6 minute read
Fleming’s Department store
Rob Fleming
Surviving & thriving
Founded back in 1949, Fleming’s Department Store in Monaghan, Ireland, is a third generation independent family run business that boasts a successful gift department. Back open again, and buzzing with customers, we caught up with MD Rob Fleming to discover how the store that employs over 150 people survived the Covid lockdown and why he places such importance on customer service
Rob, Fleming’s is a family-owned department store, founded in 1949. What’s the story behind it?
My grandfather, Fred Fleming first started the business in 1949 as a small grocer’s shop that grew and expanded over the years. It was passed to my dad in the 1980s and he developed it into the current department store format. More recently it came to me, and we’re very proud to be a third generation independent family-run business. My mum and dad are still very much involved in the business alongside myself and my wife, Sarah, who is our marketing manager.
What’s your career journey to this role?
I joined the business in 2004 as electrical department manager, straight after completing my marketing degree. Over the years since I have nurtured and grown that business to become one of our highest performing departments in store. I’m still involved in the day to day running of the electrical department, however in 2018 I also took on a general management role overseeing an additional five other departments in store. Earlier this year, I officially took over from my dad, Gordon, as Managing Director of the entire business.
You have 16 departments within the store. How important are gifts within the mix?
Our gift department has been really important since we introduced it to our offering in the mid 1990s. It has grown over the years from quite a traditional offering to include a more modern and trend-driven range in recent years. From new home gifts, engagements and weddings, occasions or simply just a treat for themselves, our customers really seem to love our range of products and brands. Our gift department is well complemented by other departments in store such as home & interiors, electrical home appliances, fashion, toys, nursery and of
course Christmas. We’re also home to a fabulous in-store café with views across a picturesque lake - so we’re the perfect spot to happily spend a few hours shopping and browsing for gorgeous gifts.
Social media shows that customers really enjoy the in-store experience at Fleming’s. Does the company have a particular ethos when it comes to customer service?
Customer service is an integral part of our business – my grandfather had very high standards and this ethos more than any has carried through strongly over the generations. We always strive to go above and beyond for our customers and there is rarely a request we will ever say no to. If there is something our customers would like which we don’t have, we will do everything in our power to source it for them. As a local, family-run business it would be impossible to have survived and thrived all of these years without ensuring customer satisfaction.
Do you have a typical customer – and does this differ instore and online?
As a heritage business with a wide range of departments in store, we have quite a broad
customer base. Typically, it’s primarily females between the ages of 25 and 65 living locally here in Monaghan and its surrounding areas. With the addition of our new eCommerce website this year, we are definitely targeting a slightly younger demographic with our product offering and increasing our geographic reach to customers outside of our local area, with delivery now available across the entire island of Ireland.
Did you manage to do any trading during the lockdowns?
Yes, fortunately so. Our largest department instore is our flagship SuperValu supermarket that was obviously able to trade the entire time. Our Expert Electrical and Eason departments were able to trade with certain restrictions along with a few other essential sector units in store. Unfortunately, our Gift, Home & Interiors, Fashion, Toymaster & Nursery departments were all closed during any lockdowns.
Any unexpected issues during lockdown? Probably just coming up against supply issues with certain products driven by both the pandemic and further exacerbated by Brexit!
How was reopening?
The most recent reopening here in Ireland in May was after quite a lengthy period from New Year’s Day. It was great to see the place safely open again - with our colleagues back doing what they do best and buzzing with customers again. making sure the store and our displays look great, sourcing and displaying some fabulous new products and brands in store, online and highlighting via social media.
What’s your mix of merchandise across giftware?
The offering in our Giftware Department includes: home decor, home fragrances, jewellery, art works, lifestyle books & fashion accessories. Katie Loxton handbags & accessories, Newbridge Silverware jewellery and Irish home fragrance company Purcell & Woodcock all work really well for us - among many others.
Who does the gift buying for the store?
Teresa Moore is the senior Department Manager and Head Buyer for our gift, home & interiors and fashion departments. She has been with Fleming’s since 2015.
How have you found sourcing new products without trade shows?
It was definitely a different experience this year with regards sourcing new product. Teresa really missed the creative energy you get from a trade show. Having said that we have still managed to source some lovely new ranges without them, which we are very excited about.
What are you buying/ planning to buy for autumn/winter?
We have some really exciting new ranges up our sleeve. There will be more local and Irish-made products among our offering, as well as some new home decor from Denmark.
Have you done anything specific to encourage customers to return to the store after lockdown?
We haven’t done anything too specific apart from focusing on the basics: ensuring our customers and colleagues feel safe whilst shopping/working in our store environment,
Which trade shows do you plan on visiting this year – Covid restrictions permitting of course.
We don’t plan on attending any further trade shows this year, we just feel the risk is still too great.
Plans for rest of 2021?
In our Gift Department we’re excited to introduce some new ranges in the coming weeks. In the autumn we’ll be busy building our Christmas shop that is always very popular with our customers. As mentioned earlier, we launched our brand-new eCommerce website this year so a lot of focus will be placed on growing that side of the business too.
How important is social media to the store?
Social media has been an integral part of helping to grow our business over the past number of years and will continue to be so. We get a lot of feedback and enquiries through our social channels and really love engaging with our customers and the community we’ve worked so hard to grow.
Who does the gift buying for the store?
