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Ghazenfar Butt |
GM Wine Merchant, a Bestway retailer in Milton Keynes, has seen a 30% increase in sales following a Blueprint makeover. This is as a result of the FWD Take Home Blueprint scheme and Bestway joining forces to help deliver the scheme's sales-enhancing principles and guidelines to Bestway retailers across the country.
Blueprint scheme director Ross Shelley was invited to train Bestway's team of business development executives and a sample of retailers as part of the wholesaler's Bestway Direct Seminar.
This was an opportunity to address Bestway's retail-facing team as well as some core retailers and to advise them on the benefits of the Blueprint scheme and how they could utilise the programme to help increase sales across their alcohol sections.
GM Wine Merchant was one of many stores nominated as a result of the seminar. The store's owner, Ghazenfar Butt, was an ideal candidate for the Blueprint. He took his alcohol sales seriously, and while he also owned a supermarket, he decided to open a separate store nearby solely devoted to licensed lines.
While the store had been run down by its previous owners with poor stock levels, Ghazenfar had transformed the store cosmetically to enhance its consumer appeal. However, he needed the Blueprint's assistance on the right stock and how best to display it.
Operations manager for the Blueprint Paul Adshead found that there was certainly plenty to do, remerchandising all the shelves and display cabinets to the Blueprint plan, but he also found his job was made easy by the enthusiasm and commitment of the owner. He said: "Mr Butt was clearly interested in what we do and was totally focused on improving his sales. It makes such a difference when you take such a pride in your business and listen to the advice that has been given."
Ghazenfar was over the moon about the impact that Blueprint had had on his store. He said: "My customers have been impressed with the new layout and that's been reflected in the sales, across all categories. Now that cider is blocked separately from the beers, sales are up over 30%. Beers in general are up by 25% and my Polish beer is flying out. Again, the rearrangement of my wines into country order and the introduction of the wine wheel have meant that sales are up 20%. The end result is that instead of having two deliveries a week, I'm now up to three."
He added: "I am so grateful for your help and the sales increase speaks for itself. The service is impeccable and it's nice to know the Blueprint team and its supporters have my best interests of heart. And to cap it all, the service is free."
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- 27 November, 2008
FWD Annual Dinner & Gold Medal Awards
