Tesco Customer Service Staff in Charity Challenge
United Kingdom - Volunteers' customer service skills put to the test
Kris Scott, David Hunter and Stephen French bagpipe in a bid to raise funds
Two groups of staff from the Tesco Customer Service Centre in
Dundee have helped raise more than £1,000 for the British Red
Cross, after battling it out in an Apprentice-style Charity Shop
Challenge.
Volunteers from the Tesco Community Team, based at the Dryburgh
Industrial Estate, spent a day at the charity's shop on Reform
Street, using their entrepreneurial skills to try and increase
takings and foot flow to the store.
Using a variety of tactics, ranging from a raffle and tombola to
bag-piping in British Red Cross t-shirts and leafleting, the
first team raised £480, only to be narrowly defeated by their
opponents a week later by a margin of £53. But in stark contrast
to the hit BBC1 show, none of them were fired, only praised for
their efforts.
David Hunter, Eleanor Gilbey, Jillian Harvey, Stephen French, Kris Scott and Louise Byars from Tesco are joined by Doreen Rose, Store Manager and Louise, Volunteer
Doreen Rose, manager of the Red Cross shop in Reform Street,
Dundee, said: "We're delighted that members of the Tesco have
taken up our Charity Shop Challenge.
"Both teams' customer service skills were second to none,
approaching every customer who came in and left the shop in a
great friendly manner. Tesco Staff created a brilliant
atmosphere on both days and it would be a pleasure to work with
any of the staff again."
Staff from Tesco also took the time to collect and donate
clothing and other items, which can be sold at a later date, and
several staff at the centre are looking to volunteer at the shop
on a regular basis.
Kat Thomson, Thomas Bell, Lesley Fraser, Lewis MacKenzie and Laura Paterson
The British Red Cross and Tesco have a rich history of
fundraising together. In 2007, the British Red Cross' Charity of
the Year partnership with Tesco raised over £4.6 million - at
the time, the largest amount raised through a single corporate
partnership for a charity in just one year. Dundee staff
contributed an amazing £40,173 to those efforts, helping them
buy their first Rapid Response Vehicle for the Tayside Area.
Scott Bendowski, Community Manager at the Tesco CSC, said:
"We're absolutely thrilled to help raise funds for such a great
cause which does so much work locally, nationally and worldwide.
Red Cross volunteers and customers in the shop
"Tesco and the British Red Cross have a great ongoing
relationship, and they regularly provide free first aid sessions
for our staff at the centre, passing on life saving skills.
"Our Community Team works with a number of local organisations,
including the Salvation Army and Fairbridge, providing them with
support, man hours and fundraising help. And we're set to embark
on an exciting new partnership with Dundee City Council in the
coming months, so we're looking forward to increasing our
presence and the number of projects we help locally."
Doreen added: "Every penny raised makes a difference to the
lives of vulnerable people."
Tesco staff Thomas Bell, Laura Paterson, Kat Thomson, Lesley Fraser and Lewis MacKenzie
