Forecourt sales assistant Jennifer Kerr beat off strong opposition to take the top honours at this year’s Sales Assistant of the Year Awards, organised by Forecourt Trader’s sister magazine Convenience Store.

Jennifer, who works for Spar Saintfield Road in Lisburn, Northern Ireland - which was acquired by the Henderson Group last year - was presented with the award at this week’s ceremony, held at The Dorchester Hotel in London. She had already emerged as category winner for the Forecourt Sector at the annual event, but in the final rounds she was judged to be the best out of the five category winners, which included multiple, co-operative, independent, and multiple symbol sectors.

Judges described her as being a true all-rounder, offering noteworthy levels of customer service while also thinking up business-boosting ideas such as a fifth checkout, trolleys with baby seats and community events. She’s also responsible for training new starters.

Her main responsibility however, is serving at one of the busy forecourt store’s five tills. She has built up relationships with many of the local customers, particularly the elderly; and in addition to carrying out home deliveries, also helps them with paperwork they find confusing, such as bills and letters.

It’s not just the judges that Jennifer has impressed, her popularity can also be measured by the amount of good luck messages she has received on the company’s Facebook page.

An emotional Jennifer – who has worked at the site for four and a half years, including with the previous owner David Cox – said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have won this award. It’s the first competition I have entered, and I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received from both the customers and staff. I am also grateful to the company for having given me more responsibilities. I love my job, and even though some of the shifts start at 6am, the most important thing is to be upbeat, whatever time of day, and greet customers with a cheerful welcome.”

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