Corporate Case Studies

Corporate Case Study 1 Costa Coffee June 2003

COSTA COFFEE GIVES STAFF GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Costa, the UK's market-leading coffee shop brand, is introducing what is believed to be the first modern apprenticeship/NVQ programme custom-built to enhance and recognise the skills of baristas or specialist coffee makers.

In partnership with Acorn Learning & Development, Costa is to run a pilot programme for 30 candidates from its south-west stores starting in July, with a view to a national roll-out from March 2004.

With over 300 stores in the UK, Germany and the Middle East – and plans to expand to 500 stores by 2005 - Costa’s aims are two-fold: to ensure the excellence of coffee served to customers and to help employees develop their full potential.

Grace Coleman, head of learning and development for Costa, said: “The company was founded by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971, and its success has come from building on their passion for perfection. We serve only the highest-quality Italian-style coffee, and focus on perfection at every stage of the process.

“The move to a national template to provide recognition for the skills and expertise of our people is a big move forward for us. In the past we have relied on internal expertise, but the new programme reflects the fact that it’s not only the business but also the people within it who are growing at a considerable pace.”

The programme will offer 16 to 24-year-olds a foundation modern apprenticeship of 12-24 months, with over-25’s eligible to complete a fast-track learning programme to NVQ Level 2. Elements in the modern apprenticeship range from stock control and point of sale systems to customer service, in addition to the modules in food hygiene and serving hot drinks traditionally associated with the NVQ in catering. Both the training and assessment strategy have been developed with the help of the awarding body, the London Chamber for Commerce and Industry (LCCIEB).

Coleman added: “Programmes for retail brands are usually supplied off the shelf, but staff at all levels within Costa have worked very closely with Lexicon to customise training which we are confident will prove to be of real value to both individuals and the company.”

Donna Rudolfo, Business Development Director at Acorn Learning & Development, said: “We specialise in the development of bespoke quality training programmes aimed at meeting the development needs of a business, while providing staff with nationally-recognised awards.

“Costa Coffee already has an excellent in-house training programme in place, and the new custom-made modern apprenticeship programme dovetails with it perfectly.”

Caption: (l-r) Grace Coleman, Costa Coffee, celebrates the new modern apprenticeship with training provider Donna Rudolfo from Acorn Learning & Development.

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Corporate Case Study 2 - Brewers Fayre

PUB CHAIN INVESTS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING

A bespoke training programme developed for top UK pub restaurant brand Brewers Fayre by vocational learning company Acorn Learning & Development is delivering results with the recent award of the first Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in Customer Service.

Twenty-year-old Kate Howells from Cardiff is the first employee to receive her Customer Service award at the chain’s outlet at Ocean Park and was recently promoted to Assistant Manager.

Brewers Fayre, the UK’s biggest pub restaurant brand with over 270 outlets nationwide, is part of the Whitbread group - the UK's biggest full service restaurant operator which manages over 1,400 outlets across the Brewers Fayre, Beefeater, Brewsters and Costa Coffee brands with 40,000 employees nationwide.

The training programme at Brewers Fayre is modelled closely on the modern apprenticeship/ NVQ programme custom-built by Acorn Learning & Development. for sister company, Costa Coffee, to enhance the skills of its specialist coffee makers or baristas. These programmes have been developed by Acorn Learning & Development. as part of Whitbread’s renewed drive for excellence throughout its brands. They deliver the training required by the business, while at the same time, offering employees access to nationally recognised awards.

Brewers Fayre Area Manager, Brian Edwards, said: “We believe in developing strong national brands synonymous with good food and excellent service. As a result we wanted to improve the skills of current and new employees, while giving recognition and formal qualifications to staff who have been with us for some time.

“Customer service and satisfaction are two sides of the same coin – you cannot achieve the one without the other. Our training strategy is strongly aligned with the group’s business objectives of operating strong, well-run brands, which can satisfy the twin demands of our customers and shareholders.

“As we grow and move away from a total reliance on internal expertise, we are able to capitalise on the strong training skills and expertise offered by training providers such as the Acorn group.”

Donna Rudolfo, Business Development Director at Acorn Learning & Development, said: “Our goal is to align our training programmes with the company’s business objectives. This means that we need to focus on the development of bespoke training programmes taking into account existing and future skills needs, while providing staff with nationally-recognised awards.

“The group already has an excellent in-house training programme, ‘The Journey’, in place. We dovetailed our programme to the ‘Fuelling the Way’ aspect of this programme - which deals with learning and development - by looking at existing skills within the company and then quick starting employees on the programme by accrediting them for prior learning and achievements.

“Kate is an excellent case in point. After an initial assessment by Acorn Learning & Development, Kate underwent nine months of work-based training within the company.”

Kate herself is enthusiastic about the programme: “When I started at Brewers Fayre I was fascinated by all the different types of people that came into the restaurant. Although our restaurant offers an informal level of service, I wanted to be able to deal with customer queries and complaints as efficiently and effectively as possible.”

She added: “We identified various units that I wanted to focus on and evaluated my progress on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Throughout the programme, I was able to gather evidence to support my training using my day-to-day functions. This was great as I didn’t need to leave the comfort of my working environment to do any of the tasks or the evaluation for the programme.”

Kate successfully completed three exams during the programme in Communications, IT and Maths.

“It seemed a little daunting at first, but I quickly became more confident in approaching and dealing with different kinds of people. I didn’t realise at first just how good the new NVQ system really is. It opened up a lot of options for me and although it wasn’t easy, it has made me much better at my job.”

Kate is now working on an advanced level NVQ Level 3 in Customer Service which she plans to complete before the end of the year. She is hoping to start her National Licensee Certificate (NLC) next and plans to open her own Brewers Fayre in a few years.

The team at Ocean Park

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Corporate Case Study 4 - Shoefayre June 2003

TRAINING PARTNERSHIP DELIVERS FOR SHOEFAYRE

Ian Trennan, Human Resources Manager at Shoefayre, describes how a bespoke approach to staff training is delivering results for the national footwear retailer.

A bespoke vocational training programme has been developed over the past 18 months by Shoefayre in close partnership with training provider, Acorn Learning & Development.

The broad aims of this scheme are to improve our overall skills level, while increasing staff job satisfaction and morale. High staff turnover is endemic in the retail sector, and the introduction of this bespoke training programme is seen as a very clear way of signalling that we care for our employees.

Earlier this year the new scheme saw its first results, with the award of NVQ and National Traineeship (NT) certificates – since replaced by the Foundation Modern Apprenticeship - to three employees who had successfully completed their training. This was seen as a major step in the roll-out of the programme and was a major source of satisfaction to all those involved in its development.

Shoefayre is a Co-operative Society, established in 1961. It operates 365 outlets throughout England, Scotland and Wales. With a workforce of around 3,000, the company has around 10% of employees in formalised training at any one time, mostly undertaking NVQs to Levels 2 & 3.

In the past few years its approach to training has been revised as part of a company-wide programme of updating and culture change.

Under the new regime, Shoefayre’s training policy, is now being brought under central control, with multiple providers replaced with a single training and development organisation, the Acorn Group. This was necessary to bring consistency and equal opportunities to staff across the organisation as previously training had been provided by up to 50 NVQ providers.

The company also entered into a contract with the National Contracting Service (NCS). This provided a single point of contact for all NVQ funding and support in line with government requirements, greatly simplifying the national training operation.

Basically it was felt that employees were not benefiting as they should and Shoefayre was not getting the results needed.

It was also the case that training was seen to be delivering qualifications that were not wanted and at levels that were not required. Now there is a tight portfolio of qualifications agreed with Acorn and any variation to this has to be agreed in advance.

Company values promote fair treatment of staff, an approach which we hope will set Shoefayre apart from other mainstream retailers. The aim was to create an approach to training which enabled staff to get something out of the process, rather than just a vocational programme that would satisfy the needs of the business.

To achieve this a close working relationship was built with Acorn in jointly developing vocational training courses that satisfy the internal needs of the company – customer service, stocktaking, etc. - while giving employees access to nationally-recognised qualifications.

This relationship started back in summer 2001. At that time all formal training was on hold and the plan was to concentrate on internal training only. However, despite initial apprehension, Acorn came up with a proposal that convinced us to revisit the NVQ route.

When considering training requirements, the company didn’t want to just take an ‘off the shelf’ solution. We are working towards a ‘Shoefayre’ branded accreditation programme for staff, and Acorn is one of the few providers that is prepared to put in the time and resources to develop a tailored scheme like this.

Acorn Learning & Development’s Corporate Development Director, Helena Williams agrees. “What we have developed is not a fixed scheme, it is a flexible approach to training which can be tailored to satisfy both individual and company needs.”

We spent four months developing the initial courses and launched a pilot in our outlets in South Wales in October 2001. Following the success of this pilot we went for a national launch in May 2002.

Under current arrangements, Shoefayre offer Foundation and Advanced Modern Apprenticeship training in retailing for the 16-24 age group, plus NVQ at level 2&3 for staff over 24.

The company see the programme as a stepladder which should enable everyone to gain the qualifications to suit their job level.

Initially the take-up was slow (see graph), mainly because we had to overcome some deep-grained preconceptions about training which meant people were reluctant to sign up. Due to bad experiences in the past, vocational training was seen as an employer’s way of getting cheap labour. But this is an outdated view and Shoefayre set about changing these preconceived ideas.

As a key part of this process we undertook a formal launch to all area managers to ensure their buy-in. This then cascaded down through the company.

“It is critical to develop the relationship between the Acorn Learning & Development advisor and the branch manager,” said Helena Williams. “Training is tailored to the needs of each branch and the individuals in that branch. It is important that everyone appreciates the value and benefits of this approach.”

The impact on those who have gone through the training has been dramatic. One of the three recent achievers, Emma Tucker, for example has seen a marked increase in confidence in her personal worth and in her ability to do the job. By targeting the skills and support she needed, she has now achieved the position of branch manager and she plans to take a level 3 NVQ in advanced supervisory management.

Emma, who has been with Shoefayre for six years, is enthusiastic about the programmes and the support provided by Acorn. “The way the courses are structured, they don’t disrupt the working day, so you can carry on with your job while you study. I think it is a real bonus that you can gain nationally recognised qualifications while you work, rather than having to make time to go to college.”

Early results from the retail training programme have been encouraging and the NVQ partnership programme is now being expanded through the organisation’s Leicester headquarters, and into its warehousing and logistics operations.

Shoefayre have met the initial requirements of changing people’s perceptions about their personal access to training. According to a recent survey, staff members now believe that opportunities for development have improved dramatically over the past few years. They are realising that meaningful training is not just for the privileged few.

The company now have 380 people in training. This includes shopworkers from 16 to 64, and a National Training Co-ordinator who has just started a Level 4 NVQ programme. The target for 2003/4 is to increase the numbers participating by 200/250 people.

During the first year there has been some negative feedback, which is inevitable, but this has been taken on board and fed back into the programme which is continually evolving.

Although still in the early stages, the next phase in the development of the training programme will be to establish means of measuring its impact on the bottom line of the business in terms of productivity, staff retention and ease of recruitment.

Recent innovations include a Fast Track internal development programme which enables talented managers to complete training that might normally take 3 years in 6-12 months.

Shoefayre are now looking at ways of integrating Fast Track workshops into the NVQ programme to allow staff with potential to accelerate their training in a similar way.

People at Shoefayre are very pleased with progress to date. The bespoke training we are now providing has had a major impact on the attitude, morale and confidence of individuals, really helping to bring them on. The aim is to maintain this quality and see a similar transformation with all our team members in the future.

Verdict

High staff turnover is endemic in the retail sector, not a problem faced by Shoefayre alone. However, by offering our staff a vocational training structure that is genuinely tailored to individual needs and which leads to nationally recognised awards, we feel we have done something to signal that we care for our employees and which sets us apart from other employers in the sector.

The main benefit of this approach is that Shoefayre can influence how training is delivered through our close relationship with Acorn Learning & Development. Obviously, no training programme is going to be perfect, but when issues arise they are quickly recognised and addressed jointly. This is a constantly developing partnership.

• Ability to meet business needs 4
• Buy-in by staff 3 (and growing)
• Flexibility in delivery 4
• Value for Money 4
• Overall Rating 4

The Shoefayre team