Description
Dawsons Music is one of the longest serving
music retailers in the U.K., established in 1899 in Warrington in the North
West of England. Over many successful years of trading Dawsons has changed
many times, in order to reflect the buying trends of the day.
Of all the multiple outlet chains in the U.K., Dawsons has one unique advantage,
we sell all things musical, to all type of musicians. Most music retailers
in the U.K. have become more specialised in their approach, however our
vision is to be the most efficient, pro-active and customer focussed organisation
in the industry.
We have also made sure that we have a unique number of ways that we can
support products in the marketplace, and it is this diversification that
has allowed us to grow to become one of the top U.K. retailers.
Dawsons Music has currently got 10 retail outlets throughout the U.K.
Stocked with a wide selection of products, Dawsons aims to bring a
fulfilling retail experience, backed up with knowledgeable and helpful
staff to service the needs of our client base.
All
Dawsons stores are full line stores, and we go to great lengths to
ensure that the needs of our consumers from different markets are
catered for, both in terms of design of the store and in the products
available.
The need for pro-active marketing is obvious when trying to appeal to
such a diverse customer base and we hold many events, local to our
stores, to promote various products and brands. We feel it is vital to
get out of the store environment and go to where musicians feel at
home. As such have developed strong links with the major live venues in
each area.
We really see it as our mission to bring the best of brands to our
consumers in both a retail and venue atmosphere that give the maximum
opportunity for our sales force to operate in.
Running alongside our retail operation, we have a separate education
division. In this field we are one of the largest supplier of
technology-based equipment in the UK, and a significant supplier of
acoustic and traditional instruments.
In addition,
almost all of our stores have music schools on site and we are
committed to Education as a primary way to increase the overall market
over the long term.
We are always keen to forge links with local teachers and provide the best support possible for their students.
Our dedicated Mail Order and Internet sales team have all been trained
to the same high standards as our store teams so you can be sure of
getting expert advice every time.
We have been
trading online for 9 years now, operating one of the most visited and
trusted specialist music sites in the U.K.
ll this activity is supported by a massive warehousing and logistics
operation, which both handles our increased inventory handling, and
ensures efficient despatch of goods for Mail Order and Education.
With over 25,000 stock lines, our I.T. systems allow us to purchase
based on real market trends, report on fast and slow selling stock
lines, and also auto replenish core lines.
The tracking and management of stock is vital to our quest for great
customer service, but also allows us to order key lines in bulk, and
import from various companies from around the world. This has allowed
us to take opportunities in specific market areas, and given the
company a great infrastructure for further growth.
In August 2002 Dawsons Music was awarded Investors in People status.
This award recognises companies that have a core belief that its people
truly make a difference to the business, and invest in training and
development programmes to ensure that all employees have equality in
opportunity to develop their careers.
Investors has
become part of the whole company ethos, and we continually monitor and
evaluate the effectiveness of our training and development. Each and
every person working for the company has a quarterly “One to One” with
their line managers, where action plans are agreed, for both the
individual and the company, to make sure that the individuals
development needs are met.
As this strategy has continued, there was a growing realisation that
measuring performance was the key to moving the business forward,
identifying areas of concern for individuals, managers, support teams,
and overall as a company. “What gets measured gets done” is one of the
most repeated phrases in the company, and as we move forward these
measures are used not as a way to negatively criticise individuals or
teams, but as a positive force to recognise achievement, and to support
in the areas that have problems.
Even
with all this, we believe a company succeeds or fails depending on its
people. We are very proud to say that we consider all our Dawsons
colleagues to be professionals in their field, and that our commitment
to their training and development will further enhance this.
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