USA - Notes from Andy Schofield
Only 5 weeks left to go! Where will your branch be at the end of week 52? Up or down? Last week was a quiet week but it certainly picked up speed once the weekend hit. One branch in particular had a “Crazy” Saturday and hit record highs, whilst others struggled to get off the starting blocks.
Made to Measure continues to trade strong, finishing the week 163% above target. Thanks to one of your team mates Steve Hill from Belvoir who managed to pull $8,000 from one customer… who originally only wanted to buy two suits!! (Now that’s selling guys!). This was a good result and we also closed higher than last years numbers by 117% too…. Well done everyone – REMEMBER – 50% OFF STARTS SATURDAY (last one chance!)
Ready Made performed lower than expected and is probably due to the decreasing stock sizes and many customers still waiting for their tax returns. Keep plugging away at your RMs, make sure you have them tidy and ticketed at the front of the department. The stocktake has been completed in record time in the warehouse this year and the two new containers are already unloaded, hung and in pick – again, this is ahead of last year and I am confident this will help us in the coming weeks. Look for new ranges touching down this week / next week and have them prominently displayed in your branch.
Note: There’s a “TOP TIP” below in regards to this….
Week 47 - Star Players
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FORT BELVOIR – From out of nowhere this week and quote “All on my lonesome” Steve rocked the foundation of the area Made to Measure target with over $13,200 in measure sales this week. The area target was $14,800 so you can see thanks to Steve we made target! With over $6,800 on Ready Made, Steve made the $20K CLUB by the weekend.
An amazing result Steve and some good old fashioned “Selling” on Saturday…. Steve would have been ably assisted by Nathan on Saturday but due to a cold, called off sick.
Steve pulled up the slack and “Let ‘em have it” with a record result… just in time for the end of the year. Well done Steve…. What a star player, he didn’t even get a break or lunch
- FORT BRAGG – This result would normally have Adelle in the top spot in any other week. But as it goes, Bragg is in second with 123% of combined target achieved. Adelle made target this week at Fort Bragg and is only $19,500 away from hitting a Grade “B” branch!! When asked if she thinks she’ll be able to hit the grade, “Not a problem, I can do that!” was the confident reply…. And you know what? I believe she can and will!
- FORT LEWIS – Wanting to leave the week on a high note, before he starts his European vacation (That’s going to cost him more as of today, the dollar to the pound just fell again!) Dave also had a rip roaring weekend and closed with 118% against target and even better 231% over last year. Well done Dave, enjoy your time in Blighty.
- FORT CARSON – Mr. “Tips” managed to go above and beyond this week with 115% of target and 125% of last year. Paul has been struggling lately with some bad weather over there in the Rockies. It’s not easy driving the hour or so covering Buckley and Fort Carson, but he made it work this week….. here at least. Good job Paul.
An Honorable mention this week goes to Fort Dix who was the only other branch to make target. Not letting us or herself down this week to keep her track record of hitting target weekly, Nicky managed to pull 102% above target out of the bag with some good old fashioned hard work before close of business Sunday. Fort Dix is only $20,000 away from making the grade to a “B” and Nicky is sure she will be able to hit that magic number of $201,000 before week 52…. Go Nicky, GO!!
PAUL'S TIP CORNER
My request fell on deaf ears last week, asking for a Tip from someone else…. No one want to give their secrets away??
One staff member did however come up with an idea to share with the team and one which I know the Senior Managers used to do (I remember myself doing this one in Bethesda)….. Drew from McChord / Relief fame says:
“AAFES stocks many of the popular style-related magazines in their Book Department – Esquire, GQ, Men’s Vogue, Details, etc. Throughout these magazines, many great suit-shirt-tie combinations are featured which can be emulated directly with our own merchandise (see for example, this month’s edition of GQ, pg. 154 which is emulated easily by using 466MJ, our lilac shirt, and a brown belt and shoes). Mannequins dressed to resemble these looks could be set up in a display alongside the magazine. As fashion is always changing, it also offers us (the Branch Manager) a chance to “brush up” on new and/or seasonal looks.”
Another TOP TIP this week from yours truly, but one that has been supplied in the past by Paul:
“Use your “WORD” program to make up signs that promote your “NEW ARRIVALS” or “SPRING / SUMMER” ranges when they arrive. Alternatively, ask your VM department to make some signs and get sign holders from them. Use bright, pastel colours for the shirts and ties to make them “Pop!”
The count down is on….. 5 weeks to go… Where will your branch be??
Andy Schofield
Made to Measure Price List
As per the email received this week, the made to measure price list will be amended on OASys at close of business today so all orders taken tomorrow must reflect this price otherwise OASys will not allow you to input an order.
Alexandre London's Heritage
The founder of the Alexandre London brand “Jack Lyons” died last week aged 92 in Switzerland. Below is an excerpt from his obituary in the Guardian newspaper from February 20th 2008 which attributes him to the reason why we are all working here today.
Jack Lyons was the son of a Leeds businessman who had built up the Alexandre Menswear business into a chain of stores backed by it’s own factories. After going to Leeds Grammar School for 3 years in 1932 he was put to work for three months in the cutting room of one of the factories. He left the factory in 1938 and moved to Canada to study retailing where he met his wife and married.
Alexandre merged with United Drapery Stores in 1954, Lyons joined the UDS board, chaired by his elder brother Bernard and remained a Director until 1980 when he became a consultant.
Isidore Jack Lyons born February 1 1916 died February 18 2008.
The above underpins the heritage that we have as a brand and I hope that you found it interesting.