My alarm goes off on a week day at 4.45am yes am! Then the first job of the day is to motivate myself to get up while wiping the drool from my mouth (joke). Seriously though, my day starts by checking my emails and messages ensuring that I deal with anything that needs an urgent response (it’s a 24-hour business!).

I am then up and out with the hound Torres my black lab (I am a Liverpool fan, who would have thought he would leave!) Anyway, I can’t take that out on the hound, who by the way is now referred to as ’T,’ and we take a walk across the local bridal paths until one of us gives in.

My aim generally is to be suited and booted and out of the house for 6.30am, to start the two-hour journey up to the Nisa Member Support Centre in Scunthorpe or alternatively to start my travels around the country to visit new or existing members or to attend a number of different meetings.

My day is generally spilt between interaction with independent retailers and suppliers, and working with the senior management team to further drive the direction of the Nisa business. I work closely with our field team to support independent retailers, many of whom are forecourt retailers, who are looking to join Nisa because they have seen the benefits of joining our symbol group either through our trade marketing campaign or through the great experiences of other independent retailers. I also work closely with existing members. That could be a forecourt dealer who is seeking to develop their store sales or looking for a new fuel partner. Or it could be a member of our new fascia Loco, who wants to develop their site using our expertise and new format developments to ensure we create the ideal business plan for their store and demographic. It is our job to create options for the retailer and then make it as trouble-free as possible for these actions to be carried out while maximising benefits, ensuring we provide the best possible support for members.

My day also often incorporates meetings with key suppliers to develop partnerships with Nisa and ensure that we can up-weight our offer to independent retailers. This involves providing suppliers with an in-depth understanding of the company and the unique offer it provides its members, and working with them to develop strategies that complement both businesses for growth. For example, we have recently partnered with Greenergy on a new own-brand fuel deal for Nisa forecourt members, offering them the opportunity for their whole forecourt site to be Nisa branded and not just the store, so the pole signs and canopies all carry the Nisa logo and have a transparent fuel deal that they can understand. I continue to work closely with Greenergy on developing this partnership.

I also frequently visit established independent retailers to collate best practice ideas and to enhance our strong market knowledge of the retail sector, be they Nisa members or competitors (nobody has a monopoly on good ideas). We conduct a vast amount of market research to ensure we are providing our members with the most up-to- date information to enable them to compete in the marketplace, this then needs distilling and formulating into actions.

I am sure there is a lot that I have missed but for me every day is different, which is one of the many reasons why I stay enthused about my job.

If in the office for the day, I generally leave around 6-6.15pm to start the journey back home, generally arriving at around 8pm. I will then catch up with the family, my wife, son and daughter to see how their days have been before grabbing a bite to eat.

It is then time again for some quality time with the hound as I drag him around for another walk of the day.

I then check in again on my emails to see if anything urgent has arisen during my travels, before finally passing out for the evening.

Then it all starts again groundhog day.

Name for XML:

Name: Raj Krishan
Company: Nisa Retail LimitedJob title: Retail development director
Career history: AF Blakemore & Son, Landmark Wholesale, Nisa-Today’s
Greatest achievement: I have been privileged enough to have won a few personal and team awards; probably the one that sticks out is the ’FWD’ gold medal for services to retail.
Tips for business success: Visualise it and then do it.
Most likely to say: Can we do it better?
Least likely to say: Don’t ask me.
Other interests: Support Liverpool Football Club, love watching movies either at home or at the cinema and walking my dog.

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