John Lewis boss Sharon White puts retail tech at heart of strategic vision
John Lewis Partnership Chair Sharon White has set out her plans for the department store and Waitrose grocery business.
The £1 billion project includes the company, which has been shuttering stores in recent times, reaching profits of £200 million in the next two years and £400 million by 2025, and expansion of digital, virtual and delivery services.
It is also investing in data analytics and loyalty plans across its brands to “reward and develop deeper relationships with our customers”. Customer research is under way to inform the Partnership’s new value pledge, which will be announced next year. Never Knowingly Undersold remains in place until then.
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Waitrose, meanwhile, is looking to grow delivery capacity beyond 250,000 orders per week, up from 55,000 before the coronavirus pandemic. It will save 25% of delivery slots for the vulnerable. And to attract new customers, it will develop more partnerships like its trial with Deliveroo.
Waitrose and John Lewis will work more closely together, both in-store and online. The former’s Christmas hampers are, for instance, available through John Lewis and the latter’s Christmas trees will sit at the front of 300 Waitrose stores, with shoppable QR codes.
White comments: “We’ve seen five years of change in the past five months and Waitrose and John Lewis have responded with great agility. Our plan means the John Lewis Partnership will thrive for the next century, as it has the last.”
“We’re adapting successfully to how customers want to shop today, while showing the Partnership is improving lives and building a more sustainable future. We’ll share our success with our customers, Partners - who own the business - and our communities.”