Inverness BID Person Behind the Business Q&A: Tailor-made for a leading role in retail
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Person Behind the Business in association with Inverness BID
Q How would you describe the business?
A Slaters is a nationwide chain with 27 stores, specialising in suits and tailoring with highly knowledgeable staff ready to offer that personal shopping experience to ensure the perfect fitting suit. From suits to shoes, formal wear to casual wear and formal hire to Highland retail, we even offer free alterations on any items we sell. The general perception of Slaters is that it’s expensive, but it couldn’t be less true. Yes we do have suits for £450 but our suit range starts at £89 so we have every budget catered for.
Q What led you into the business?
A Probably like most people when they leave school, I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. I bounced around a couple of jobs until Slaters announced it was opening a store on Union Street in 2005, so thankfully I applied and got the job as a sales executive.
Since then I’ve worked my way up to becoming the store manager in 2014. In November 2019 the company relocated us to the High Street. It’s absolutely fantastic. The shop is more inviting than ever with massive window displays. Day-to-day, the job varies quite a bit from dealing with a customer issue, to helping the sales staff get the best fitting suit for a customer.
It’s always a fine balancing act when customers need alterations on items. From funerals to job interviews, even the distance they have travelled, it is all taken into consideration when getting a timescale for the alterations to be done.
Q What is your greatest achievement?
A Slaters putting its trust in me by giving me the store manager job. I was relatively inexperienced at the time and I was only an assistant manager just under a year when the manager position became available.
It was quite a turbulent time when I got the position so I think I’ve done a good job steadying the ship and driving the shop forward.
Q Who do you admire in business?
A Anyone in a customer-facing role. Serving the public can be difficult at times, even stressful. Doing that day in, day out takes a lot mentally and physically, so anyone reading this in a customer-facing role – keep up the amazing work you are doing.
Q What’s your advice to aspiring retail managers?
A Don’t chase the money. When I was younger I would have moved job if they paid me 10p extra an hour. Put your head down, work hard, hone your craft and the money will follow.
To be a great manager you need to have your people management skills on point, listen to what your staff have to say – you might actually learn something. Ask them to do a job, don’t tell them. Delegate but try where you can to do the job with them. Never ask them to do a job you wouldn’t do yourself.
Q Can you tell us more about yourself?
A I live with my wife Sophie and our wee dog Brody. When I’m not working I love heading to Cromarty on Sunday, stopping at the Bakhoos Bakery grabbing a coffee and a couple of cakes, and spending the day seeing family. At home you’ll find me in the kitchen trying to cook a version of a meal we’ve previously eaten at some fancy restaurant.
In 2012 I took part in Strictly Inverness for Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Rink. I discovered two things; one, both are absolutely fantastic charities; and two, I’m utterly hopeless at dancing.
