May 2005 - Waitrose and the John Lewis Partnership

Giving a fascinating insight into the world of the John Lewis Partnership, Crispin Ingham, Manager of Andover’s Waitrose supermarket, enthralled members with a talk at the May meeting of the Andover Women in Business Club.

Over 30 members and guests filled the dining room at The George, St Mary Bourne to hear how the John Lewis Partnership began and expanded to be what it is today. From its tiny beginnings in 1864, when John Lewis opened his drapery store in Oxford Street, members were given an insight into the phenomenal success of the subsequent modern day Partnership, with its turnover of £5.25 billion last year. The Partnership bought out the Peter Jones stores, but retained their name and has, in the past 5 years, spent around £105 million upgrading their stores.

The John Lewis Partnership acquired its first Waitrose store in 1937, previously a family-owned local store owned by Messrs Waite, Rose and Taylor, that prided itself on quality of goods and service. Today we take it for granted, but Waitrose was innovative in opening the first self-service store in 1951.

Today the John Lewis Partnership owns 26 department stores throughout the country, from Southampton to Aberdeen, with new ones planned for the future. Coupled with Waitrose supermarkets, the Partnership has 116 stores across the land, which are constantly upgraded to keep up with the needs of its customers. A refurbishment of the Andover store is planned for late 2005/early 2006.

But supermarkets and department stores are not the only interest of the John Lewis Partnership. In other parts of the country it owns mills, weaving furnishing fabrics and more locally, owns the Leckford Estate, where local apples, mushrooms, eggs and milk are produced for sale through Waitrose.

Loyalty is a key principal with the John Lewis Partnership, both to its staff and producers: it continues to produce goods in this country, despite competition from other countries, such as China, where production costs are much lower owing to cheaper labour.

Crispin Ingham with Tessa Makepeace (President)

Central to the Partnerships business plan is its reporting structure. Each shop in the country has a representative who reports to the Partnership Council, which provides for rounded input from all parties. Shop representatives are thus given the opportunity to report ‘on the ground’ issues and have them heard ‘at the top’.

To this day, despite pressures of modern commerce, the John Lewis Partnership maintains the ethos of the ‘family business’, including staff in decision making and providing wonderful benefits as rewards for their loyalty. With a non-contributory final pension scheme on offer, a generous bonus scheme, grant funds for activities and the arts and numerous other benefits in kind, staff are undoubtedly well looked after.

Waitrose plc, for the first time in its history, began advertising just four years ago, and prides itself on the advertisements being commensurate with what the Company stands for – reflecting quality and high standards.

“We aim to train our staff to provide a seamless transition between friends and customers – to keep smiling and remain courteous at all times,” Crispin commented. “The reputation we have developed over the years is one we want to maintain at all costs and our staff are absolutely key to achieving this.”

The Andover Waitrose store currently employs around126 full and part-time staff, with considerably more employed locally at the Leckford Estate.

Following the talk, Crispin was presented with an ‘Enham Star’ clematis, developed by the horticulture department of local disability charity Enham - a gift typifying the Waitrose commitment to support the production of local goods.