Leading independent retailer Kishor Patel is stepping up his campaign to create a joint staff training and recruitment resource for the independent sector and has told wholesalers it’s time they put their hands in their pockets.
Patel issued his original plea at the Association of Convenience Stores 2010 summit (Independent Retail News, 21 May).
He wants to build an online toolkit that can be used by the entire sector to provide training and advice on subjects including recruiting and motivating staff, health and safety, changes to legislation and new product launches.
He said this week: “I’ve been in contact with a few of the major wholesalers and symbol groups and the rest will be getting a visit from me shortly.”
He added: “I’m trying to encourage all of them to take a view that they need to put some investment into training and therefore there could be one standardised training [resource] available and everyone could benefit. It would be a single port of call.
“Everyone needs to put their hands in their pockets now, especially with the [Government] cuts coming in. Things are going to get tougher and we know that without training, you can’t grow and have that competitive edge for the independent sector.
“This is a non-competitive item and we really do need to embrace it together.”
Patel said he saw the training being delivered through a combination of online, workbooks and regional training centres, possibly at cash and carry depots. The system could also provide standard templates for useful documents such as job application forms.
To help develop the idea further, he has teamed up with training provider RetailPlus, which recently launched its own revamped package of pay-as-you go training workbooks designed to help retailers increase sales, improve employee performance and comply with the law in areas such as preventing under-age sales.
