As part of a new mini-series, we are going to be interviewing several of our colleagues to find out more about their careers, their highs and lows and what it’s like working within retail tech at Retail247. Our network has grown a lot over the last couple of years, and we’d love for you to meet the people fuelling our solutions and services.
This week, we’re interviewing Alan Morris, Non-Executive Director at Retail247.
We are always looking for new talent here at Retail247. If you like what you hear about us and think you’d bring something to the table, email jobs@retail247.com.
How did you end up working at Retail247?
I have known Martin for a very long time. In fact when I was running Retail Assist he was my client on two occasions, first when he was at Burberry and then again at Harvey Nichols. He was always very definite when it came to what he wanted to achieve with technology, and I always found this refreshing. His knowledge of retail tech and what makes the biggest difference has always impressed me and it was no surprise when he launched Retail247 in 2015. When we sold Retail Assist in 2017, Martin asked me if I would like to get involved and help him grow the business. At the time I was bound by non-compete obligation but as soon as that expired I jumped at the chance. The company culture and team spirit at Retail247, aligned to the increasingly successful SaaS solutions portfolio, make it a great place to work.
Did you always want to work in retail tech?
No, but I am glad I took the chance when it came along. Retailing is everchanging, and technology gets more interesting all of the time. The combination of the two mean that there is never a dull moment – some hairy ones, but I can honestly say I have never been bored.
I was lucky enough to start my career on a management training programme which gave me the opportunity to experience all aspects of the retail operation. The beauty of working in the tech team is that you get the chance to be involved across all of it. It’s a continual learning process where experience helps, but the desire to keep doing things differently is probably more important.
What has been your biggest career challenge?
There have been a lot of challenges, and there will be more to come, but challenges come with the territory of retail tech. Most of what we do is about trying to keep up with change, and where possible put ourselves in a position where we can get ahead and provide our clients with competitive advantage. This isn’t easy because there are always a lot of variables in play, some of which we know about and can plan for, others just come out of nowhere.
Being successful requires people with the right mindsets, who have the collective belief that anything is possible if we work together. The most unpleasant challenges are the ones you face when the people around you don’t share that philosophy, so I guess that’s my answer.
What has been your funniest moment working at Retail247?
In March this year, I performed in a local pantomime (oh yes I did!). It’s a long story about how I got involved but I ended up playing a character based on Boris Johnson. The role meant that I had to spend a lot of time on stage on my own giving a soliloquy. I was very nervous on opening night and to make it worse, I was the first person on stage. The curtain went back, I walked out and took my place behind the lectern. I looked out into the audience of about 120 people, and through the lights I could see members of the Retail247 team who had come up to Nottingham to see the show. I have to be honest, when I saw Martin sitting there with his arms folded, I thought I heard him say, “Come on then, entertain us”. No pressure there then.
Not really a work thing, but it demonstrates what a supportive team I work with, even if they had a good laugh at my expense during and after the show.
What are your views on working from home?
An ex-colleague and friend of mine once said that individually nobody in our team knows everything, but collectively there is nothing we can’t achieve if we share our skills, knowledge and experience. This has stayed with me and always will because it’s right, teams are what deliver success but in order for them to function properly it is vital that they communicate easily.
I know that we have the technology to enable us to connect remotely, and I make full use of this. It is a very efficient way to hold meetings as it stops people from jumping into cars or getting onto trains and travelling hundreds of miles all for an hour’s meeting. But I believe we need to augment this with time spent together in the same physical location. You can put people into a team, but they don’t truly become one until they bond, and I don’t believe that remote working alone achieves this.
I don’t believe that people working in retail technology will ever go back to working 37.5 hours each week in an office. The opportunities for getting a better work life balance, whilst reducing your carbon footprint are pretty compelling and can’t be ignored. The covid pandemic has introduced a change to how we can work, and like most changes we now need to find solutions that work best. It will be an ever-evolving baseline (at last, I managed to get my all-time favourite retail technology phrase in).