2015 eftpos Australian Retail Awards

Australian RetailAwards

Aust alian Retail

Awards Program COVER art.pdf 1 23/06/2015 11:54 am

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eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards 201502

CONTENTS

Australian Retailers Association

Melbourne - head office Level 1, 112 Wellington Pde, East Melbourne VIC 3002

Sydney officeArden Building, Suite 104, 40-48 Atchison Street, St Leonards, Sydney 2065

Tel: 1300 368 041Fax: (03) 8660 3399 Email: [email protected]

Since 1903 the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

Published by:

Tel: 1800 222 757 Fax: 1800 063 151 Email: [email protected]

Sales Manager: Tim Evans Sales Executives: Ally Lazogas, David Johnstone, Peter Sheed, Josie Mersnich

Editor: Samantha ReganProduction: Brooke TraversLayout & Design: Andrew CrabbGraphic Design Team: Byron Bailey, Michelle Triana Print: Newstyle Printing

Disclaimer: The Publisher and the Australian Retailers Association, their employees and agents take no responsibility for any inaccuracies or omissions. The opinions are those of the contributors and not necessarily of the Publishers nor of the Association. No warranty is given and no liability is accepted. Products and Services appearing in Australian Retailers Awards 2015 are not necessarily endorsed by the Publisher or the Association. While every care has been taken during production, the publisher(s) do not accept any liability for errors or omissions that may have occurred.

President’s Foreword 05Executive Director’s Welcome 06Keynote Speaker 08History of the ARA Australian Retail Awards 09Award Judging Process 10ARA Councillor and Staff Profiles 11Media Sponsor Profiles 16eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year 18The Realise Group Australian Independent Retailer of the Year 22NORA Australian Multichannel Retailer of the Year 24BDO Australian Retail Employer of the Year 27MasterCard Australian Retail Payments Leader of the Year 30Pronto Software Australian Retailer Innovator of the Year 32Shop for Shops Australian Retail Store Fit-out of the Year 34FCB Australian Retail HR Rising Star of the Year 37REST Industry Super Australian Individual Retailer of the Year 40Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software Australian Retail Graduate of the Year 42Roy Morgan Australian Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year 44

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✓�Friendly Pharmacists

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✓Medication Management

✓�260 Pharmacies in stores

✓All the famous brands

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✓400 Priceline stores

✓5000 Staff members

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We were proud to be named EFTPOS Australian Retailer of the Year 2014 and are delighted to be in the running again in 2015.

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eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards 2015 05

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 2015 eftpos Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Australian Retail Awards – the retail industry’s premier event and the only national retail specific awards program.

The ARA has a long and dedicated history of protecting and promoting the retail industry's interests. Our industry makes a significant contribution to the overall state of the national economy and employs more people in Australia than any other private sector industry.

Australia’s retail industry is one of the most exciting, innovative and challenging industries out there, and I can honestly say that I have never been more proud to be a part of it. It is obvious that many of you here today share my passion and enthusiasm for our industry was evident through each award submission – an unequivocal endorsement that retail is absolutely a desirable and honourable profession, offering exciting and rewarding career opportunities.

As ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman has alluded to in his foreword, the only consistent thing about the retail industry is change. Change can be challenging, but I am proud to see that many of this year’s award contestants taking this challenge as an opportunity to continually better themselves, their business and the retail industry as a whole.

Take the latest REST Industry Super Australian Retailer of the Year award winner, Paul Baker from NRMA Insurance, as a shining example. Paul has shown true leadership and inspiration to those around him, and it is our pleasure to recognise individuals such as Paul on a national stage here today.

I would also like to acknowledge the winner of our inaugural MasterCard Retail Payments Leader of the Year award, Cannings Free Range Butchers. In April 2014 Cannings Butchers in Hawthorn stopped accepting cash for payments and moved to a completely cash-free business model.

The ARA judges were especially impressed by the way Cannings clearly communicated the reasoning behind going cashless to their customers to ensure a smooth transition. Cannings' commitment to innovation in payments has increased the efficiency and effectiveness of their business and improved the overall customer experience within their retail environment. Congratulations once again to the team at Cannings Butchers!

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank our award sponsors: eftpos, REST Industry Super, BDO, Expr3ss! Software Staff Selection, FCB, Roy Morgan Research, Pronto Software, The Realise Group, Shop for Shops and NORA for their ongoing support. The ARA Awards would not be possible without them.

On behalf of the ARA Council I would like to wish you all the best for the next 12 months in business, and we look forward to seeing you again at the 2016 ARA Awards Breakfast.

Roger Gillespie

PresidentAustralian Retailers Association

PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD

"Our industry makes a significant contribution to the

overall state of the national economy and employs more people in Australia than any

other private sector industry."

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04

✓�Friendly Pharmacists

✓�Free Health Checks

✓Medication Management

✓�260 Pharmacies in stores

✓All the famous brands

✓�Beauty Advisors in every store

✓�Beautiful value every day

✓400 Priceline stores

✓5000 Staff members

✓�5.2 million Sister Club members

priceline.com.au

We were proud to be named EFTPOS Australian Retailer of the Year 2014 and are delighted to be in the running again in 2015.

000504_ARA Priceline Full Page Ad_v4.indd 1 17/06/2015 3:08 pm


It is with great pleasure that I join the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Council, corporate sponsors, media, award nominees and retailers from across the country as we announce Australia’s most elite retail professionals of 2015.

I want to take this opportunity to personally thank all those who entered the 2015 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards. Each and every one of you should be proud of your accomplishments and the submissions were of such a high standard that the judging process was extremely difficult.

I thank you all for sharing your inspiring stories with us, and I look forward to sharing these stories with the retail community as we continue to profile award winners in our quarterly magazine, The Retailer.

I would also like to thank Jodie Fox of Shoes of Prey for sharing the story of her retail career with all of us. The Shoes of Prey concept is a perfect example of how Australian retailers have innovated and adapted to today’s business environment.

Launched in 2009, Shoes of Prey was the first company to offer women the opportunity to design their own shoes online. Fast-forward to today, the company boasts five offices globally with stores in both Australia and the United States. Shoes of Prey broke even within two months of its launch and hit multi-million dollar revenues within two years – a truly inspiring retail story that simply had to be shared!

2015 is shaping-up to be an exciting year of change for the retail industry. Digital tools and new technologies have changed the balance of power in retail, shifting the power to the people more than ever before. Shoppers have become savvier than ever and place an extremely high level of importance on individualism, self-fulfilment and personal involvement in the creation process.

In turn, retailers must seek to provide this new digital generation with the tools they need to create, co-create or re-create for their needs. Shoppers not only have higher expectations and demands, but are also harder to reach with conventional media and marketing strategies.

One-size-fits-all marketing just doesn’t cut it anymore as digital tools such as smartphones, tablets, social media and blogs have completely empowered today’s consumers. They are inundated with information, so it is now imperative for retailers to find ways to cut through the noise and provide consumers with something of true value.

Although the industry must keep pace with technology over the next 12 months in order to remain competitive, we cannot overlook the foundations. Customers are looking for retail basics again including a great experience, seduction, fun, instant gratification, discovery, service, sensory inspiration, convenience, social interaction and locality. A trip to the shops needs to be an enjoyable outing more than ever before.

I would like to leave you with this thought as we look forward to another challenging and exciting year in retail. I recently heard that receiving great customer service triggers the same cerebral reactions as feeling loved – a concept I tend to agree with. Regardless of the many new and exciting technologies that will become available to retailers over the next few years, the one basic principle that needs to be mastered is good old-fashioned customer service.

On behalf of the ARA, we thank you for coming along and look forward to seeing you again at the 2016 ARA Awards.

Russell ZimmermanExecutive DirectorAustralian Retailers Association

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S WELCOME

"One-size-fits-all marketing just doesn’t cut it anymore as digital

tools such as smartphones, tablets, social media and blogs have completely empowered

today’s consumers."





provider of

Shop Fittings

Shelving

Display



KEYNOTE SPEAKERJodie Fox is Chief Creative Officer and one of three co-founders of Shoes of Prey, a website where women can design their perfect pair of shoes.

Launched in 2009, Shoes of Prey was the first company to offer women the opportunity to design their own shoes online, financially breaking-even within two months and hitting multi-million dollar revenues within two years. Today, Shoes of Prey is a global multi-million dollar company with a syndicate of influential investors including Techcrunch founder Mike Arrington.

The shape and flavour that Jodie brings to Shoes of Prey is borne out of a career with one of Australia's leading advertising agencies. Jodie also spent a number of years as a practising banking and finance lawyer with Australian law firm Ashurst. It was at law school that she met fellow Shoes of Prey co-founders Michael Fox and Michael Knapp.

Jodie Fox was named National Telstra Businesswoman of the year, private and corporate, in 2011, and has ranked in SmartCompany's Hot 30 Under 30 for the past three years. In 2013, Shoes of Prey's first store won the Store Design of The Year Award in the less than 1200sqm category of the World Retail Awards against rival entrants Karl Lagerfeld, with his concept store in Paris, and Puma's Osaka flagship store.

Jodie FoxChief Creative OfficerShoes of Prey


Far from the eagerly anticipated and nationally publicised event it is today, the first Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Awards event was an intimate affair during the 1970s.

As Australia’s first and largest national retail awards program, the ARA Australian Retail Awards have celebrated and paid tribute to Australia’s leading retailers for more than 40 years.

Each year brings new and exciting changes, but in 2008 the entire program was reinvigorated to bring successful retail players from the shopfloor to a national stage.

During this time, the award categories have been updated to reflect the changing nature of the retail sector, and the ARA was thrilled to see many large corporate sponsors eager to come on board as partners.

Following the reinvigoration of the program, the popularity and reputation of the Awards has grown from strength to strength. Fast forward to today, the 2015 ARA Awards program boasts a new collection of awards, a higher calibre of contestants as well as guest speakers and a number of valuable sponsors.

The range of the latest coveted awards also highlights how far the awards program has come since its humble beginnings in the 1970s. Until 2008, only a small selection of awards were available and the award ceremony

itself was conservative. The ARA strives to provide all award winners and finalists with the invaluable prize of recognition among their industry peers as well as in the media.

The ARA Australian Retail Awards have played a role in helping many recipients, including growing businesses and young entrepreneurs, to achieve higher levels of success within their retail careers.

Look around you – the array of retail leaders we celebrate is outstanding; top HR practitioners, multichannel retailers, retail graduates, innovators, individuals and families.

Retail has been doing it tough over the last few years, but we must not forget to stop and celebrate those innovative retail leaders who are managing to succeed in the face of adversity. We can all learn a great deal from hearing their success stories.

The ARA team has already started planning a number of exciting changes to the 2016 ARA Awards program. Keep your eyes peeled over the coming months for more information.

To learn more about the ARA Australian Retail Awards: Website: www.australianretailawards.com.au

HISTORY OF THE ARA AWARDS

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2015 eftpos ARA AUSTRALIAN RETAIL AWARDS JUDGING PROCESSOn Tuesday 26 May 2015, members of the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Awards expert judging panel walked through the ARA office doors in Melbourne bright and early, excited about a challenging day of judging award submissions for each of the 11 categories.

Our 2015 expert judging panel includes:

Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director at ARA

Peter Wilkinson, Chairman of Forever New

Stuart Harker, Global Retail & Consumer Advisory Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers

Warwick Ponder, Executive Manager – Corporate Affairs and Communications, eftpos

ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman and our panel of judges had the tough job of carefully assessing all submissions and determining an overall winner for each award category. After much discussion and debate, not to mention a few strong cups of coffee, category winners and finalists were finally chosen. ARA category sponsors were also involved with the final decision process over who would receive each award on stage.

Each submission was judged against the criteria for their particular award category, with additional points awarded for creativity and presentation. Submissions were assigned a score according to how thoroughly the submission’s content addressed the criteria, and how convincing the individual or organisation was as a true leader in its particular field.

The Realise Group conducted mystery shopping on contestants in some categories, and these results were also taken into account during the judging process.

The ARA is proud to announce LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics as winner of the coveted eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year Award – the retail industry’s highest accolade.

As always, this popular category had a very high number of quality submissions, but LUSH certainly stood out with their excellent submission that comprehensively addressed all crucial aspects of the criteria including business development, marketing, leadership, staff and customer service. LUSH also impressed the judges with their exceptionally high mystery shopping scores.

The ARA would like to congratulate the entire LUSH team on their fantastic submission and new title of 2015 eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year!

Across all categories, the panel of judges were simply blown away by the amount of time and effort nominees had spent on their submissions, and they are thrilled to see the number of entrants for the awards continue to grow every year. It gives the ARA great pleasure to recognise such a wide variety of retail individuals and organisations in front of their peers.

The ARA would also like to thank all of our sponsors, as well as Peter Wilkinson, Stuart Harker and Warwick Ponder for being part of this year’s judging process.


Russell ZimmermanExecutive Director

Russell Zimmerman was appointed as the Executive Director of the Australian Retailers Association on July 7 2009. As a natural extension motivated from 30 years of retailing, Russell has continued to foster and engage those around him to raise their potential to achieve and nurture future leaders. With Russell’s stewardship, the ARA has continued to build upon its credibility in the business world.

Russell’s diversity has set a stellar foundation for the achievement and number of portfolios he has convened over from late 1900s through to today. As a Managing Director of his own company, he understands all SME demands, including dealing with suppliers and landlords and negotiating for the most profitable benefits.

Today, Russell’s proven to track record of the decision making processes and operational roles pertaining to company success and growth, strong people skills, tolerance and tenacity in conflict resolution and highly developed communication skills warrant his reputation for high ethical standards and integrity.

Heath MichaelDirector of Policy, Government and Corporate Relations

Heath brings a wealth of experience to the role of Policy Director having worked extensively within Government, the corporate sector and for small business. Heath's roles within Government policy and the media, dealing comprehensively with peak industry bodies, Government departments and lobby groups, bring a breath of knowledge from all levels of policy development and delivery.

Originally from Tasmania, Heath first entered the business world running a small business working in retail. He has also worked in the corporate sector in Sydney and for Government in Sydney, Hobart and Canberra. Heath’s role with ARA is to develop, advocate and deliver comprehensive policy outcomes for ARA and the retail sector.

Heath works with members and retailers including industry groups, stakeholders, Government and business to deliver effective policy outcomes for the retail sector.

Shaun BajadaDirector of Operations

Shaun Bajada joined the Australian Retailers Association in 2009.

His career trajectory within the area has evolved to lead the ARA team following on from his academic education, his strong leadership in motivating teams to surpass business goals and client expectations.

An Undergraduate Degree in 2003 – B.ARTS (Multimedia/ Information Technology) – followed Shaun’s Diploma of Information Technology Victoria University in 2000 and these qualifications set the foundations of his responsibilities within the ARA.

As Director of Operations, Shaun Bajada manages all ARA Technologies operations nationally, along with all black office functions such as administration, finance operations and supplier account management. With a strong background in web technologies and business process, Shaun developed business continuity plans for the operations of the ARA.

Carla BridgeHead of Communications

Carla Bridge is head of communications at the Australian Retailers Association. She has a background in journalism and public relations, specialising in the retail industry.

Prior to her role at the ARA she served as managing editor of Inside Retail magazine for six years, and has spent more than a decade reporting and commentating on the retail industry, including trends, news, acquisitions, e-commerce, and fashion.

Carla is also experienced in public relations, having worked on corporate communications, experiential, business to business and consumer campaigns for a number of high profile brands.

STAFF PROFILES


COUNCILLOR PROFILES

Garry TerrillDirector ARA Retail Institute

Director of ARA Retail Institute, Garry Terrill, offers the Australian Retailers Association 30 years experience in the retail industry, having begun his career in department and specialty stores within the fashion sector.

Garry’s career has covered a wide range of senior positions in merchandise and store operations, in both corporate and own business roles. Working in retail consulting and training since 2001, he has specialised in working with small to medium sized retail businesses across a wide range of strategic planning, operations and turnaround.

Garry applies his breadth of retail knowledge by working with and gaining insight into government bodies and industry partners to ensure the ARA Retail Institute offer remains relevant, compelling and understood. His focus is to support the growth of the ARA Institute to deliver growth and efficiency.

Roger Gillespie President

Roger Gillespie OAM joined the ARA as National President in 2008. Roger brings to the ARA a commitment to best practice that has enabled his own business to grow into a thriving international franchise.

Roger and his wife Lesley are the founders and current CEOs of Bakers Delight Holding Ltd - an all Australian company founded in 1980 and built into the largest national chain of bakeries in Australia with over 700 bakeries operating throughout Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Bakers Delight has won a number of accolades including Victorian Employer of the Year and Victorian Retailer of the Year in 2003.

Roger, a fourth generation baker, grew up in Hampton, Melbourne. Roger and Lesley have two children, Aaron and Elise, who are also very much involved in the family business.

Andrew Grant

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business Degree and has been an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants since 1986. He has 25 years financial management experience in a variety of roles. Prior to co-founding the Hal Group in 1993, Andrew worked for Atlantic Computer Systems in the UK for a number of years before being transferred to Australia as their representative on a number of Asia Pacific acquisitions.

Andrew is currently Executive Chairman of the Hal Group, a leasing company specialising in technology equipment. Andrew is a Non-Executive Director of Employers Mutual Limited (appointed 2002) and Chairs their Board’s Audit Risk and Compliance Committee. Employers Mutual Limited is a specialist Workers Compensation insurer employing 1,400 people. Andrew is also an Executive Director of Armidale Investment Corporation Limited (AIK), and ASX listed investment company.

Andrew joined the ARA Council in 2013.


COUNCILLOR PROFILES

David Bisset

David Bisset is the Executive General Manager of LS travel retail Pacific. For the past four years, David has been leading company Operations, Buying and Marketing activities for over 130 retail stores and 1200 personnel across Australia and New Zealand. The company portfolio is comprised of 25 different retail concepts, operating in airports and commuter environments, and ranging everything from convenience to specialty merchandise. Over the past 10 years David has held senior Commercial and Operational management roles in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. He has a proven track record of delivering successful results in some of the world’s largest travel retail concessions. David brings wholehearted respect for the Australian retail industry to his position on the ARA Council, and sees his tenure as a council member as an excellent opportunity to support such an important industry.

Edward Harry

Born in Glenelg SA into a retail men’s clothing family, Edward was destined to carry on the family tradition. He worked in the family business until purchasing his own menswear store at 32 years of age.

Edward later bought and expanded the family business. The stores were rebranded Ed Harry menswear and the chain went national. Edward sold his interest in 1993 and opened a new men’s store at Glenelg, expanding the new venture before selling and moving to Hobart where Edward purchased a well known local menswear store. He has also newly acquired a 77-year-old menswear business in Ballarat.

In addition to his title of ARA Councillor, Edward has engaged in various activities outside of his business that include Alderman, City of Glenelg, President of the Glenelg Retail & Tourist Association, chairperson of the Jetty Road Glenelg Mainstreet Board, Director Associated Retailers Ltd and board member of the Hobart Chamber of Commerce.

Liz Siminsky

Liz Siminsky is the Group Chief Financial Officer for Prouds Jewellers, Angus & Coote and Goldmark brands of the James Pascoe Group in Australia.

Liz is a qualified CPA with a broad range of financial and commercial experience who started her career at a small firm of chartered accountants and time spent in senior roles including; Financial Controller at Air New Zealand Australia, Director of Finance & Operations at Olympus Imaging Australia and Head of Commercial Operations for the Telco division at Samsung Electronics Australia.

Liz has a passion for retail and connecting with customers. Liz directs this passion into transforming business through innovation, working smarter and bringing teams together in a positive way through collaboration and delivering outcomes.

Luke Dillon

Luke Dillon is a capable and committed senior executive with 16 years international Retail and Financial Services experience (Marks & Spencer PLC, Ernst & Young). He has demonstrated a credible and sustained track record of achievement within both Privately owned and Public companies (FTSE, ASX). Focussed upon growth within a controlled cost environment, he has built and managing teams in a senior leadership capacity whilst concurrently being appointed on multiple sector specific Boards and Councils. As a retail specialist, Luke has extensive international multi and omni channel experience in Ecommerce, Operations, Business Development, Commercial Law and Finance.

Luke has board experience in CPA Australia, British Retail Consortium (London), Cancer Council (Victoria) along with international experience in London, Mumbai, Chicago, Brunei, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne. Luke also has a CPA, B.Comm and Prince 2.


COUNCILLOR PROFILES

Mary Poulakis

The formative years of Mary’s career were spent in the luxury hospitality sector where she gained an expert knowledge and understanding of the demands of the luxury market. This base of expertise helped shape Mary’s career path, serving as a stepping stone to the world of high fashion and in particular shaping an exemplary eye for luxury communications and marketing.

Mary’s expertise have helped shape the world-renowned in-store service experience at the Harrolds flagship stores since she joined the company in 1990, something that remains a cornerstone of the business today. Mary’s marketing and communications achievements have elevated Harrolds onto the world stage, gaining international recognition and rewards in the process and ensuring Harrolds’ place as a market leader.

Through her work as a member of the Collins Street Precinct Association, the City of Melbourne's Retail Strategy and the Melbourne Retail Advisory Board, Mary has shaped the current and future landscape of Melbourne’s retail industry and cemented Melbourne’s place as a world-class fashion destination.

Mhairi Holway

Mhairi brings 23 years’ of generalist HR experience gained within diverse sectors of Retail, Wholesale, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and not-for profit.

Mhairi has a BA (hons) degree in Business and Human Resources from the University of Plymouth. Since moving to Sydney from the UK in 2006, Mhairi has worked in two successful retail businesses. Initially as the HR Manager for Freedom, and latterly, as Vice President of HR for Pandora Jewelry. Pandora has an extensive network of company owned and franchised stores across Australia and also distributes to a large number of independent jewellers. Pandora holds the accolade of Australian Retail Employer of the Year Winner 2014.

Mhairi’s areas of expertise include HR strategy, organisational culture and values, employee engagement, employer branding, learning and development, reward and recognition, executive remuneration, performance management, employee relations and organisational change.

Ralph Edwards Ralph has successfully owned, managed and grown a variety of retail businesses over the past 30 years with a broad business experience and expertise centred around retail, wholesale, marketing, distribution, design and import, property leasing, and franchising.

Ralph has always been involved in the maintenance and expansion of his own retail businesses through a hands-on approach. He is passionate about imparting the knowledge gained from his highly-successful retailing career onto other growing businesses.

In 2013 Ralph regained ownership of BrightEyes Sunglasses which he had previous owned between 1998 and 2007. During the previous eight year ownership Ralph successfully expanded the BrightEyes business from 80 to 140 stores, making it Australia’s largest privately owned sunglass retail network. The Bright Eyes business made the respected BRW Fast 100 list for three years in a row, as well as the BRW Fast Franchises list for two years in row under Ralph’s expertise.

Ralph is also a director of Aktiv Brands and Zarraffa’s Coffee. These retail companies are long established and embarking on new phases of national expansion and growth.

Ralph is currently a Director of the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA) and member of the FCA’s National Board. He also holds invited positions on the Queensland Governments Small Business Advisory Council and the Queensland Premiers Business Forum.

Robyn Batson

Robyn is the Group People & Development Manager and has been with the Sussan Group (Sussan, Sportsgirl and Suzanne Grae) for 11 years. Robyn has an extensive human resources background within the retail sector, and is responsible for the HR strategy and providing strategic advice within the business on people and development initiatives and matters.

Robyn currently chairs the Victorian ARA Learning and Development Committee and is passionate about promoting careers in the retail industry, and developing our future talent.

Prior to this, Robyn worked as a HR consultant in a range of roles including the Melbourne Business School, Lee Hecht Harrison, and as a sessional teacher at Kangan Batman Tafe. Robyn worked with Coles Myer in a range of State, National, Shared Services and Corporate HR roles for over 17 years where she gained experience in all areas of Human Resources.

Robyn has a Masters of Business (Human Resource Management), Graduate Diploma of Business (Industrial Relations) and a Bachelor of Arts (Social Science) Degree.


COUNCILLOR PROFILES

Steve Plarre

Steve Plarre is CEO of Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses and represents the fourth generation in his family’s century-old retail business.

The Plarre family opened their first bakehouse in 1911. After trading through two world wars and the Great Depression, they amalgamated with Ferguson’s Cakes in 1980. They grew the business to a retail network of over 65 locations and have further plans to significantly expand their retail footprint.

Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses won Australia’s most prestigious business sustainability award (the Gold Banksia) which has been inducted into the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame and holds hundreds of product awards.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Melbourne University. He works closely with his brother Mike (COO) and father Ralph who maintains a presence on their board.

Toby Bensimon

Toby Bensimon became the Managing Director of family owned and operated company Transworld Enterprises in 2010, at the age of 31. The group now operates 48 stores. Toby is also the Co-Founder of Podista and Podpac which manufactures, wholesales and retails coffee capsules internationally. During his studies at Adelaide University, Toby worked as the News Editor of the University newspaper, On Dit, and also spent four years as a representative of the Anti-Tobacco Ministerial Advisory Taskforce, under the then Minister for Human Services, Dean Brown. More recently he has been a director on the board of the Jeweller Association of Australia as well as holding the position of Vice Chair of the National Industry Advisory Council for jewellers in Australia. Toby is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Wayne Curnuck

Owner and operator of a small business for more than 15 years, Wayne Curnuck with his wife Anna founded Curious Grace, a retailer of furniture and home interior products based in Melbourne. Since inception the business has seen exceptional growth due in no small measure to a select combination of digital marketing strategies and a positive in-store experience. Wayne can accurately represent small business, online and in-store retail and the challenges Australian retailers face in a rapidly evolving industry.


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Inside Retail is Australia's leading authority on retail industry breaking news and analysis. Inside Retail publishes a self-titled bimonthly magazine, an online daily news brief and a weekly subscription-only digital publication. Our website receives over 50,000 unique visitors per month and our ever-popular daily news brief goes out to an audience of 29,000 every weekday.

We also produce an annual publication, ‘The Australian Retail Outlook’, publishing the results of our annual survey of retailers’ sentiments for the year of trade ahead, as well as interviews with some of the most respected retail CEOs in the country and leaders across the industry.

As well as covering Australian retail news, we report on international news and worldwide shopping and development trends of note to our readers. With the growing interest in retail happenings in Asia, we also publish an Asian online news brief and have a website covering retail news in the booming region. This audience has grown steadily with over 5,000 subscribers to our Asian daily news brief and over 14,000 unique visitors to our Asian website per month.

Inside Retail attracts some of Australia’s leading retail experts as regular columnists and contributors across all of our publications.

INSIDE RETAIL – ‘INSIDE NEWS AND VIEWS ON THE WORLD OF RETAIL’


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The Victorian Government, through Small Business Victoria, provides support and assistance through practical resources and advice for anyone planning to start or grow a small business.

Services on offer include a year-round program of low-cost workshops and seminars, free business mentoring on board the Small Business Bus, which travels throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria, and hundreds of events around the state in August this year as part of Small Business Festival Victoria.

The Victorian Government has partnered with the ARA to deliver specialised workshops and training through the Streetlife initiative to build the management skills and business expertise of small retail operators.

For more information about Small Business Victoria, call 13 22 15 or go to business.vic.gov.au and experience the online tools to help you develop your business.

ADACS commenced business in 1996 when the Directors identified a gap in the Australian security market for a ‘Next Generation’ security solutions provider.

Their vision was to create a security company that sourced high quality innovative security products and to bring them to the Australian market to improve the choice and quality of products available and to make the community a safer place.

Staying true to this vision, ADACS continues to source the latest security technology globally and has exclusively

sourced the most innovative stand alone People Counting System specifically suited to the retail industry. This system will transform the way retailers gather information about their stores by providing valuable store data to stakeholders giving them the ability to design and build retail stores of the future.

ADACS manages Electronic Security and People Counting Systems for a variety of clients in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia.

SmartCompany.com.au is a completely free news, information and resource site for Australia's entrepreneurs, small and medium business owners and business managers to help keep them ahead of their competition. Our writers have many years of experience reporting for the best websites, newspapers and magazines. Contributors include Australia's top entrepreneurs, experts and advisers.

Every Monday to Friday, SmartCompany posts a daily news briefing, a round-up of business trends and ideas from

around the world and SmartBlogs from our handpicked network of expert bloggers. SmartCompany profiles the views of Australia's best business experts, with exclusive content including features on big issues for small and medium business, case studies, profiles of the country's most successful entrepreneurs, tax and legal updates, personal finance, businesses for sale and webinars.

Subscribe to today at www.smartcompany.com.au

18 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards 2015

For almost three decades, retailers and consumers have trusted eftpos as a safe, convenient and efficient method of accessing their own money.

eftpos is Australia’s most widely used electronic payments system, accounting for around 45 percent of card transactions in the country - more than 6 million transactions in Australia every day.

eftpos is currently undergoing a transformation to ensure that it continues to be a competitive, local and an alternative in the Australian payments landscape into the

future on new technology platforms such as online, mobile and contactless.

When the eftpos transformation is complete, eftpos will have an efficient product pipeline to close competitive technology gaps significantly faster and more efficiently, providing more choice for Australia’s retailers and for future generations of Australian consumers.

eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year



LUSH Fresh Handmade CosmeticsLUSH is the ultimate beauty delicatessen, which promotes itself as a cosmetics grocer with fresh, handmade and inventive products that are loaded with the finest natural ingredients.

The store features blocks of soap reminiscent of wheels of cheese; a myriad of colorful fizzing bath-ballistics presented like perfectly round apples; chilled fish counter-style cabinets, displaying unique Fresh Face Masks; prices by weight, greaseproof paper packaging – if wrapped at all – and use by dates to see when your product was made and by whom.

LUSH is, and always will be a campaigning company that believes in standing-up for animal rights, protecting the environment and supporting humanitarian causes – the company believes this is its responsibility to do

so. With 27 stores and an ever-growing social media reach that currently stands at 100,000 fans in Australia, LUSH has a powerful platform in the community to create positive change. The company put ethics into practice through activism and charitable giving.

LUSH has three central pillars of concern, being animal rights, social activism and environmental protection. These pillars ensure the ultimate outcome of its charitable giving and ethical business practices benefit all levels of our environment, from the natural surroundings to animals and the people within it.

For more information:Website: www.lush.com.au


Priceline PharmacyPriceline Pharmacy is Australia’s leading beauty and health store for women. Priceline’s first store opened in Victoria over 30 years ago and today there are more than 400 stores nationally, 256 of which are pharmacies. Priceline Pharmacy is wholly owned by Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, one of Australia’s leading beauty and health retail companies.

Priceline Pharmacy is dedicated to helping women look good, live well and feel great, and offers a wide range of leading health and beauty products and complementary services. It is dedicated to being first with beauty trends and the best prices, as it knows that this resonates with Australian women. Priceline is also a leading health destination offering expert health and wellbeing advice from our team of dedicated Priceline pharmacists.

The award winning Sister Club loyalty program – which has been running for more than 12 years – now has in excess of 5.2 million members, making it one of Australia’s largest health and beauty loyalty programs and one of the most successful retail programs in the country.

Priceline Pharmacy also supports six charity partners through The Priceline Sisterhood Foundation – a national community initiative developed to support the health concerns that matter most to women.

For more information visit:Website: www.priceline.com.au

7-Eleven Stores7-Eleven Stores Pty Ltd, Australia’s first choice in convenience, is a private company owned by the Withers/Barlow family. The company is licensed to franchise 7-Eleven stores by US based 7-Eleven Inc.

Our first Australian store opened in August 1977. Today we operate more than 610 stores in QLD, NSW, VIC, ACT, and WA.

We conduct over 185 million transactions annually, serving an average six customers per second, generating sales of approximately $3.6 billion.

We are proud to be Australia’s second largest private company*, but think of ourselves as 610 small businesses. We work with our Franchisees, providing services, support systems and business coaching to ensure that we have a great retailer in every store, who is proudly and confidently running their own business.

The foundation of our success involves focusing on the core of a successful retail business; fabulously presented stores and Franchisees who provide a fantastic customer experience.

With these foundations in place, the encouragement of our owners, and a network of great Franchisees, we can constantly innovate, ensuring that our offer evolves to meet the ever changing needs of our customers.

Worldwide, 7-Eleven operates 55,000 stores in 16 countries, opening six stores per day globally.

For more information:Website: www.7eleven.com.au




For more than a decade The Realise Group has been developing tailor-made customer experience research programs that include Mystery Shopping, Voice of the Customer, Net Promoter (NPS) Score®, Exit Interviewing and Reward & Recognition programs, designed to provide real insight as to what delights and disappoints customers.

Our customer experience programs take a snapshot of the business in action, and are built with the specific objectives and needs of the business in mind. We provide services to many of Australia’s leading national and international brands and have developed programs that deliver and strengthen brand promise, improve customer service culture, increase sales and identify opportunities for improvement.

In 2011 The Realise Group introduced Field Agent® to Australia. Field Agent® is a smartphone App that combines the power of crowdsourcing with mobile technology to deliver real time information. With over 30,000 Agents Australia wide, Field Agent® provides the ability to capture price checks, retail audits, consumer insights, competitor research and so much more, bundled into fast and clear online client reporting.

The Realise Group prides itself on providing personalised service to help brands understand what their customers are feeling, and integrate effective experience measurement systems to achieve growth in all areas.

The Realise Group Australian Independent Retailer of the Year


Saltwater Wine | Stormriders - Wilson RetailSaltwater Wine & Stormriders are the retail faces of parent company Wilson Retail Pty Ltd. They are both within the action sports field, with Saltwater Wine being a specialist core surf retailer while Stormriders is a broader youth culture and skate lifestyle company.

The business has nine stores in total, spread across the Central West, New England and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales.

The Stormriders model was born in the 2009/10 period, driven by the need for a retail offering with roots in a broader contemporary lifestyle base than the typical ‘surf’ goods provider while resonating with the skateboarding community.

The first Stormriders store opened in Port Macquarie’s CBD during 2010 with stores opening in Bathurst and Orange during 2011, followed by Kempsey in 2012 and Settlement City Port Macquarie in 2013.

Port Macquarie-based entrepreneur Anthony Wilson has owned the business for 24 years. Anthony leads a small and talented team at the Port Macquarie head office, where the warehouse, distribution centre and three stores are also based.

Anthony is active within the city's business community, serving on the board of the Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce for a number of years and an instrumental figure in the formation of the Surf & Boardsports Industry Association – the peak industry body for the Australian surf industry where he continues to serve as president.

The Realise Group Australian Independent Retailer of the Year


NORA Australian Multichannel Retailer of the Year

NORA is an association that’s bringing a fresh, balanced and optimistic view of Australia’s retail future.

Retail has changed astronomically in the past decade. Consumers are more informed than ever before; shopping wherever, whenever and however they choose – demanding exceptional service and direct engagement with their brands. Things move fast in this brave new world – technology is rapid and reactive, and the industry must keep innovating to stay in front. Businesses today must not

only compete with the international giants on domestic soil, but also embrace a variety of opportunities offshore. It’s a new playing field. A new set of opportunities. We call it New Retail.

NORA aims to provide the community with a catalyst for collaboration, conversation and growth. You are New Retail. We are your voice.


The Good GuysWhen the first Good Guys store opened in the northern suburbs of Melbourne during 1952 the company, known at the time as Ian Muir’s Radio and Electrical Centre, had one guiding principle: To delight customers and do good.

The Good Guys has since become a household name and one of Australia’s largest and most admired electrical appliance retailers. The company’s philosophy has not changed, continuing to set the standard for customer service and community charity.

Flourishing in a retail marketplace undergoing rapid transformation and change, The Good Guys has adapted their work practices to accommodate the needs of consumers and continue to make customer satisfaction their top priority, delivering exceptional service both in-store and online.

Customers are at the centre of everything The Good Guys does and, in recent years, the adoption of a new customer engagement model has helped move The Good Guys to an even deeper, relationship-based shopping experience with its customers, rather than simple transactions.

This customer-centric approach is also reflected in the company’s philanthropic endeavours. The Good Guys passionately supports local communities in which it operates and has donated in excess of $15 million to more than 200 charities and local community organisations around Australia since the year 2006.

For more information:Website: www.thegoodguys.com.au

NORA Australian Multichannel Retailer of the Year

At The Good Guys, we are only in business because of our customers and, as such, we strive to delight our customers at each step of their shopping journey both in-store or online.We treat the customer experience as top priority and with our website playing an incredibly important role in the shopping journey, The Good Guys is proud to be named by the Australian Retail Association as the 2015 Multichannel Retailer of the Year.

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BDO Australian Retail Employer of the Year

One Global Network, Infinite Possibilities

BDO is one of the largest professional service firms in Australia and globally, with 1,328 offices around the world offering full-spectrum audit, tax and advisory services.

Our specialist National Retail Team offers clients a distinctive insight into the current issues, risks and opportunities facing the industry, nationally and globally. We harness these insights to offer accounting solutions that are tailored to the unique market characteristics that you operate in.

The AUSTRALIAN RETAIL INDEX - a free industry benchmarking solution

In an Australian first, retailers are now able to access critical market intelligence about the ‘health’ of their businesses and how they are faring against their competitors.

The Australian Retail Index compares the percentage change in retail sales from thousands of individual stores nationally

from week-to-week, is free of charge, and delivers data that is far more detailed and timely than ever before.

• New metrics coming soon – stay head of the pack with key market intelligence

• Daily data updates and customised alerts – direct to your mobile phone

• Geographic breakdowns across state, metro and regional locations

• Average transaction size and payment methods

• Hourly trends snapshot – see what’s happening around the clock

To get the competitive edge, visit www.australianretailindex.com

For more information on BDO’s specialised retail services, please contact Simon Scalzo, BDO National Retail Lead Partner on (03) 9603 1700 or at [email protected]


BDO Australian Retail Employer of the Year

SpecsaversSpecsavers started out in Australia with the launch of its first store in Melbourne during February 2008. This was followed by one of the fastest store roll-out programs in Australian retail history with 100 stores opening in 100 days. Seven years on, Specsavers now has 309 franchised stores across Australia and, in 2014, the group recorded annual sales of $708 million – up from $630 million on the previous year, representing year-on-year growth of 12 per cent.

Specsavers' team of 4200 individuals operates throughout the store network, its Port Melbourne central support and manufacturing facility and state-based support offices. One of the fundamental goals of the Specsavers business as a franchise is to ensure that individuals involved in its stores or support teams all have the opportunity to progress their career.

A great deal of investment and activity since the early days in Australia has been to ensure that career progression opportunities are secured through easy-to-understand and easy-to-access training programs. In 2014, Specsavers launched a formal ‘Career Ladder’, which is designed to provide a clear picture of what a career with Specsavers is like for professionals, school leavers and graduates alike.

For more information:Website: www.specsavers.com.au

THE WHOLE SPECSAVERS TEAM IS PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ARA AUSTRALIAN RETAIL AWARDS.In the seven years since we launched our first Australian store, in 2008, we have opened 300 stores, built an award-winning manufacturing facility in Port Melbourne, created over 5000 current jobs and assisted more than 550 optometrists and optical retailers into their own retail businesses.

Most important off all, we have focussed all our attention on providing unrivalled value and customer service to Australians in every state and territory.

To learn more about the Specsavers success story, contact Charles Hornor on 0410 327 122 or [email protected]

HELPING AUSTRALIANS BECOME THE RETAILERS THEY WERE BORN TO BE!

Australian Retailer of the Year

2013

Australian RetailEmployer of the Year

2013

Asia-Pacific Best Retail Training Organisation

2013

Retail Innovatorof the Year

2014

Multichannel Retailer of the Year

2014


MasterCard Australian Retail Payments Leader of the Year

MasterCard is a technology company in the global payments business. We connect consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses worldwide, enabling them to use electronic forms of payment instead of cash and cheques.

MasterCard uses technology and data-driven insights to make electronic payments more convenient, secure and efficient for people everywhere. MasterCard does not issue cards, but develops advanced payment solutions and seamlessly processes billions of transactions around the world every year.

Our computer network, which takes less than a second on average to process a transaction, is one of the largest and most sophisticated in the world.

Our business has a global reach—extending to more than 210 countries and territories—and continues to experience growth in a world where 85% of retail transactions are still made in cash and cheques.

MasterCard is a company with a global perspective, but a keen customer focus. This includes our relationship with cardholders, merchants, financial institutions and strategic partners. It's what sets us apart from our competition.

We provide an 'umbrella' under which thousands of financial institutions can share a unified, recognised brand. One that provides our cardholders and merchants with unparalleled worldwide acceptance and access to their funds, with state-of-the-art security and true convenience.


Cannings ButchersMotivated by his genuine desire for animal welfare, his passion for amazing quality produce and after 12 years of meat industry experience, Sam Canning founded Cannings Free Range Butchers in 2010. Cannings Butchers' mission statement is to serve the finest quality, high welfare, free range produce that Australia has to offer, while being an ethical company with minimal environmental impact and strong, community focused relationships.

Cannings Butchers are certified carbon neutral. They only stock grass fed and free range produce. Cannings Butchers are a small and local, family owned business that makes all their own high quality products in-store. Their retail stores in Kew, Hawthorn and Malvern (opening late July) are open seven days a week until 7pm and home deliver meats all over Melbourne.

MasterCard Australian Retail Payments Leader of the Year


Get the best from your business with Pronto

For more than 30 years, Pronto Software has been working closely with its clients to create business management software that helps them get the absolute best out of their business.

Pronto’s vision has always been to deliver tools that allow clients to excel and prosper in whichever retail vertical they may be in – from fashion to furniture. In fact, the company’s software has adapted appropriate functionality based on years of listening to feedback from customers just like you.

Pronto Xi is modular, which means it can be built around the specific requirements of your individual business and includes business intelligence reporting, empowering users take control of key operational and financial performance indicators.

Pronto Xi is available as an on-premise, hosted or cloud solution, giving you more flexibility, budget control and choice to select the best platform that fits your business.

Pronto’s recent awards include:2011 Australian Business Awards for Enterprise for Best Software2012 Australian Business Awards for Product Excellence2013 Australian Business Awards for Product Innovation2013 BRW GE Momentum Mid-Market Awards for Best Mid-Market business2014 Australian Business Awards for Best Technology Product

Find your moment: pronto.net

Pronto Software Australian Retail Innovator of the Year


eyeclarityeyeclarity are “the eyewear experts”, promising the ultimate fusion of healthcare, technology and fashion.

The company's mission is to provide exceptional vision to customers by positively contributing to their overall personal wellbeing and eye health through specialised expert advice and exceptional customer service from the professional team.

eyeclarity optometrists deliver comprehensive and specialised eye health examinations while in-store stylists and myeyes technicians use specialised technology to customise and tailor eyewear for superior vision, comfort and a fashion style that makes eyewear choice exceptional.

The uniquely curated eyewear collections with leading design, expert craftsmanship, hi-tech performance materials, colours and styles have been chosen to provide the wearer with a good way to express themselves.

eyeclarity has won over 20 national, local and government awards for retailing, customer service and innovation.

The company strives to serve customers with innovative products and eyewear is arguably the most important accessory in a person’s wardrobe, so eyeclarity helps people make stylish choices to suit the way they live, work and play.

Pronto Software Australian Retail Innovator of the Year


Shop for Shops Australian Retail Fit-out of the Year

Shop for Shops is Australia’s leading retailer of shop fittings, shelving and display solutions.

With four stores and warehouses in Australia and an office in Shanghai, Shop for Shops designs, manufactures and distributes quality, practical solutions to thousands of retailers each year.

In addition to stocking Australia’s largest range of shop fittings, shelving and display products, Shop for Shops works with retailers to create custom solutions to suit their specific needs.

Shop for Shops proudly serves tens of thousands of Australian retailers each year across a diverse range of industries.

From helping some of Australia’s best known retail brands implement new retail concepts across a network of stores to providing the everyday essentials to small retailers around the country - Shop for Shops has the experience and the knowledge to help all Australian retailers.

To find out more about Shop for Shops go to www.shopforshops.com call 1300 11 SHOP or visit a store.


StormridersSaltwater Wine & Stormriders are the retail faces of parent company Wilson Retail Pty Ltd. They are both within the action sports field, with Saltwater Wine being a specialist core surf retailer while Stormriders is a broader youth culture and skate lifestyle company.

The business has nine stores in total, spread across the Central West, New England and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales.

The Stormriders model was born in the 2009/10 period, driven by the need for a retail offering with roots in a broader contemporary lifestyle base than the typical ‘surf’ goods provider while resonating with the skateboarding community.

The first Stormriders store opened in Port Macquarie’s CBD during 2010 with stores opening in Bathurst and Orange during 2011, followed by Kempsey in 2012 and Settlement City Port Macquarie in 2013.

Port Macquarie-based entrepreneur Anthony Wilson has owned the business for 24 years. Anthony leads a small and talented team at the Port Macquarie head office, where the warehouse, distribution centre and three stores are also based.

Anthony is active within the city's business community, serving on the board of the Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce for a number of years and an instrumental figure in the formation of the Surf & Boardsports Industry Association – the peak industry body for the Australian surf industry where he continues to serve as president.



Pickings & ParryPickings & Parry are reviving traditional quality, experience and service to the men of Melbourne with inspiration from a time when men dressed with style regardless of their activity, and products were purchased to withstand the years not just the season.

The store endeavours to present timeless products of enduring quality based on tradition and craftsmanship, while at the same time supporting the individual style of the working man. Wardrobes are crafted over time and every detail tells a story.

Pickings & Parry believe the things we buy represent a part of who we are; every move to the future should be taken with a nod to the past; and the way back, may well be the way forward.

The store stands by its motto: 'Style for the Working Man'.



FCB Group (FCB) is Australia’s leading Workplace Relations firm and can provide the full spectrum of legal and HR workplace needs. We have the specialist skills, experience and the necessary practical approach to assist and support businesses to maximise the contribution their people make to the business. We deliver sophisticated strategic and advisory services across workplace law, human resources (HR), migration law and technology.

In addition, FCB is the only firm in Australia with three Accredited Employment and Industrial Law Specialists in our team.

We have been working in partnership with the ARA for over 5 years providing members with employment relations

advice through the Telephone Advisory Service (TAS) and the Employment Relations Management System (ERMS); a state of the art online employment management tool.

FCB and ARA work together to ensure that members are kept up to date on legislative changes and other employment relations developments.

FCB have an in-depth knowledge of the employment landscape in the retail industry, and can offer advice on Enterprise Agreements, unfair dismissal claims, employment arrangements and Workplace Health & Safety audits, through to C-suite board level workplace relations advice.

To learn more about FCB please visit www.fcbgroup.com.au

FCB Australian Retail HR Rising Star of the Year


Charmaine Wilson Originally planning a career in Criminology, Charmaine’s journey to Human Resources was a ‘happy accident’ when volunteer work for her formal studies took her career on a permanent tangent. Having spent time in both FMCG and Retail, Charmaine has found the latter holds her passion and particularly enjoys coaching and mentoring both current and future leaders, to assist them in attaining the best results from their people and is a true advocate for employee engagement.

Taking various temporary acting manager positions over the past 12 months, Charmaine has had the opportunity to enhance her higher-level skills and hopes to move into a permanent leadership role in the near future. While her Human Resources journey is still just beginning, Charmaine knows there is still much to learn and enjoys making a positive difference in the working and personal lives of those she reaches.




Jarrod ApplebySince opening its doors in Brisbane in 1989, The Coffee Club has become Australia’s largest home-grown café group with more than 360 cafés throughout 9 countries. Jarrod Appleby has worked for Minor DKL Food Group on The Coffee Club brand since March 2012. Jarrod commenced with The Coffee Club upon graduating from university, and since then has worked his way up to be the HR Advisor for over 300 Coffee Club Franchised stores across Australia.

Some of the key projects Jarrod has worked on over the past 12 months include the sourcing, implementation and rollout of a Time and Attendance

system to both Equity and Franchise stores, Jarrod played a central role in the development and launch of a new online recruitment system for the stores, and he has produced a suite of training materials to better educate and support our network in HR. Jarrod is also the principle recruiter for all key appointments across our group of businesses.

Under Jarrod’s leadership, and with his focus, these projects have had a significant impact on the business, with COE reducing at store level, provided a greater accuracy and reporting around COE and payroll metrics, clearer guidelines for staff and managers over policies and procedures, and a more engaged workforce.


REST is one of Australia’s largest super funds by membership with around two million members and over $34 billion in funds under management as at 31 December 2014. REST works with around 160,000 employers ranging from sole traders to major enterprises.

We are a profit to member fund and our fees are kept low, so there’s more money available for members in retirement savings.

Late last year REST was awarded The Super Fund of the Year and also Best Industry Fund for 2014 at SuperReview’s inaugural Super Fund of the Year awards. SuperRatings also awarded REST Pension of the Year 2015, making it the second year in a row REST received this award.

In December 2014, REST was also awarded Best Super Fund Manager and Best Pension Fund Manager 2015 at

the Best of the Best awards for 2015 by Money magazine, becoming the first super fund to receive a Best of the Best award in both categories two years in a row. REST also received Super Fund of the Year for 2014 at the Chant West/Conexus Financial Super Funds Awards.

REST was awarded Business Superannuation Manager of the Year 2014 at the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards on 18 February 2015.*

*Ratings or awards are only one factor that you should consider when deciding how to invest your super. SuperRatings Pty Limited does not issue, sell, guarantee or underwrite this product. Go to www.superratings.com.au for details of its ratings criteria. For further information about the methodology used by Chant West, see www.chantwest.com.au.

REST Industry Super Australian Individual Retailer of the Year


Paul BakerManaging one of NRMA Insurance’s largest branches, in Liverpool NSW, Paul Baker is an inspirational leader to 18 direct reports, and a proven rebuilder of poorly-performing branches. Paul started with NRMA Insurance when he was 20 and during his last three years as a leader in the organisation he has excelled at changing workplace culture, driving sales and implementing change. He built management credibility in helping a low performing branch improve, moving it from last out of seven in a region, to first-place in sales four quarters in a row. Paul believes leadership is about communicating, inspiring others, caring about helping people and delivering on key outcomes. He holds himself accountable and models effective behaviour. In 2014 Paul was a state finalist for Young Manager of the Year (NSW/ACT) in the AIM Excellence Awards.

REST Industry Super Australian Individual Retailer of the Year


Imagine how much better your business and your life could be if you had absolutely awesome staff in every position in your business.

Every business operator agrees that their lives and businesses would be so much better if they could only get great staff in every role. But lack of time, money, skills and systems prevent that from happening.

Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software is your powerful online solution to quickly and cost-effectively pinpoint quality applicants with the right skills, attitudes and cultural fit for retailers of all sizes and complexities since 1999.

Take back control of your own recruitment and watch only the absolute “star” applicants quickly rise to the top. Avoid dealing with the ordinary and hire just the awesome people for your retail operation.

Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software Australian Retail Graduate of the Year


Leaanne StoneLea Stone has worked for Beacon Lighting for 7 years and is currently enjoying the challenging role of Senior Store Manager. In addition to her current position, the company has appointed her the role as Chairman of their newly established NSW/ACT Steering Committee. The committee has been established to improve productivity, maintain consistency and enhance efficiencies within their region.

As part of the senior leadership group in NSW, Lea also has the responsibilities of mentoring new members of the management team in the Store Management Development Program to assist them in gaining the necessary skills to further their careers. Beacon is committed to providing their staff with the best training to make the most of all opportunities and ARA has been in integral part of Lea’s career progression.

Lea has worked in retail for 20 years. While she still supports the old retail culture of the customer is always right, she believes that it is a team with respect, perseverance and strong core values that really promotes excellent customer service.

Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software Australian Retail Graduate of the Year


Roy Morgan Research is Australia’s best known and longest established market research and public opinion survey company. Roy Morgan Single Source is thorough, accurate, and provides comprehensive, directly applicable information about current and future customers. It is unique in that it directs all the questions to each individual from a base survey sample of over 50,000 interviews in Australia and 12,000 interviews in New Zealand annually - the largest Single Source databases in the world. The questions asked relate to lifestyle and attitudes, media consumption habits (including TV, radio,

newspapers, magazines, cinema, catalogues, pay TV and the internet), brand and product usage, purchase intentions, retail visitations, service provider preferences, financial information and recreation and leisure activities. This lead product is supported by a nationally networked, consultancy-orientated market research capability.

Roy Morgan Australian Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year


True Value HardwareToday over 60 stores throughout Australia carry the True Value Hardware brand.

All stores are independently owned and proudly serve the building and DIY needs of their local communities. Most of the owners work in their stores and are proudly local, help locals and work harder for their customers because it is their business.

Roy Morgan Australian Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year


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Energy Management

An electricity provider that truly understands your retail business.

At BlueNRG, we know the retail industry.As a business only energy provider, retailers are one of the top industries we work with. One thing we’ve learnt – you’re busy. Always.

That’s why we’ve made cutting your energy costs quick and simple.

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That’s it. 20 seconds of effort to see how much you could save.

It’s the same poles, the same wires, the same power. What have you got to lose?

Visit our website for more retail industry tips & information on cutting your energy costs – www.bluenrg.com.au/retail

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ALDI supports the responsible service of alcohol. It is illegal to purchase alcohol for people under 18.

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Recruitment

Australia’s retail sector has experienced solid growth, especially in the second half of the 2014-15 financial year, thanks to increased consumer confidence and spending. However, traditional department stores are struggling to adapt to the new omni-channel retail environment and are losing market share to high street and big box retailers.

Omni-channel is a multichannel approach to sales that seeks to provide the customer with a seamless shopping experience whether the customer is shopping online from a desktop or mobile device, by telephone or in a bricks and mortar store.

Digitisation is changing the way consumers shop, altering their expectations of retailers significantly. For this reason Australian department stores are learning from other department stores overseas and looking to develop their own omni-channel strategy that can help them

build more personalised interactions with customers.

The key pillars of the omni-channel strategy will be customer-driven decision making, building data and digital capability by drawing on information from existing customer loyalty programs, improving in-store experiences through new ranges and stronger brand emphasis, and improving productivity.

So what jobs are being generated by omni-channel retailing? We are seeing high demand but a short supply of Buyers and marketing professionals with digital experience. These candidates will continue to be in high demand in line with the rapid growth of online retail. At the same time, technology to enhance a customer’s in store experience is also developing rapidly making Sales Consultants with technical knowledge highly valued across all product categories.

Staff capable of delivering on sales and customer service will always be in demand as these traditional retail skills remain vital in the industry. However, candidates with in-store merchandise expertise with an appreciation of omni-channel retailing will be needed as merchandisers innovate in order to attract, engage, inform and enhance the customer experience.

What has been the impact of this demand on salaries? Find out in our recently released 2015 Hays Salary Guide. Get your copy by visiting www.hays.com.au/salary-guide, contacting your local Hays office or downloading The Hays Salary Guide 2015 iPhone app from iTunes.

Search for retail jobs at: hays.com.au or speak to a recruiting expert at your local Hays office to find out more about retail trends and job opportunities.

hays.com.au

Omni-channel retailing a majOr grOwth area fOr jObsWith online sales accounting for a larger proportion of overall revenue in Australia’s retail sector, omni-channel retailing has become a major growth area for jobs. Eliza Kirkby, Business Director of recruiting experts Hays Retail, here shares her insights on this job growth.


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