The training is also aimed at giving them the coaching skills to pass on the knowledge to lessees.
Star says the training will be uniform across the business with BDMs attending sessions focussed on one key retail area, such as social media, at a time. These will be timed to tie in with lessees’ seasonal support needs. BDMs will then provide coaching to lessees at their bi-monthly business reviews and monitor their progress.
The company has produced an interactive pdf, Star Support, which brings together all the support available to lessees from suppliers.
Chris Jowsey, trading director, said: “We’re determined that the latest retail thinking and best practice is percolated throughout the business from BDMs through to lessees and that it is acted upon. Providing a consistent approach across the business with everyone focussed on the same delivery will help us monitor progress and achieve our business goals.
“One of the hurdles has been that there is so much support available that lessees have felt overwhelmed and unsure what the impact might be on their bottom line of implementing new initiatives. Focussed coaching linked to specific support services will be more effective and this coupled with our mystery shopper retail audits will help lessees raise standards and drive sales.”