Role: Owner
Company: The Retail Consultant
Track Record: ‘As a consultant I am challenged with helping my clients turn challenges into opportunities. In addition, programmes such as the Backin’ Belfast campaign help,’ he says.
What does your job entail?
Essentially, I engage with retail businesses to assess their current trading capability. I review their business and provide a development plan based on required goals eg financial, operations, marketing etc.
The development plan is normally undertaken through a mentoring process which has an agreed timescale. This allows the business to implement changes within an easy to manage timeframe.
I am also involved in retail strategy projects. Part of this is to benchmark businesses via competitor analysis, social media capability – to name but a few. I also provide customer service training – it’s important to get this right as it is a key element of customer interaction and business growth.
My client base ranges from family run businesses to public bodies like Belfast City Council and charity, The National Trust. Providing a Retail Consultant service to the National Trust is one of the most rewarding roles I have undertaken. To have the opportunity to work in beautiful places like Mount Stewart and to develop a retail strategy for the Trust, in Northern Ireland, is an exhilarating and challenging experience.
Is it 9-5?
Certainly not! The nature of the job means that you are required to work some very strange hours. Even though the hours are long there is nothing like being your own boss.
How did you get into this line of work?
I started in the retail industry in 1987 with Dunnes Stores as a trainee manager, working in their grocery department. I subsequently have had management positions with Woodies DIY and Dorothy Perkins.
I am very fortunate to have held management positions in three different retail sectors over a period of 12 years. This grounding gave me a unique insight into the grocery, DIY and fashion sectors.
I was then approached to work for a family owned chain of fashion stores and on the advice of an accountant friend it was suggested that I work for the company on a consultancy basis. I suppose you can say the rest is history.
Outline your career to date?
I spent 14 years in management roles with Dunnes Store, Woodies DIY and Dorothy Perkins. I started a consultancy business in 2001, in Dublin, but after meeting my Northern Ireland based wife I decided to move to Northern Ireland.
I took the decision to gain some qualifications so I went back to study management consultancy at the University of Wales, achieving a post grad diploma, and I am currently studying for my masters.
I then moved into the academic sector. I worked for the Southern Regional College in 2009, lecturing in retail and business start-up. Then, in May 2011, I decided to get back into the consultancy sector and started The Retail Consultant.
Tell us about your qualifications/training.
When I started in the retail industry, in the late 80’s, qualifications were not a priority – you were advised to work for a major retailer and learn on the job. As I progressed in my career I realised how important it is to continuously update your skills and knowledge.
When I left management I made a decision to gain additional academic qualifications. I have completed a post grad diploma in management consultancy from the University of Wales and I am currently studying for an MBA in management. I also work with the National Skills Academy for Retail as their mentor in Northern Ireland which means I deliver their World Host and Guide to Successful Retail programmes.
What qualities are required for your job – personal and professional?
The main quality is experience, the ability to listen and the ability to instill trust with your clients. It’s important that you can guide and direct the client through the processes and challenges that face them and give them simple, step by step support mechanisms that really make a difference to their business.
What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?
The biggest challenge is the current difficulties facing independent retailers during these recessionary times. You only have to look at the added difficulties that retailers in Belfast have faced to understand the magnitude of the problems.
These are well documented in the media in relation to rent and rates issues, declining numbers visiting the high street, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
As a consultant I am challenged with helping my clients turn these challenges into opportunities. In addition, programmes such as the Backin’ Belfast campaign help.
On a brighter note, one of my clients www.totalhockey.com, an independently run family business, recorded a 60% increase in online sales for the period August to December 2012. This is primarily due to the strategies we employed in their social media platform. It has taken an amazing leap of faith for an established, family run business to trust an external consultant with major strategy change.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Unfortunately spare time is limited at the moment, due to work commitments. Apart from taking part in a couple of spinning classes twice a week to keep up fitness levels, all my spare time is given over to my wife Eimear and our 22-month-old son Conor. It is so important when you have a hectic work life you prioritise time for your family.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
Many years ago I had an interest in the fitness industry and I decided to become a fitness instructor. I studied through the University of Bedfordshire to be become a personal trainer. It was a complete change from my business life and gave me huge personal satisfaction.
Who has inspired you most in your life?
It would have to be Mr Ben Dunne Jr from Dunnes Stores. His belief and conviction is that any business decision which is well thought through, will reap rewards and ultimately improve profitability. This has helped me when dealing with clients – you need to understand their business, in its entirety, before you start them on a course of action. Doing this will ensure results.