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Wholesale general manager: Daniel

This Case Study belongs to Cash and carry manager.

Daniel started work in retail when he graduated from the University of East London with a degree in mechanical and production engineering. He initially joined Marks and Spencer as a graduate trainee. Daniel has been in his current position as a general manager for a wholesale store in North London for eight months. This is his latest management role in a retail career that has included working with such retailers as Habitat, B and Q and PC World.

I enjoy the greater autonomy that comes with working in wholesaling compared to retailing. For example, I can pick what goes into my store and have control over pricing too. The store has a buyer identifying what sells and what doesn’t, and we can respond accordingly. Also, I don’t feel micro managed - I report to the regional director but only speak with him if I need to.

Getting to know customers, finding out what they want and responding to their needs is a key function. The store manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the store leaving me to focus on developing the business. I regularly go out to visit customers in their premises including retailers, caterers, publicans and restaurateurs. Getting involved in local events and keeping up to date with communities in the local area plays a part in building the business too. We sell Halal meat for example, to meet the needs of the local Turkish community.

The store opens at seven in the morning during the week and I am usually there at that time reviewing the previous day’s sales to identify growth areas. Then I will chat with my deputy and our team of supervisors to plan the day. Within thirty to forty five minutes of arriving, I walk the store talking to customers. Early morning is a peak time for our customers but afternoons are busy too as are our late nights. I might leave work around five or six in the evening but do work some late nights. I’ll also be in over the weekend once a month.

Around 42 people are employed at the store, many of them part time. Branch assistants work in teams, reporting to a supervisor. Each team is responsible for a key function, such as delivery, stock control, butchery and stock replenishment. The team supervisors are managed by the store manager who is my deputy. The senior management structure is quite flat. I report to a regional director who is managed by the stores director. The next stage is the chief executive himself.

At the moment, I am happy developing the store’s business, but in a few years, I might be looking to get involved in a high profile project in the region or even a secondment. A logical progression would be to become a regional director, but having had similar jobs to that during my career in retail, I prefer my current role.

Case Study sourced by Laura Hooke of City University, 16 April 2009.