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B&Q invests £2m in showroom academy for staff
DIY giant hopes to improve showroom employees' knowledge and design skills to cash in on the 'don't move, improve' trend.The training school is designed to give B&Q showroom employees better product, service and design skills across kitchens, bathrooms, furniture, carpets, flooring and showroom appliances.
The move aims to cash in on the growing trend of customers choosing to improve their homes rather than move, and is in line with the Kingfisher-owned company's £18m showroom expansion plan.
The showroom academy launches from September 28. It will see up to 4,000 members of staff, ages 16 to 82, across the chain's 300 UK and Irish stores, complete a City & Guilds approved, nationally recognised Home Improvement Knowledge qualification by the end of the year.
The academy, which represents a £2m investment, was put together by B&Q's HR team, with external input from its showroom supplier base.
B&Q HR director Liz Bell said: "Investing in qualifications for our store teams to give our customers the confidence that they are being advised by expert staff... is a priority. The launch of the showroom academy is the latest addition to a suite of qualifications and apprenticeship programmes that we have introduced this year."
Click here to leave a commentComments
By Mike Norton
While this looks like a good investment and a promising move by the company, once again it is flawed.
Product knowledge is useless if B&Q are unable to fulfil their deliveries to customers, get their designs right, finish a kitchen or bathroom installation without problems or even hire enough to staff to keep the stores running.
It is a well known fact that the real reason B&Q and other companies invest in this scheme is due to the large payout by the government for doing so.
But as long as they keep promoting me, let them do what they want.
By BNQ Consultant
Anything that inspires confidence is good, the only thing is how recognised is the qualification HIRQ? Certainly means nothing, it is only the City & Guilds badge that makes sense to customers, and I feel that time invested in checking plans for accuracy and delivering on the promises expected by the customer would be a better focus....this may be more about marketting and a revenue stream from the NVQ element that training and development.
By A Harper
Sounds like agood concept, but would be great for customers if B&Q were to invest in getting staff to trained to man instore wood cutting facility -especially Evesham Branch- where only one staff member there is willing to help.
18/11/2009 01:11:00
Address the issuesBy Mike Norton
While this looks like a good investment and a promising move by the company, once again it is flawed.
Product knowledge is useless if B&Q are unable to fulfil their deliveries to customers, get their designs right, finish a kitchen or bathroom installation without problems or even hire enough to staff to keep the stores running.
It is a well known fact that the real reason B&Q and other companies invest in this scheme is due to the large payout by the government for doing so.
But as long as they keep promoting me, let them do what they want.
15/09/2009 22:13:00
Much needed I am sureBy BNQ Consultant
Anything that inspires confidence is good, the only thing is how recognised is the qualification HIRQ? Certainly means nothing, it is only the City & Guilds badge that makes sense to customers, and I feel that time invested in checking plans for accuracy and delivering on the promises expected by the customer would be a better focus....this may be more about marketting and a revenue stream from the NVQ element that training and development.
09/09/2009 11:18:00
B&Q Lead swingers By A Harper
Sounds like agood concept, but would be great for customers if B&Q were to invest in getting staff to trained to man instore wood cutting facility -especially Evesham Branch- where only one staff member there is willing to help.
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