Justin Tomlinson MP with the B&Q Swindon team in the 'How To' Centre
Justin Tomlinson MP today heard about diversity in business at a visit to B&Q in Swindon. With three store business models operating across the chain, the Swindon ‘Extra’ store is at the larger end of B&Q’s ‘warehouses’, offering a variety of extra services.
Nationally, B&Q are harnessing new technologies to reach customers, using QR codes, scannable by smart phone, on leaflets and by products to link instantly to youtube information and ‘how-to’ videos.
Within the Swindon store, the new ‘Trade Point’ model trial has been set up to boost B&Q’s share of the trade market. Swindon is also one of the 50 stores nationally to have a ‘How-To’ centre, offering classes to the public in DIY, from the basics of painting and decorating to the more advanced plastering and tiling. The facility is used by the whole community, be it local Scout groups using it two evenings a week or local tradesmen adding to their own skills to build their business.
Justin Tomlinson MP said “B&Q is a great example of a business trialling all sorts of different ideas to continually move their business forward. The ‘How-To’ centre is a fantastic resource for the whole community to come and brush up on their skills or learn something entirely new.”