WHSmiths jobs are not just about books, but the people who work at WHSmiths love books and everything about them. Not ‘bookish people in the least, the employees at WHSmiths are vibrant, talented and knowledgeable people who love retail and love what they are selling. It takes a special sort of person to be employed in WHSmiths jobs and the company is always looking for new employees who fulfil the criteria. WHSmiths is one of the biggest employers in England and their activities are not merely confined to the chain of high street stores that sell books. This is a global entertainment business that stretches from books and magazines into the world of music and gaming, and on into television.
WHSmiths jobs have become sought after, as this is one of the most progressive companies in the world to work for. People come to WHSmiths for careers not just jobs. This trend of innovation and excellence is one that is rooted in the history of the company. The company had humble beginnings as a newsagent in Little Grosvenor Street, London in 1792. It has had a family member on the board until 1996. Although it is a huge concern and is listed on the London Stock Exchange, some of the traditional family values that have made this company so great are continued to today.
Innovation and being leaders in the field have made WHSmiths into a household name. They invented the ISBN referencing guide for all books in the world, and have changed the way that books are referenced, catalogued and sold. WHSmiths has also expanded in other areas of retail sales and over the years have had holdings in HMV, Virgin, as well as Boots. This company is always looking to expand their operations and have always been on the cutting edge of the news and publishing world.
One of the most exciting aspects of WHSmiths jobs is the WHSmiths attitude towards their employees. They really take care of the employees and treat them as valued and vital to the success of the company. WHSmiths jobs have one of the lowest turnover figures for retail businesses in England, and the reason for this is clear: Employees are what matter to this company. The company employs the best people in their stores, so that their customer service is the best.
To be successful in one of the WHSmiths jobs, you need to have the personality for retail. A good retail person is one who has a love of selling and of serving the public, but it goes beyond just having a happy smile plastered on your face when a customer walks into the shop.
Retail is really all about encouraging repeat business, and the best way to do this is to provide a customer service experience that virtually guarantees that the customer will return. WHSmiths jobs employ people from all over England, they realise that great selling ability, and talent is not always found in the traditional manner. WHSmiths jobs recruits people from all sorts of backgrounds and they have an equal employment programme.
There are always possibilities for advancement with one of the WHSmiths jobs and they have many more divisions than just the retail shops across England. Getting the product to the shops involves a huge logistical operation and there are many WHSmiths jobs in the warehousing and distribution centres. Supply chain management is a specialised field and WHSmiths always ensures that they have the best people working in their divisions to ensure that the product is delivered to where it needs to be. There is also a management programme that is conducted by Head Office, which gives trainees who are interested in the management side of a retail business the chance to learn and have the best possibility of promotion with the company.
Hard work and determination are the key attributes of every WHSmiths employee and the company recognises the hard work and talent that their employees show by having a great bonus and incentive scheme. WHSmiths offers a competitive salary as well as the usual benefits and leave allocation. This is a company who rewards people for excellence and that is the biggest incentive of all. Retail can be demanding and the company policy on hiring people who are passionate about books has ensured that the customer benefits from the knowledge of each sales consultant. WHSmiths jobs are about creating a future for their employees and the value of teamwork and lateral management styles mean that the employees know that they are valued and that their contribution is valued.
The retail environment is fast paced and demanding, in peak periods, the hours are long and at a travel store in WHSmiths, it can be even more challenging. This challenge is what the employees of WHSmiths thrive on. It is a constantly changing business and an employee must have the ability to think fast and create a customer experience that will ensure repeat business. This company wants to ensure that they become Britain’s number 1 choice in booksellers and all of the employees are driven to succeed in making this possible. Everyone knows about WHSmiths and one of the reasons for the repeat business is the sales staff who is able to answer queries and solve problems as well as encourage their customers to come back again and again.
Having decided on applying for one of the WHSmiths jobs, there are a number of ways of being hired. There is a formal selection process, but it is also possible to be hired as a part time employee during a busy period of the year, such as Christmas. After proving yourself in this position, you can apply for one of the permanent WHSmiths jobs that are available.
