Darcy Dally

Although I was only at Gertrude and Alice for a short period of time, I was quickly promoted to a senior member of staff. This increased my workload and responsibility within the bookstore, alongside working in the café. My responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Enhanced customer satisfaction by providing efficient and courteous service on the sales floor. Being in both the café and the bookstore.
• Planning and working on regular book club and author talk events within the bookstore. Hosting up to 60 people at maximum capacity.
• Using my previous experience in high-end customer service and sales to create and maintain customer relations in order to ensure customer loyalty and retention.
• Successfully aiding the manager in managing the team of staff to run an efficient workplace while increasing sales and customer satisfaction.
• Responsible for the hiring and training of new staff.
• Controlling and monitoring stock levels in the café and the bookshop floor.

I had previously worked part time through university as a supervisor at the company, after completing my degree I was given the opportunity to be promoted to General Manager last September. The promotion included taking over the role of promoting the business sales and ensuring the delivery of targets set by myself and my management team down to all other staff members. My role includes but is not limited to:

• Managing a high-performing team to deliver quality customer service and stable profits for the company.
• Head of bookings/reservations and events. The restaurant regularly held networking/social events and large back to back Christmas bookings.
• Cash handling, responsible for the opening and closing of the business daily alongside completing weekly banking and stock checking.
• Weekly it is required to establish budgets (rota/ordering stock) based on historical, current and forecasted business data.
• Scheduled regular team meetings to discuss business updates, issues and recommendations.
• Built and maintained loyal, long-term customer relationships through effective service.
• Created new and tracked KPIs to drive profitability and target delivery.
• Increased revenue streams by reducing costs, managing schedules and performing variance and risk analysis to implement corrective actions daily to keep on target weekly. eg. keeping to 35% labour targets which have been successfully completed every week and keeping order costs to 15% of weekly sales forecasts.
• Recruited and managed other managers and senior staff with focus on delivering clear results.

Whilst completing my degree, I worked part time at Selfridges alongside my supervising job at a restaurant. This was a chance to gain retail experience as I wanted to immerse myself in the world of fashion and beauty. My job role included but was not limited to;

• Assisted customers in making informed decisions by offering detailed product knowledge and comparisons.
• Helped customers locate products and checked store system for merchandise at other sites.
• Worked effectively in reaching targets and collecting customer data. (KPI's and CRM)
• Resolved customer complaints with empathy and professionalism, maintaining positive store reputation.
• Identified upselling opportunities, contributing to increase in average transaction value.

I acted as a senior waitress during my employment at RUYC, with the hiring of a new manager I was promoted to supervisor and was given the duty of efficiently training the new hire manager. Unlike other hospitality jobs I have had RUYC is a private members only establishment, meaning the job involves catering to a high end market of guests and ensuring each of their individual needs are met to the highest standard, the job allowed me to gain experience in a more customer/guest experience focus. Other responsibilities included:

• Supervised service and guest relations.
• Oversaw day-to-day activities of team, ensuring tasks were completed to high standard.
• Trained new hires and set up mentoring relationships to drive the team.
• Dealt with customer complaints and issues.
• Managed and created bespoke menus, fine dining rooms, weddings and AGM meetings which included organising the stay and experience of guests travelling from around the world to visit.
• Cash handling, opening and closing the building and stock reconciliation.