Training restores pride among customer‐service staff at Johnsons Apparelmaster : Project highlights path to significant and lasting change

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain how a training initiative helped to boost customer service and improve customer relations at a UK workwear‐rental supplier, despite difficult trading conditions across its sector. Design/methodology/approach – Highlights the reasons for the introduction of Project Pride at Johnson's Apparelmaster, the form the training took and the results of the initiative. Findings – Reveals that Project Pride resulted in 30 new operational, system and procedural changes. Customer losses were reduced and service teams were able to resolve customer issues with faster decision‐making. The company has re‐established its position as the market leader and achieved this in a time when the marketplace is shrinking, margins are being driven down and some of its competitors are looking for ways to move out of the sector altogether. Practical implications – Details how Project Pride was a significant factor in changing the fortunes of the business. It proved that, with the co‐operation of others, significant and lasting change can happen in a relatively short period. Originality/value – Highlights a customer‐satisfaction survey that showed customer‐service improvements all round, with the biggest improvement being in the area of handling problems and complaints.