Reading Rufus’ Blog on the Orchid Group website alerted H & C News to an interesting – and rewarding – exercise carried out by Orchid Group.
Most organisations would probably be reluctant to put apprentices in charge after just one year of training – apparently not so at Orchid!
After a year’s intensive training and development, Orchid’s 108 apprentices came together for ‘Apprentice Takeover’ – literally taking over Orchid pubs from the ‘Grayt’ Grays Inn in Aberdeen (where Michelle Mason ran a Bingo Night) to the Red Lion Hotel in Southsea where Wendy McGarthy organised a Kids Fun Day.
Each Apprentice was tasked with developing and running a sales building event from start to finish: in effect, creating an idea with full cost benefit analysis, launching it via social media, and then running the whole event on Tuesday.
Startling and rewarding – sales up 51%
The results are both startling and rewarding for both the apprentices and Orchid: sales in those pubs involved were up 51% and stand out performers were:aria Allen and Callum Harkness at Crown Point, Sevenoaks who held a psychic night and delivered 162% growth
- Tom Waite and Jack Aynsley at Old Ball, Leeds who held a Sports Community Quiz and delivered 135% growth
- Debbie Smerdon and Sam Golding at The Bread & Cheese, Benfleet who held a Bingo Band Night and delivered 141% growth
- June McAvoy from The Halfway House, Clwyd who held a pamper night with strapping topless waiters! And delivered 91% growth