Ravinder Rai

Experience

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  Londis, Off Licence

  Aug 1994 - Apr 2015

  Convenience Store & Post Office Proprietor

  Acquired and oversaw the management of a community-oriented store with a workforce of up to eight employees, which entailed responsibilities such as personnel training, business growth, marketing, policy and procedure creation, as well as managing two entire store renovations as a project manager.____________________► Developed HR related processes, upskilled staff, conducted risk assessment and oversaw stock control► Led merchandising operations Post Office processes and local marketing campaigns in addition to managing two store refurbishments in partnership with a range of contractors► Implemented monthly promotions and assessed success of promotions via the POS system ► Oversaw accounting and VAT returns including oversight of an accountant ► Achieved a high (98+%) accuracy record in weekly inventory ► Successfully project managed two store refurbishments, coordinating a range of contractors Show less

• 

  Subway

  Jul 2016 - Apr 2019

  Spearhead all aspects of new business development and leadership including fit-out, recruitment, training, marketing & bookkeeping.____________________► Effectively hired and trained a highly competent team for the opening week.► Established monthly sales targets and implemented new training and marketing strategies to exceed these targets, resulting in a 40% increase in sales from 90 to 140 units per week over three months. This was 10% above the target set.► Created promotional booklets and led local marketing campaigns to promote catering supplies to businesses in the area. This campaign resulted in a successful partnership with local business Booking.com, which included providing staff lunches, promotions, and catering for meetings.► Developed positive relationships with other companies in the area and introduced a seasonal discount scheme for companies. Show less Oversaw staff training and development which included identifying staff needs and implementing upskilling strategies to ensure productivity was maintained according to business standards.____________________► Delivered comprehensive training to franchisees (more than 40 in total) and key personnel from head office, including the marketing director, head of law, and finance head, to equip them with the skills needed to train franchisees.► Conducted two-week training courses for new franchisees, covering all aspects of running a Subway franchise, such as food safety and preparation, inventory management, customer service, staffing, operations, upselling, and paperwork.► exceptional feedback from students, which led to a promotion to the position of Business Consultant. Show less

  • Franchisee

    Jan 2015 - Apr 2019

  • Franchisee Trainer

    Jul 2016 - Aug 2018
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  RSR Lettings Ltd

  Apr 2022 - Aug 2022

  Property Manager

  Served as a Property Manager for RSR Lettings Ltd, a family-run business managing +40 properties across East Anglia & Haverhill. Maintained role as first point of contact for 52 Subway franchisees across Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and East Anglia, helping them meet targets, improve profits, and reduce costs – _included c. 40 store visits a month, mentoring franchisees & devising improvements.____________________► Maintained consistent communication with franchisees to establish a trusting relationship.Performed regular internal audits to identify any compliance issues, inefficient practices, wastage, or low revenue.► Conducted analyses of accounting, utilities, food, and staffing costs to uncover any discrepancies, such as false accounting, over-portioning, or overstaffing.Improved inefficiencies in staffing and wastage, reducing these costs from an average of 34% to the ideal 28%.► Devised and implemented customised continuous improvement strategies, gaining senior management support.► Developed easy-to-follow daily schedules and booklets, which were disseminated to all stores.► Implemented a 3-second greet policy to acknowledge each client, promote upselling, and increase turnover.► Established strict no-tolerance food safety policies, including equipment shutdowns for temperature discrepancies or faults.► Improved food safety across all stores, with one store experiencing an 80%+ improvement.► Increased sales by 10%+ in seven Luton stores within a year.► Collaborated with franchisees to develop a three-month marketing plan, analysing competitors, devising innovative plans such as evening promotions and school meals, and implementing promotions to boost revenue.► Provided retraining to staff as needed and encouraged 95% of stores to participate in the "University of Subway" program Show less

• 

  A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd

  May 2022 - now

  Business Development Manager

  Appointed as Business Development Manager tasked with overseeing client acquisition and retention strategies, enhancing business processes, increasing revenue, assessing business deficiencies, and implementing improvement solutions. ____________________► Developed and fostered strong relationships with national accounts and independent retailers, including prominent partners like Roadchef and Harvest Energy, driving business growth and brand loyalty.► Successfully increased brand loyalty from approximately 75% to over 85%, utilising targeted promotional activities and strategic customer engagement► Provide day-to-day support to stores, overseeing in-store development work such as refits and new equipment installations, working closely with the shopfitting team to address in-store needs and ensure operational efficiency ► Conduct regular business-plan reviews for each store, identifying areas of improvement and offering tailored strategic recommendations to enhance performance► Exceeded annual sales target, generating £23 million in sales per year, including £21 million in just an 11-month period, for a leading retailer, wholesaler, and distributor of food and drink► Played a key role in the successful opening of new stores, collaborating with recruitment teams, shopfitters, and retailers to ensure smooth, seamless store openings aligned with SPAR's high standards► Utilise Power BI and CRM tools to track performance, generate insights, and guide strategic decision-making► Identify trading issues or financial risks, report them to head office, and take prompt action to mitigate potential risks Show less