Byrkley Garden Centre cultivates an award for its fantastic Customer Care

Byrkley Garden Centre, which is based in Rangemore, Burton upon Trent, won the limited-edition trophy for the best team category at the glittering award ceremony in Coventry.

The awards and listings are given out by the Garden Centre Association (GCA) following an intensive annual audit.  The audits take place between March and June each year and members are assessed on every aspect of their operations, from product offering, displays and facilities to safety, signage and levels of customer care. 

And according to Centre Manager Ian Van den Berg, it is no accident that Byrkley Garden Centre received the Best Team Award.  “Like all retail businesses, when news of the recession broke, we were naturally worried and looked for ways to differentiate ourselves from the competition.  We have always been highly regarded for our standard of customer service, but we firmly believe that there’s always room for improvement and set ourselves the goal of becoming the best, not just in the region but in the UK.

“To achieve this, in January last year, we invested in Retail Performance Systems, a special customer service based training package.  This looked at every aspect of our service levels and highlighted ways that we could improve.

And it’s clear to see that the investment has paid dividends.  To win the Best Team Award, Byrkley’s 100 plus staff were assessed in three key areas – their appearance, manner and approach.  And they excelled in all three areas, scoring a staggering 96.67 per cent.

The Byrkley team impressed the judges with their friendly and professional manner, the quality of their advice and their philosophy of always going the extra mile for their customers.

“I’m delighted that we achieved our aim in such a short space of time,” said Ian.  “Winning this award is testament to the hard work that has been undertaken by all our staff to ensure that we offer the very highest levels of service to all our customers.”

This is not the first time that Byrkley has received national recognition for its achievements – it also won a retail award following the launch of its deli counter.

Set in the magnificent grounds of Byrkley Lodge, Byrkley Garden Centre offers something for everyone.  Its qualified staff are on-hand to offer expert advice and it stocks everything needed to create and maintain a beautiful garden including an extensive range of bulbs, trees, shrubs and plants, as well as compost, environmental products and lighting.  This is complemented by the Garden Room and Seasons Restaurants, deli, gift and book shops and play area.
 

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