Tesco: Working in partnership with Tesco Alf has written and designed a new counters customer service programme which over the next 6 months will be rolled out to all counter service teams throughout the UK and Ireland, over 750 Tesco stores including over 14,000 team members will take part in this new and unique programme. As part of the programme Alf has also written and produced a new interactive coaching DVD for Tesco Counters that will be used to help to cascade the programme throughout the business and develop it long term.
ICOS: Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society: Working in partmership with ICOS Alf deliverd the You Are The Difference 'One Day Coach the Coach' event to members of the Irish Hardware & Building Materials Association at a special session held in Porlaoise Ireland. http://www.icos.ie/home/index.asp
You Are The Difference Returns to Ireland: As a result of the success of his 15 day tour of Ireland earlier this year Alf will be returning to Ireland in August, September, October and November to run a series of special coaching sessions including professional presenting and how to get the most from your business at Christmas through excellent customer service. Full details of the sessions and the dates are available from Helen O'dowd at Retail excellence Ireland email: helen@crestireland.com
PDSA Christmas Retail Road Show: Alf will be presenting a special You Are The Difference session at the charities annual conference being held in Teford during September.
The Officers Club: Alf has delivered the one day You Are The Difference 'Coach the Coach' event for The Officers Club. With over 110 stores throughout the UK the Officers Club is one of the countries largest retailers specialising in menswear today.
Calvin Klein European Launch: Alf has successfully launced a new You Are The Difference customer service coaching DVD exclusively produced for Calvin Klein. The DVD will form part of a European wide You Are The Difference customer service coaching roll out that will be available in 7 different languages. The DVD was launched at the companies annual conference held in Alicante Spain where all stores throughout Europe were represented. During 2011 the DVD will be form part of a further roll out of You Are The Difference which will take in Africa and the Middle East.
Conference Alicante where new Y.A.T.D. DVD was launched
Elverys Sports Ireland: Elverys Sports was established in 1847 and is Irelands oldest sports store with 55 branches. The You Are The Difference customer service programme has now been been delivered to all store managers by Alf through the 2 seperate one day 'coach the coach' events. The programme will now be rolled out to all store teams through a series of DVD coaching sessions assisted by the special YATD coaching pack.
Waterford Crystal: Waterford Crystal will be opening a brand new manufacturing facility, retail outlet and visitors cente in Waterford Ireland in June. Alf designed and delivered a new You Are The Difference customer service programme that will become the customer service cuture experience when people visit the new retail outlet and visitors centre. As part of the staff recruitment process he ran 4 special You Are The Difference events over 2 days where over 120 applicants took part in 2 hour sessions. All staffing for reception, the tour and the retail outlet where chosen from those who took part in the special 2 day events.
"Life on the front line" Alf and the Thorntons team live on the shop floor: This short film was used to help launch the You Are The Difference Customer Sevice Coaching Programme at the Thorntons main conference which was attended by over 500 store managers
Telefónica O2 Ireland: Alf presented at the annual managers conference in Ireland during April. Telefonica is Irelands leading provider of mobile services, offering communications solutions to over 1.7 million customers.
County Carlow Chamber Ireland Business Breakfast: Alf was the main speaker at the Carlow Chamber business breakfast at the Talbot Hotel In Carlow in April where over 100 people attended the special session. On the day Alf presented a YATD session on how to make the most from your business through providing great customer service.
Rachel Doyle of Carlow Chamber and Dympna Bramleyof Bramleys Jewellers with Alf
Retail Excellence Ireland Annual Conference: Alf was one of the main speakers at Retail Excellence Ireland annual conference in Dublin. Retail Excellence Ireland involves 590 leading retail companies who operate over 8000 stores in the Irish market.
Martin McColl: Through a series of full day coaching events Alf along with Area Managers and Store Mangers have successfully launched a special You Are The Difference programme to over 50 stores throughout Scotland. The UKs number 1 independant neighbourhood retailer have asked Alf to deliver the programme with a view to rolling out You Are The Difference to all 1500 stores throughout the UK.
Skillsmart: Skillsmart the sector skills council for retail has been working for some time to develop a customer service and sales programme to help retailers raise their skills in this vital part of their business. The You Are The Difference programme was chosen as being the right product to deliver this to small and medium sized retail businesses throughout the UK. The first trial of the roll out was recently completed through Skillsmart retail Skill shops in Preston, Cheshire Oaks and Newcastle.
The Garden Centre Association Annual Conference: Alf was one of the main speakers at their annual confrence held in Birmingham which was attended by over 200 independant garden centre owners and managers from throughout the UK and Ireland.
Sewell Group: The Sewell Group based in Hull invited Alf to run a You Are The Difference customer service session as part of the launch of their annual Convention week. The company which runs a group of award winning petrol and convenience retail outlets also specialises in development and construction.
First UK Bus Coaching DVD:Alf has written and produced a special You Are The Difference coaching DVD that has been used as part of a First UK Bus customer service training programme across the UK. Over 35,000 members of staff throughout First UK Bus have experienced the training programme and the new DVD.
Woolacotts: The Devon and Cornwall premier ectrical retailer which has 8 stores has successfully launched You Are The Difference as its new customer service programme throughout the whole business. The programme which was designed and delivered by Alf to encorporate the specialist culture of Woolacotts and is being sponsored by The Cornwall Retail Trust.
Thorntons: As part of their continued commitment to You Are The Difference Thorntons will be running a series of full day workshops throughout January, February and March where Alf will be introducing and coaching new store managers in the customer service programme. Thorntons have over 600 stores in the UK where You Are The Difference is the customer service and selling tool.
Thoughts Cards: Thoughts Cards the fast expanding independant card and gift retailer with stores in Cardiff, Bath, Bristol, Birmingham and Sheffield has now launched You Are The Difference as their customer service culture. through the unique one day "coach the coach" programme. All store managers and directors attendeded the event which was delivered by Alf .
RUN 4 IT: RUN 4 IT the Scottish based running specialist retailer with 5 stores throughout Scotland has made You Are The Difference its new customer service and sales culture. Along with all store managers and staff Alf launched the You Are The Difference through the 'One Day Coach the Coach Programme' at a special full day training event held in Stirling.
Manor Pharmacy Launches You Are The Difference: Manor Pharmacy which has 52 shops throughout the Derbyshire area has launched the You Are The Difference customer service programme to all shop teams. Seen below are photos taken from one of the coaching evening events held locally where Alf delivered the main You Are The Difference session to all staff.
Whittington Hospital Emergency Department: Alf has written and presented a bespoke You Are The Difference customer service coaching programme to all staff at the accident and emergency department of the Whittington Hospital in London, this new programme will now form the cornerstone of patient/customer service within the department.
NHS Health Centre Practices: 27 different NHS Health Centre Practices throughout the North East of England took part in a specially designed You Are The Difference coaching sessions during September and October.
Bank of Scotland: As part of his continued work within the financial sector Alf ran a special You Are The Difference motivational session at the Bank of Scotland's private banking offices in Aberdeen. The session was attended by a wide range of personnel from throughout the bank.
COOP Plymouth and South West Food Stores: Alf was the main speaker at the re launch of the companies successful customer service programme "Our Customer Promise" . The re launch was attended by over 70 store managers from throughout the region.
McArthurGlen Shopping Centres: As part of the on going partership with the McArthurGlen Bridgend Designer Outlet Alf ran a special customer service "Champions" day with the centre management team. The purpose of the session was to coach the team in how to help keep the You Are The Difference customer service programme alive long term and to successfully deliver the You Are The Difference DVD coaching session to all future new store staff.
International Nurses' Day celebration at St George's Hospital, London: As part of his continued work within the NHS throughout the UK Alf delivered a special You Are The Difference session at the International Nurses' Day celebrations of St George's Hospital, London (photos below) The event was attended by over 300 nurses from the hospital.
Cornwall Retail Skills: Alf hassuccessfully launched the You Are The Difference customer service programme to a wide range of both large and small indepentant retailers throughout Cornwall in conjunction with Cornnwall Retail Skills and Skillsmart and will be planning to develop the programme throughout other areas within the UK during the coming year.
David Sands Supermarkets Triumphs at the Scottish Grocer Awards: All teams within the companies 28 supermarket outlets, head office and warehouse took part in a specially designed You Are The Difference customer service programme which now forms a major part in the companies internal and external customer service training and philosophy. http://www.david-sands.co.uk/Images/Magazine/Spring08/57603_DavidSand%20Lft.pdf
Alf at Wembley Stadium: Alf was one of the main speakers at the Microsoft Retail Productivity Seminar in February at the new Wembley Stadium. The seminar was attended by leaders and top managers from many of the UK's major retailers.
Marketing Week - Brand Conference London: As part of a presentation given by Mike Davis CEO of Thorntons Chocolate, Alf presented "the spiral of positivity" from the You Are The Difference customer service coaching session and an insight into the positive long term effect the programme can have on staff, the customer and sales.
BSSA: British Shops and Stores Association Limited: Alf has had his book chosen as one of the books made available to members through the BSSA web site. http://www.british-shops.co.uk/services_books.htm
Junction One Shopping Centre Ireland: Alf and the Junction One Shopping Centre in Ireland driving home the message that excellent customer service really can impact positively on retail sales especially during the "credit crunch" http://www.junctionone.co.uk/news_item.asp?id=442
Royal Colledge of Nursing annual Conference and Exhibition: Alf was asked to present a special You Are The Difference session to over 250 emergency care staff at their annual conference and exhibition in Warrington.
Northern Ireland Region of Shopping CentresAutumn Seminar: Alf presented a You Are The Difference session specifically tailored for Centre Managers and Service providers to help make the deivery of outstanding customer service achievable by everyone.
BCSC Conference: Alf was invited to be one of the main speakers at the BCSC Shopping Centre Management Conference & Exhibition in association with The College of Estate Management. The Conference which was attended by over 800 people from the retail industry was held at the MICC Manchester.
Institute of Customer Service book of the mont: Alf has book chosen as book of the month!
The ICS review of the book:
"Just Looking Thanks!" - The straight-forward guide to creating brilliant customer service.
"How many times have people working in a retail environment heard those words? And how many times have we as customers said them?This book is a coaching guide for people delivering service in retail. It is based on the author's practical experience in working with front-line staff in the UK retail world. "People buy people first and product second" is the title of one of the chapters. It would make good reading for anyone working in a retail environment"Peter Hall, ICS
Hallmark UK retailer of the year: Congratulations to Jonathan Garner and Susie Amann of Special Occasions on the announcement that their store in Gloucester has won the title Hallmark UK Retailer of the year. A brilliant result for Teresa the store manager and her top team. The Gloucester store recently took part in the You Are The Difference coaching programme that involved all stores within the Special Occasions group.
Feedback
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Also introducing the straight forward written guide and DVD to creating brilliant customer service, "Just Looking Thanks!" by performance coach and creator Alf Dunbar
Conference Alicante where new Y.A.T.D. DVD was launched
Rachel Doyle of Carlow Chamber and Dympna Bramleyof Bramleys Jewellers with Alf 
The ICS review of the book:
