How did you get into managing the Clothing store Next?
ANSWER : I got into management in next by walking into the store and handing in a cv! I then got asked in for an interview. A lot different to how we recruit now but I've been working for next for nearly 10years now. Fortunately I had previous supervisor experience from my other two jobs and luckily next had a position as a senior sales (another name for a supervisor) over the years I've worked my way up through another 4management levels, which I had interviews for. Obviously positions had to be there to apply for in the first place. I've been incredibly lucky, and my hard work has been recognised.
What would you say are your 3 main advantages and disadvantages in your job?
ANSWER : Advantages 1) training and working with lots of different individuals and seeing them grow. I've had 3 of my staff start with me as sales assistants and go on into management positions. 2) everyday is different, there is always something that makes it interesting, enjoy planning and organising 3) working with in a team, to create a team takes a lot of perseverance and to see it achieve makes me smile, and to see it pull together in stressful situations makes me feel like part of a family.
Disadvantages: 1) dealing with the public!! 2) your day is re prioritised all the time so you can feel you haven't achieved. 3) a lot of deadlines you must meet whatever happens during the shift.
Is visual merchandising something you have to consider as a manager and how does this element of the store effect you as a manager ?
ANSWER : visual merchandising is constantly your main priority. You have to consider every detail from can those items create an outfit? Down to the standards of how it is displayed i.e cleanliness and cubing. You want the customer to enjoy shopping with us, so you need to make it as easy as possible for them to find what they are looking for whilst showing them how them can create other options at the same time to put those link sales through the till. Through reports which are analysed in detail on a Monday and reviewed daily, you can make commercial decisions to increase sales. This element of the job is a daily task as a manager.
do you get much say in the visual merchandising + look of the floor ?
ANSWER : we have guidelines which we have to follow. And photos which we follow to place the stock. These come from head office where we have mock shops and the stock is put together through a team which then gets signed off by the directors. You get told how much space each colour way (stories) should have, as a manager you need to create a plan which is going to show case these outfits/clothing options to there best. Obviously not every shop floor/store is the same shape or size so you need to sometimes adapt to make it work for your store. Not every store will have the same stock or the stock might not arrive in time to create the look the photographs say, this is where we as managers get our say in the merchandising, and showcase the stock to its best. It's all about reacting to the sales and making commercial decisions to reflect this.
I feel Mandy’s responses have given me a great insight into how hard you have to work to ‘climb the ladder’ in the industry and she has clearly put in a lot of hours into achieving her career goal! Knowing the best sellers and the favourite pieces is key and merchandising the stock in a way that captures the customers eye is definitely something that Mandy has stressed in her answers, this is something I have considered in my VM internship application process!
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