John Lewis is looking to hire its first-ever brand experience manager for its new Oxford store as part of efforts to attract more customers through the door.
The new manager will be tasked with organising an in-store event on every trading day of the year, such as gin tasting or monogramming and embossing products for personalisation.
The department store chain is also planning to send staff at the Oxford store – which will anchor the new Westgate shopping centre – to drama school so as to boost their confidence.
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The new initiatives were revealed at a recent media dinner event hosted by John Lewis’ recently-appointed managing director Paula Nickolds.
At the event, she also admitted she would have preferred to start her tenure under “slightly more benign conditions”.
“The backdrop is very uncertain and it was made worse by the tragic events that happened across British cities over the last few months,” she said.
“They [customers] feel uncertain and worried about what the circumstances will mean for their future financial prosperity.”
The Oxford store at Westgate opens on October 24.
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