details from the link

Alexander Suits - Made to Measure Procedure

• Customer picks out cloth and style this determines the price charged
• Measure are made to insure the correct fit for the customer
• Price agreed with customer for the garment
• To obtain the price follow the below instructions:
  • The Alexander Representatives have the price list which shows the full prices for the garment the customer is choosing (jacket, trouser, waistcoat, 2pce / 3pce suit, tuxedo, overcoat, frock coat and any extra’s that the chosen style incurs).
  • This is shown on the Alexander network PC system once the cloth and quality is entered onto the screen. A deposit is then requested which can not be less than 30%. (The system won’t proceed otherwise).
• The manual receipt is written on the AAFES Control Card Form # 7200-711, Rev. Apr 78 with the details of the sale. Garment price deposit paid and the remaining balance on AAFES control card.
• The deposit is rung in the register under dept 470 and the receipt copies are given to the customer, AAFES and the Alexander Representative. A copy of the receipt is stapled to the AAFES Control Card
• Weekly sales information given to AAFES contact person who enters price of the garment, the deposit and balance on control cards from the receipt provided. In some cases, the Alexander Representative completes card and AAFES management checks periodically.
• The AAFES contact person is normally the Stockroom Manager or Operations Manager. In most cases the control cards are completed by the Alexander Representative and once rung, the receipt is stapled to the control card. At invoice, cards and receipts are checked for correct payments before the DO is raised.
  • Any further deposits also noted on control cards.
  • Invoices sent from BMB (Alexander HQ) when garment is ready to be shipped D/O requested for the amount on the invoice from AAFES.
  AAFES procedures for this are as follows. Made to measure suits are invoiced at the time of shipping from factory. The Alexander London Rep pulls the invoice off the Alexander PC system at the time of store delivery, prints, checks amounts and signs. They turn into store accounts, in which afterwards a delivery order is raised.
  • D/O made out for the amount on the invoices by authorized person AAFES manager, receiving department order associates and given to Alexander Representative
  • Garment arrives with invoice.
  • Invoice received in by receiving associates for the amount requested.
  • AAFES contact person given a copy of the invoice and adds date info to the control cards.
  • When collected sales slips / receipts go to AAFES contact person who checks that all has been paid if any discrepancies customer is notified.
  • All AAFES control cards are checked by AAFES at inventory and orders, hanging balances and markdowns are added to the stores count.

Non Collected Garments

• If the garment does not get collected after an allotted time (Normally 120 days) it is marked down 33%.
• A charge voucher is made out for the difference of the balance between original price and the markdown price; this is sent to Alexander HQ where the difference is paid back to AAFES minus the concession fee.

The store creates the Credit Voucher (RAIC- CCV) against Alexander London using the Alexander London markdown sheet. The representative checks the amounts against our markdown sheets for accuracy and then submits our copies to Alexander London head office.

The suit is then sold off at the remaining balance (after markdown procedure above is implemented). AAFES receives concession amount from the final sale as normal. If the item remains on open sale for a period of thirty days then it is marked down further (SEE BELOW).

This is repeated another two times until the garment is sold or written off.

Second markdown is another 33%. Third markdown is decided on the orders merits and is normally sold at $100 - $199 (2pce suit) etc. AAFES receives concession fee after sale as normal… as all sales do that go through the register and are invoiced. Charge back is completed as above procedure.

• AAFES will have then any money still owed on the garment charged back to them so no loss is accounted to AAFES.