Shop Direct are the people behind littlewoods.com, very.co.uk and Very Exclusive. With an 80 year plus heritage, they’ve transformed their business over the last decade from a catalogue driven company into the UK’s 2nd largest pureplay retailer (that’s a full blown digital department store to you and me).
They’re the kind of company that the word digital was invented for.
They’ve also made their mark in the fashion world and are one of the UK’s biggest consumer credit businesses. And with their HQ being based in Liverpool, they’re keen to do their part within the Northern Powerhouse.
However, they’re so well known and respected in the North West that they’ve never really had a problem with recruitment up North. But darn sarf, it’s a different story. In London, they were seen as just another multi-£million start up - but one with a genuine mission to create world class digital experiences for their customers.
So, with their biggest challenge being attracting talent in the capital, the decision was made in late 2016 to open a tech hub in the heart of London Victoria with a focus on attracting the best Data Scientists and Dev Ops specialists that London has to offer. That’s where we got involved.
Our challenge was to help them build a sexy campaign that delivered a world class recruitment experience that matched their customer offer. And so, the Hey London campaign was born. Based around a tumbler hub to keep content fresh, up to date and agile, we developed a warm tone of voice that encapsulated northern friendliness and communicated the chatty and open culture you’ll find at Shop Direct.
With a cheeky nod to AI systems, a ‘geo targeting’ style pin drop icon to show how we’re putting SD on the map in London, and genuine imagery to showcase all that Shop Direct have to offer, we nailed the brand.
We also introduced an easy application route using a CRM tool that minimised the effort these incredibly sought after candidates needed to put in, and to ensure a consistent recruitment process, from offer to onboarding.
Right now, the campaign is in mid flow with the first recruits due to join the business when the London office opens its doors in July.
In the meantime, we caught up with Talent Director, Helen, for a bit of a natter…
How did you get into the HR industry?
I spent 15 years working in Music and Media, always in HR, starting as a HR Assistant and by the time I left EMI I was Head of HR. Through a contact, I made the move into retail at HMV and Waterstones. However, I was keen to move into a pureplay digital business so I jumped to ASOS and then to Shop Direct, where I’ve been able to take everything I’ve accumulated over the years to hopefully bring to life the importance of talent in a customer centric, digital, highly commercial, and never-a-dull-moment business.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?
We’re here to create experiences for people, not processes.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in the HR sector?
Think of yourself, but also learn about and act as a commercial business person who happens to have expertise in HR. Good HR people can talk knowledgably across a range of topics about their business – not just HR.
What’s the best thing about working with Chatter?
Chatter is a straight talking, passionate Northern company like Shop Direct. They’ve got a razor sharp ability to work in partnership so we all get to learn and contribute to our shared goal.
What are you reading, watching and listening to at the moment?
I’ve just finished reading Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriaty, loved it. I’m listening to my youngest daughters Disney playlist on Spotify, constantly. And I’m watching re-runs of The Trip – what’s not to love about Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon trying to out-impersonate each other.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Butterscotch Angel Delight.
Three words to describe yourself?
Focussed, determined and playful.
What fact would surprise people about you?
I used to have my own cake baking business.
