Harrods offers degree in sales

Mon, 10 Jan 2011

Harrods offers degree in sales

Friday, June 25, 2010
Luxury London department store, Harrods, is offering its staff the chance to better their sales skills through a workplace-based two-year degree programme.

The qualification is being offered in conjunction with Anglia Ruskin University and makes the shop the latest high-profile company to embrace the trend for workplace learning and apprenticeships.

The student staff will initially take classes within the premises of the Knightsbridge shop, led by staff from the shop alongside academics from the university. Topics on the syllabus will include human behaviour, shopping psychology, product knowledge and economics.

Learning and development manager for the landmark store, Arkin Salih, said, "We're not shy to admit that we're a business, we're here to sell, and it'll be great to see our sales go up as a result of offering the degree in sales,"

He said the accreditation of the scheme gave it desirable legitimacy and would enhance the performance and tenure of their staff. He added, "We have staff with spectacular people skills who are master craftsmen at making a sale – we want this degree to nurture that talent, and promote it in other staff, too."

Salih said the training was particularly ground-breaking in that most companies restrict training of this level just to managers. He said educating the sales staff, however, was just as important, as they are Harrods' frontline. In return for the free education, the staff will be contracted to work at the store for the duration of the degree, plus six months afterwards.

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