Established in 2017, Ngahuia Group brings together two iconic footwear brands under the one company umbrella; Number One Shoes (since 1974) and Hannahs (since 1868) - working together to form one of New Zealand's leading footwear retailers. With an impressive network of 65 stores across New Zealand, Ngahuia Group takes immense pride in being a Kiwi-owned & operated business that places its people and customers at the core of everything they do.
We met with Jo McIndoe, Ngahuia Group L&D Lead, to discuss their training strategy & learning journey with RedSeed. With over 19 years of retail experience, from starting out selling on the shop floor in Hannahs, Jo understands the challenges of a fast-paced retail environment.
When Ngahuia Group formed, Hannah’s & Number One Shoes were still operating as two very separate businesses. This presented an opportunity to find a training provider that ultimately could work across both brands.
The two service models were quite different; Hannahs specialised in the one-on-one selling approach, unlike Number One Shoes, which was very much a self-service model. Each brand had its own culture and processes; the ultimate goal was to provide one solution for training: a simple, easy-to-use platform with consistent messaging & the ability to customise content. It was also vitally important that the content was retail-focused, helping to deliver a consistent customer experience regardless of the store.
Ngahuia Group explored other platforms but found nobody specialised or had the expertise in retail that RedSeed had. Once across the line, initial training courses were launched, followed by customised fundamentals of sales & customer service courses.
The RedSeed platform allowed Ngahuia Group to reset & align their learning pathways so they could tailor training to specific roles in the business and grow transferable skills for career development. Jo operates on a ‘no surprises’ policy, so having a platform that could provide a far better first impression with consistent & clear messaging was a real advantage. For example, the topic of ram-raiding and threats to safety. Jo says...
"We were able to quickly build an online course and load it into the RedSeed system pretty much immediately to ensure our team received the same training to keep them safe. We can also confidently identify who has and hasn't completed the training. That's a big one!"
Unfortunately, just as the business was finding its feet & developing its learning culture, COVID-19 interrupted its flow, shifting the training focus to other areas of the business. Fortunately, Ngahuia Group made it through COVID-19 with a new outlook for the future, to combine Number One Shoes & Hannahs in selected locations.
This created an opportunity for RedSeed to create a customised sales programme for the Superstores, mapping the content to the unique needs of this environment and providing a consistent sales process across the country. RedSeed's embedded coaching allows managers to coach and grow their teams, ensuring a consistent learning strategy across the superstore model.
Team engagement (energy) is a key measure of success for Ngahuia Group, with regular surveys being shared to measure the impact of the training completed (both work-related & personal development content). Jo says, “We're seeing a shift in what employees expect or value from the company they're working for. If our people are engaged and feeling like they're being invested in, we know we will see the added benefits like higher retention”.
The RedSeed platform allows Jo to measure her team's engagement via the energy score easily...
“The big one for us is around energy. That's what we're focusing on at the moment. And what's super cool is we are now at 93% energy. 90% was our baseline target, so I’m incredibly proud of that 93% result; 93% shows that the majority of our team is actively engaged in training”.
Jo says her people are a competitive bunch, so it’s important to celebrate the wins as we work to establish this training culture.
A highlight for Jo was building the fundamentals and customer service courses.
“I spent a fair bit of time in the RedSeed office working hands-on with the team, getting the scripting right, being there for the filming and seeing it come together. For any challenges, concerns, or queries, we've been able to work through solutions at every point, and as our business has evolved, the team has taken on board what those changes and impacts will mean for our people. It all comes back to the people and their experience. They know what they're doing and are truly experts in their field, and as a result, what we've delivered has landed much stronger and more accurate and relatable than if a production company just produced it.”
Jo believes in creating an environment where people are passionate about what they do, are engaged, and want to go the extra mile. “Work hard, but have fun doing it!”
“We have built a true level of engagement in the business; our next step is to continue building that coaching culture and capability within our managers to ensure that we're adding value to complement the training. That's where the magic happens!”
When asked about the future of retail, Jo reflects, “Technology continues to evolve, and the only thing you can guarantee is change; ultimately, it comes back to the appetite of the business and at which pace we respond, but I feel like we are well set up having partnered with RedSeed, a team that has their finger on the pulse already.”
Ngahuia Group's journey in the retail sector, spanning two iconic footwear brands, reflects a commitment to excellence, adaptability, and a people-centric approach. As the company looks toward the future, it focuses on knowledge, adaptability, and providing an exceptional customer experience through investing in its people.
We look forward to watching Ngahuia Group continue their learning journey, focusing on a new chapter in building a coaching culture within the business.
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