Archive for July, 2010

Find out more about our company representatives

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Now you have met our customer service team, we introduce you to our sales team, including company representatives and their co-ordinator, who play such an important part in building relationships with our customers, travelling all over the UK and Europe.

Having a personal one-on-one session with a company representative has many benefits:

  1. Gives you the chance to see veils, tiaras, jewellery and hats in all their glory, to try them on and to see their real-life size – something that buying from brochures cannot provide.
  2. Your staff can make the best choices to match your wedding dress stock, as you will have the dresses to hand throughout the appointment. Our company representatives have knowledge of all the latest wedding dress styles and can pick out accessories which are made to match!
  3. With a great knowledge of the latest trends, company reps can provide short ‘workshops’ on what is hot this season and how to sell to brides – great if your shop has recently hired new staff!
  4. The company representative will get a feel for your shop and show you the products that are relevant to you – saving you valuable time.
  5. Our company reps love to get to know you personally! The relationships that are built up between company representative and customer are invaluable, enabling us to do our job better, and enabling you the customer to get a real feel for us as a company, our values and our dedication to making your shop a success.
  6. Our company reps are not there just to sell to you – we like to see how you are getting on with our products, find out if there is anything else you would like from us and have a catch up on what is new in your regional marketplace.

For those of you who already know your local company representative, this is an opportunity to learn more about them. If you have never seen a Richard Designs representative and would like to then please call or email Vicki on 01353 661600, and she will be happy to help you. All of the appointments carry no obligation to buy, and there is no minimum order.

Vicki Sales Coordinator 2010Name: Vicki Hansford
Job Role:
Sales Co-ordinator. I manage the representatives’ activity, which includes booking appointments with the customers as well as planning their travel – so we have probably spoken on the phone a few times!
How long have you worked for Richard Designs?
For just over 6 years.
What do you find to be the most rewarding part of the job?
Building a relationship with old and new customers alike.
What is your background?
After leaving college, I was a nursery nurse for 4 years. I then worked in retail for 18 months before starting at RD. I worked in the tiara department for a year and in the hat department for a year before joining the sales team.
Tell us a fun fact about you! I am getting married on 7th August, the church will be filled with Richard Designs accessories! In my spare time I make sock creatures. I also co-organise a monthly craft fair with Charlotte who works in the customer service department.
Contact: vicki@richarddesigns.co.uk

Ben Allen Company Rep 2010Name: Ben Allen
How long have you worked at Richard Designs?
As a member of the family I have attended both BBEH shows at Harrogate every year for the past five years. I enjoyed it so much that I joined Richard Designs full-time this year.
What is the most rewarding part of the job for you?
I love meeting new customers every day. I am proud to be able to provide the right product for each customer, in order to meet the requirements of each bride. I also love working with my family every day!
What is your background? I worked for 11 years in a pharmaceutical contract lab after studying chemistry at University in Cambridge.
Tell us a fun fact about you!
I love sport and play squash every week. I do the London to Cambridge bike ride every year (that’s 60 miles!).

Meet your fantastic customer service team!

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

As many of our trade customers will know, we have the best customer service team in the industry, their knowledge of the product and cheery demeanour has helped many a bridal shop in distress! As well as each having their area of expertise, every member of our team has an excellent knowledge of all of our veils, tiaras, jewellery and other bridal accessories.

We would also like brides to know that they are more than welcome to call us and ask advice when searching for the perfect accessories to match that wedding gown. Our team is always very happy to help, no matter how big or small the query.

This week, we caught up with them to find out more about what makes them so fantastic.

Charlotte Jul2010Name: Charlotte Bennett
Speciality:
Veils
How long have you worked at Richard Designs?

I’ve been working at RD for just over six years.
What do you find to be the most rewarding part of the job?

Saving the day! When a customer rings up and has a bride who needs a veil that weekend and we manage to get one to them at short notice. You know you’ve made their day!
What is your background?

Before working in the customer service team, I used to work in the sales office making appointments for the sales reps, it was useful knowing all of the shop names and likes and dislikes before I started in this role.
Tell us a fun fact about you!

In my spare time I love to make jewellery and polymer clay charms. I also co-organise a local monthly craft fair with Vicki (who took over my job working in the sales office!)
Contact:
charlotte@richarddesigns.co.uk

Cath Jul2010Name: Cath Rickwood
Speciality:
Tiaras and Jewellery
How long have you worked at Richard Designs?

Five years
What do you find to be the most rewarding part of the job?

The satisfaction of knowing that the bride has all the accessories for her perfect wedding day.
What is your background?

Before working in the customer service team, I worked in the tiara department for three years, before working for RD I was a chef/manager of a local hotel.
Tell us a fun fact about you!

I have lots of chickens in my garden and I make wedding cakes/celebration cakes for a hobby in my spare time.
Contact:
cathy@richarddesigns.co.uk

Kelly Herd is currently filling in for Nicola, who is away on maternity leave.
Kelly Jul2010Name:
Kelly Herd (not to be confused with Kelly Harper – our design team leader!)
Speciality:
Millinery
How long have you worked at Richard Designs?

For four years
What do you find to be the most rewarding part of the job?

Making customers happy with a perfectly colour-matched hat.
What is your background?

I started working for RD in the veil embroidery department, then I moved to the hat department and after a couple of years in hats I started contributing to the design team. Before working for RD I also worked in a bridal boutique!
Tell us a fun fact about you!

My Dad is in the new Harry Potter; The Deathly Hallows film and was also in Return of the Jedi! (We have checked, this is true!)
Contact:
nicola@richarddesigns.co.uk

Whatever your problem, however small, we are on hand to help, so don’t be shy if you want to give us a call on (01353) 661600. Brides who have any questions regarding their accessories or their nearest stockist can also give us a call or email: info@richarddesigns.co.uk.

Customer Service Team Jul2010

What would you like to see in the next collection?

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

There is a real buzz in the Richard Designs HQ as we are all hard at work preparing for our best ever BBEH show. If you have visited us before at the Harrogate Show, you will know that we have a fantastic stand with plenty to see and lots of friendly faces to help you find your way around. This year we have some surprises lined up to celebrate our 25th anniversary. To find out what these are make sure to visit us at BBEH in September!

BBEH Richard Designs

We like to work with our customers to help them get the most out of our products, and we attribute a large amount of success to our close relationships with the bridal wear shops that we supply. As we wrap up our new designs, we would love you to tell us what you would like to see in the next collection. Is there anything in particular that your brides are requesting? Do you feel you have got something missing from your current stock? Is there a style particular to your region that you would love to see at show? If so, we would love to hear from you.

BBEH Nieve

We welcome requests and ideas from all customers for the Boutique Collection, Nieve Couture and, of course, RD veils, tiaras and jewellery. Remember, there is no minimum order, and giving us this valuable feedback does not oblige you to buy.

If you would like to talk to us about our next collection, please call to speak to one of our customer service team on 01353 661600, email info@richarddesigns.co.uk, or leave a comment in the box below.

BBEH Boutique Collection

Look out for future blogs for sneak peaks of what will be at BBEH and Moda at the NEC. We can’t wait to show you our sparkling new veils, tiaras and jewellery!

BBEH Nieve

NIEVE Inspirations for 2011

Friday, July 16th, 2010

The whole Richard Designs team is in high gear preparing for this September’s BBEH. The exquisite NIEVE Collection is of no exception and will be premiering its new collection for Spring/Summer 2011 at show. Our head-designer Kelly has written a piece on the influences for the next collection which you can read on the NIEVE section of the website here.

Nieve SS2011 Romantic Vintage

The NIEVE Designer Collection of accessories for Spring, Summer 2011, is inspired by two enchanting stories that illustrate the mood for the approaching season: Oriental Garden and Romantic Vintage. See the inspiration here.

Nieve SS2011 Oriental Garden

Don’t forget to check out the product galleries featuring current styles of veils, tiaras and jewellery while you are there!

Accommodation at the BBEH 2010

Friday, July 9th, 2010

As many ‘BBEH regulars’ will know, earlier this year The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate was the victim of a fire which caused huge damage. As a result, there is expected to be a shortage of rooms in the Town. Therefore we are advising our customers to book early for the BBEH to avoid any disappointment.

Being such a helpful bunch, we have managed to negotiate a special room rate for our customers at the Days Inn hotel in Wetherby, which is just outside the Town. As you can see below, when you book and quote the reference ‘Richard Designs’ you will be entitled to a fantastic double-room rate of just £56.00 per night. This is based on two people sharing and includes breakfast, free internet access and unlimited movies and music. You can download a printable copy of the special offer by clicking here or on the image below.

RD Special Hotel Rate

We haven’t stayed here ourselves, but it looks new and clean and the online reviews are very good. We aren’t advertising this hotel for money, we just know how difficult it can be to find quality hotel rooms at reasonable prices around the time of the exhibition so we hope this goes some way to easing the stress!

This offer is subject to Days Inn Hotel standard terms and conditions and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation of the Days Inn Hotel, Wetherby, or any other Days Inn Hotel, by Richard Designs Limited.

You are currently browsing the Richard Designs Wedding Blog blog archives for July, 2010.