TJ - The Publication for Learning and Development

Spotlight on Ola Lagunju

By Mike Levy (December 2004 Issue)
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How do you sell your training services to a company whose stores are probably recognised by every young woman in Britain? Patience, a unique selling point, a listening ear and a passion for customer service are crucial according to Ola Lagunju, Learning and Development Manager for the high-street chain Oasis, one of the country’s leading womenswear groups. It is hard to imagine a more enthusiastic and energetic person who looks at training and development as a passion rather than a job. Oasis is part of the Mosaic Group, which owns sister companies Karen Millen, Coast and Whistle. It is a multi-million pound business operating over 500 stores in a marketplace characterised by unceasing competition.

In an industry often seen as ‘Saturday job’ country, where staff loyalty can be as fickle as the shopper’s whim, how do you instil a culture of learning and development? Lagunju has few doubts and she is on a mission: ‘We need to convince our managers and retail assistants that the customer comes into the store looking for a lot more than clothes. This isn’t just about shifting stock. If it were, we might all just give up and sell on the Internet. Retail shopping is truly about the shopping experience and helping customers to be part of this.’

This does not mean a store full of smiling robots. ‘It’s vital to move ahead slowly. As long as your staff can see the direction you are heading in, and move towards it in gentle steps, you can take them with you,’ she believes.

Lagunju has been developing store-wide programmes for managers and sales assistants. Her most recent initiative is the SPA programme for Coast employees. ‘We asked our staff to think of an analogy that captures the typical great shopping experience. Having a spa is all about balance. We even started the training sessions with some yoga; my managers loved it.’

SPA is also a handy acronym that sums up the training direction for Lagunju staff.

S = Swap shoes with the customer. How does the shopping experience feel for them?

P = Personalised experience for both customer and assistant. The service provided should be geared to the individual customer’s needs and play to the individual strengths of the assistant, which might include anything from a nice genuine smile to offering informed style advice to those customers who want it. ‘The programme got our assistants to identify and score their everyday strengths and see how it links back to service.’

A = Act the host. ‘We ask the assistants to think of their role as being a party host. What would your guests need and expect from you? This is a very powerful exercise.’

The ‘P’ in Spa is a unique selling point for Oasis. Lagunju’s belief is that as every person is different, you can’t expect a homogenised workforce. ‘We have to accept that some will have a natural eye for what looks right on a customer, another good at finding just the right accessory and so on. We want to play to the strengths of our individual retail assistants.’

It’s not only retail assistants who have to raise their game, believes Lagunju. She is currently working on a new leadership programme with a third-party supplier. Distance learning may form part of the new programme. For her the focus on leadership is crucial. ‘An effective leader is someone who doesn’t have to have all the answers but who has the means to find out where to look and can set the direction. The leader and the people they lead are two separate entities, but they should think as one.’

Everything Lagunju says, she punctuates with a huge grin and a ready laugh. She is clearly happy in her role. ‘Retail is about enjoyment. If we can get the salesperson to enjoy each day and make a visit to the store a really fun experience, then we have done our job.’

Ola Lagunju’s tips for trainers: how to pitch to a large retailer

* Know how we work. I currently have a small band of trusted suppliers we call ‘training partners’.
* Be patient. In my case if a supplier comes to my attention, say at HRD, I pocket the business card or flier and maybe come back to them when I identify the need perhaps two years on.
* Don’t bombard. I only read a flier or e-mail once.
* Develop a unique selling point; that’s how we think in retailing, and to work in our industry you should know what makes us tick.
* Like our sales staff, be yourself and be a great listener. You don’t need to do lots of homework about a business but you should show willingness to learn and adapt.
* Be brand aware. We are a brand-driven industry and may expect the same from you.
* Bespoke is king: don’t offer off-the-peg solutions.
* Don’t see the industry as stock shifting; it’s a very human, interpersonal experience.
* Give to get; it’s all about partnership.

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