A SEMINAR heard how a Dorset business helped the John Lewis chain expand and launch its Poole store.

The Branksome branch of John Lewis At Home hosted the third Aspirin Business Seminar.

The event gave an insight into the success of the branch and of the maintenance department which is responsible for maintaining all 44 branches of John Lewis.

Aspirin Business Solutions has been providing strategy and talent coaching to the maintenance department since 2010.

At the time it was appointed, the John Lewis Partnership was embarking on expansion plans which included the first new format John Lewis at Home store in Poole. Apsirin’s remit was to equip the maintenance department to handle the growth and change while maintaining its performance and focus.

Simon Crook and Luke Pearson, both operation managers for Maintenance, told of the impact that the work of Susannah Brade-Waring, founder of Aspirin, had on their departments. They highlighted improvements in productivity, customer and partner opinion surveys and increased responsibility shown by staff in the maintenance department.

Mr Crook said: “I was impressed by how quickly Susannah picked up the technical detail involved in our business,”

Luke Pearson said: “As a team, we thought we were doing a good job until Susannah challenged us. Now we know we’re doing a good job and the six maintenance specialists operate as a coherent team. We have more control and influence over our work.”

Susannah Brade-Waring, who set up Aspirin Business Solutions in 2008, said: “I was fortunate to engage John Lewis as client as soon as I left my employed work as finance director of Monsal Ltd – which we’d grown from a start-up to over £10m turnover and through a successful management buyout.

“The maintenance department’s commitment to engaging with and implementing the improvements we’d developed with them, has been a huge factor in creating the success they now enjoy. I’m very appreciative that they, like our clients IEC and TDSi before them, have opened up their doors to provide our clients and guests with an opportunity to gain ideas and inspiration to grow their and their organisation’s sustainably.”

The next Aspirin Business Solutions seminar takes place in June, at the newly refurbished premises of Synergy Farm Health in Evershot, West Dorset – one of the largest providers of veterinary services for large animals in the country. The team of 28 farm-focussed events, including seven senior partners, provides everything from caesarean sections to TB testing.