One week with… Ruth Elkington from the United Kingdom

Store Manager Ruth Elkington from the United Kingdom has chosen to share a week in her life through pictures and short descriptions. Ruth works in the JYSK store in Lincoln.

Monday

Today is a Public Holiday in the UK, which signals the end of a record-breaking summer in both weather and sales. It is also a key retailing period and it is our final day push for a VIP Weekend. Therefore, we are focused on Sales and Service, whilst having fun as always. With my Sales Leader, this morning we had a re-cap on the week ahead, which we planned in last week’s Store Manager/Sales Leader meeting.

#Strongteamsgreatengagement

Tuesday

This morning I completed the garden furniture inventories. My team are building the last few articles to complete the indoor setup. My Admin Responsible has her area responsible time today. In the afternoon, I re-arranged our maxi racking to make the concept ready for the indoor setup. It is so exciting seeing the store evolving back into indoor season – with many beautiful new articles.

#Ourstructureandconceptscreateopportunities

Wednesday

This morning we remove the small garden articles from the shop floor and box them away ready for next year.

This afternoon we get the campaign tickets and POS (point of sale) ready for the new campaign launch in the morning. In the UK we call our September campaign “Celebrate Scandinavia” – and I know we have the biggest ever campaign paper distribution – landing on more customers front doors than ever before, which is exciting.

At the end of the day, we display our POS for tomorrow’s campaign.

Thursday

Today it is my day off, so I am off to Lidl to do my weekly food shop. We are moving to a new store in the city in spring 2019, which will be a new build and directly next door to one of the biggest Lidl’s in the UK. Part of my day off is always now going to see the new store site – I am so excited.

On Thursday evening, I go into JYSK where we have planned our indoor Sales and Service Training. I love to refresh the team’s knowledge, with their bonus linked to sales and mystery shopping this year – they now have an added incentive to wow the customers with full Sales and Service. For my Sales Leader and me – it is all about more, more, more green figures into FY19.

#Whenyougrowwegrow

Friday

Before the delivery, I have a weekly meeting with my Sales Leader to plan the week ahead and the final preparations for our GSM (Great Store Management), which is on Monday next week. We love to be planned and thought out when it comes to executing our GSMs – we only get the chance quarterly – so we like to make that day worthwhile.

Delivery arrives and we have our muscles ready.

We had our attractive stores visit today and I am proud of my team achieving 97% - which was a record breaking score.

Saturday

On Saturday, I went to another JYSK UK store, Cannock, it was fun to manage another team for the day. I could take best practice sharing back to my own store and I felt energised. Whilst I was away, my store team delivered for me as normal with great green figures for the start of the new financial year.

#Strongteamsgreatengagement

Sunday

Today I had a road trip to London with my son. He had a modelling shoot and all went really well, he must get it from his mother.

While I was there, Amy and the team delivered more green figures - I love that colour.