New senior appointments made at Alan Ward

Two new members of staff have joined one of Shropshire’s largest and well-known retailers as the company pushes forward with its ambitious growth strategy.

Alan Ward in Shrewsbury has welcomed new group sales manager, Charles Whyte, and marketing manager, Clare Grigg, to the team.

The new appointments have been made as part of the company’s 2020 Vision strategy, which includes taking on an extra 20 members of staff and boosting annual sales to £20m by 2020.

Clare Grigg said she is impressed with the company, which also has stores in Chester, Winsford and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

“I have a passion for furniture and home interiors, and I am really excited by what I’ve seen at Alan Ward, our flagship store in Shrewsbury has 80,000 sq feet of inspirational room sets on display and gives customers a real sense of what they can achieve in their own homes.

“Our staff have so much expertise and are able to provide the best advice, assuring customers they are making the right choice. My aim is to increase the awareness of what Alan Ward has to offer and make its showrooms the primary destination for anybody looking for inspiration and new home furniture.”

Charles Whyte said Alan Ward’s high level of customer service is one of the things that sets it apart from other businesses.

“Alan Ward is a successful family-owned company, but it doesn’t rest on its laurels and has exciting plans to grow over the next few years.

“My main role is to ensure that we consistently deliver an in-store experience that is market leading and exceeds customer expectations.

“Our customers are very loyal and we are building on this by attracting new customers with our new products, affordable finance options and exceptional service.”

Managing director Carl Johnson said the new appointments show the company is on track to hit its targets for 2020.

“We are delighted to welcome Clare and Charles to the Alan Ward team as the company moves forward with its wider growth strategy,” he said.

“Our staff have years of experience helping customers. They are experts that can not only provide impartial advice but also offer the highest level of personal service. Clare and Charles will be working with the rest of the team to ensure this focus on the customer remains at the heart of Alan Ward while helping us reach our targets for 2020.”