Education & upskilling masterclass
Background
Majestic is the UK’s largest multi-channel wine retailer with over 200 stores across the UK that are within 10 miles of 90% of the UK adult population.
With the increased sophistication of supermarkets (i.e. Tesco) & online marketplaces (i.e. Bargain Booze), Majestic was facing increased pressure from consumers moving to other competitors. Ben was asked to help with his team, at Alniro find a new space for them and to re-engage over 1300 staff.
Overall Impact
The focus on consumer education – versus traditional price promotions grew Majestics’ total UK sales by 16% year on year in the first 3 months alone.
Targeting of occasional drinkers and those buying for special occasions increased store footfall by 26%.
The new broader appeal enabled Majestic to regain customer share & attention cementing its long-term future.
The new approach and wider upskilling of team members increased staff satisfaction and reduced turnover to the best levels in 10 years.
So what was done:
Reviewing issues & opportunities
The first step was to find out what customers had to say and understand the views of those shopping elsewhere through detailed feedback and questioning.
The next focus was its people and to understand their views and ideas to support wider buy-in.
The final step was to understand what the market trends and opportunities were – this included meeting the Institute of Masters of Wine & trade publications.
The new approach
In a trial store, a different approach was tested involving new staff training and production information in support of educating consumers, not pure selling. With impressive results, this was then rolled out to wider regions and then online to a new vibrant rich website devoid of much previous jargon.
Early signs of success
Not only was the initial trial promising but the approach received multiple press coverage and attracted many new first-time customers – who previously were put off from visiting.
Conclusion
Measurable changes in sales and perception changed the outlook for Majestic which was bolstered by a more engaged and engaging workforce. Enabling the brand to re-align itself without a loss in income.