World-class service at Touchwood

Solihull College has teamed up with Touchwood shopping centre to deliver a world-class training course to ensure the centre’s guest safety hosts and retailers can offer the upmost in customer service.

Delivered by the Greater Birmingham Skills Shop Retail Academy at the College, the team at Touchwood undertook the WorldHost training to further enhance the standard and delivery of customer service at the centre. Touchwood conducted the training, which has been adopted by nearly one million people worldwide, to ensure all guests receive the best in customer care.

WorldHost focuses on three core areas, specific to the retail environment, all of which strive to better equip the guest safety hosts with both the skills and knowledge to deliver a superior level of customer service.

Yvonne Malpass, Head of Retail at the Greater Birmingham Skills Shop, comments: “We are delighted to be working with Touchwood to deliver WorldHost to its employees and we believe it is the first shopping centre in the West Midlands to undertake the training. We aim to build on Touchwood’s excellent customer service standards to help ensure that the UK’s retailing reputation reflects the great mix of businesses and products available.”
Touchwood houses some of the UK’s best restaurants, international brands, designer retailers and independent boutique style stores.

Lucy Burnett, Marketing Manager at Touchwood, comments: “Here at Touchwood we pride ourselves on offering excellent customer service and finding new ways to meet the ever-changing needs of our guests. WorldHost provides a fantastic opportunity to further develop our customer relationship skills and ensure that we can continue to deliver the first class service for which we are renowned.”

WorldHost helps retailers achieve consistently outstanding service in their businesses. For further information about how it could benefit your business contact The Greater Birmingham Skills Shop on 0121 678 7181 or visit www.solihull.ac.uk.

Posted via email from solihullcollege's posterous

An Inspirational Programme for shop owners and managers

You are invited to attend a FREE taster session of the Mary Portas guide to successful retailing on 5 May 2011 at Solihull College

Times available – 9.30am – 11.00am or 5.30pm – 7.00pm

Book your place today to experience a snapshot of this brand new inspirational programme specifically developed for shop owners and managers.

Created by Skillsmart Retail in conjunction with the retail guru and television star Mary Portas, the programme covers every aspect of running a retail business. The series of seven master classes are delivered exclusively through the National Skills Academy for Retail’s network of retail skill shops.

The taster session

Led by specially trained retail trainers, the taster session follows the themes of the full programme inspired by Mary and provides delegates with the opportunity to develop ideas for their own retail businesses.

Typically the taster sessions last around an hour and delegates can get a clear idea of the extent of the benefits the full sessions can bring to their retail businesses.

The taster session aims to introduce shop owners and managers to master class one, My shop, my future. It gives delegates the chance to step outside the constraints of their own business, to work with other like-minded individuals, to explore various retail scenarios.

If you enjoy your taster session, there are seven specialist topics to choose from to help you take your business to the next level.

• My shop, my future: Building, mobilising and maintaining a vision for your business
• Retail finance and business planning: Understanding the key financial factors driving your business
• Buying for your customer: Buying the items that will attract and keep your customers as well as delivering you profit
• Selling and service skills: How to stand out from the crowd and use customer service experience to bring more cash through the tills
• Creating desire; merchandising, display and windows: That wow factor that sets your shop apart from the rest
• Marketing for more customers: How to spread the word about your business without spending the earth
• You and your team: Developing both you and your team to create a forward looking, successful business
To book your place or for more information please contact Rebecca Wilks on 0121 678 7181 or rebecca.wilks@solihull.ac.uk

Solihull College, Blossomfield Road,
Solihull, B91 1SB
Free car parking is available on site

New management centre showcases over 350 jobs

Solihull College’s brand new Management and Conference Centre is opening its doors to host a unique event where companies will be looking to recruit new staff.

The event, with over 350 jobs on offer, is for those looking for work and takes place on Friday 26th November from 10am-2pm. People from across the region will have the chance to find out about the various employment opportunities available.

Employers from a range of industries including insurance, legal, hospitality, leisure, music, retail
and social care will also be on hand. The fair will be the first public event to be held at the
College’s brand new Management and Conference Centre which has been completed as part
of the Blossomfield Campus £31million redevelopment project.

Paul Leahy of the Employer Services team who is leading the event comments: “This event is
a great way to promote career paths and opportunities and we encourage as many people as possible to come along. Everyone is welcome. We have a host of great employers on board and we would like to thank them for their Involvement.”

To find out more about the Job Fair, contact the College’s Business Advisor, Rebecca Wilks at Rebecca.wilks@solihull.ac.uk or on 0121 678 7181.