UK Enterprise 2020

182 | UK Enterprise Awards 2020 Even the most dedicated follower of fashion must admit it is hard to keep up to date with the latest trends and styles. For those who want to find something a little bit unusual to set themselves apart, there are few places finer than The Wootton Village Boutique. Filled with exquisite clothing and accessories chosen with care, you’re certain to find something that is just right. We take a closer look at this store in the light of its achievements in this year’s UK Enterprise Awards. Best Contemporary Clothing Boutique - Northamptonshire Jul20065 Based in the charming village of Wootton, The Wootton Village Boutique flies the flag for those wanting to find something a little different. The boutique is run by Linda & Bob Barfield who take great pains to ensure that every customer who visits is able to find an item they never knew that they needed so much. The heart of the business is, of course, its clothing range. This has a spectacular range, catering for different ages, a variety of sizes ranging from 8 through to 18 as well as capably providing a selection of artistic choices in terms of taste. Not all good shopping should break the bank either, so the team ensure that amidst the wide array of items are pieces that cater to every budget. The boutique specialises in selling a range of ladies’ contemporary clothing, fabulous handbags and gorgeous accessories. These items come from the very best designers from around the globe. Pieces in the boutique have their origin in the UK, Denmark, Holland, Italy, Spain, and France. It’s a truly multicultural, cosmopolitan celebration of fashion that has inspired many. If looking to present something with a stylish gift, this is the place to find it while also indulging in the ultimate retail experience. All products have been individually chosen by Linda to ensure a selection of elegant and unique pieces that you will not find in high street stores. The delights of this boutique must be sampled to be truly appreciated, with the store acting as a treasure trove of fashion and inspiration for those who need it most. With such an array, you can never be certain what’s around the corner, but it’s sure to thrill and excite in equal measure. Customers who come in regularly have been known to spend hours in The Wootton Village Boutique, simply taking in new items and ranges that have come in. Linda and Bob have been able to build up incredible loyalty amongst their customers, with very little holding them back from returning to their favourite haunt. The Wootton Village Boutique is somewhere that they feel happy and safe. This is why despite the challenges affecting the business of Brexit, COVID-19 and the steady decline in people attending high street stores, The Wootton Village Boutique remains in high demand. Apart from the exceptional selection of items on display, people keep coming back to The Wootton Village Boutique because of the staff. Each team member boasts incredible personality that woos ladies into feeling welcomed and excited by the prospect of buying. Experience can be taught and earned, but personality is something that can never be faked. Someone either has it or they do not. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenge has been to try and open the store while ensuring that everybody involved is safe. Linda and Bob have put together a series of structures to ensure that their ladies can get the items they want, and even explore the shop again. The nature of The Wootton Village Boutique means that it is not instinctively COVID-safe, so the measures put in place are bespoke to welcome people back in a way that feels exclusive and safe. Visitors to The Wootton Village Boutique cannot simply turn up at the moment. Instead, there are slots available for the ladies to book a Retail Therapy visit for a member of staff. This can be done at a time convenient to them and lasts an hour. After a period where the shop was not open and only selling online, recovering that human connection has been vital. 2020 has been such a strange year that a little bit of shopping wouldn’t go amiss with anyone! The online service that The Wootton Village Boutique has provided has proven to be a major success too. Linda and Bob have embraced the digital age, with a stunning website that is easy to navigate and clear to read. They provide online exclusive offers that allow their customers to save money on some truly illustrious designs and items. Social media has played an important role in the expansion of the firm, and it is something that the team have embraced and kept up to date with as opposed to ignored. Keeping up with the needs of the present, meeting their clients where they are, has allowed them to achieve so much. That said, for some, the requirements of COVID-19 have forced a little flexibility. Local customers who would normally have popped in to nose around and pick up those little extra items have found that they cannot do this as easily as before. On these occasions, postage seems a little excessive as an option. The team have therefore developed a pickup system, where packages are placed on a table outside the door for customers to pick up. They are not allowed in the boutique, but it demonstrates clearly the measures to which the team will go to satisfy customers. In this business, customer satisfaction is key, and The Wootton Village Boutique deliver it each and every time. They are continually looking for ways in which to improve and enhance this aspect of their business. Richard Branson once said about his first store in Oxford Street “we measure how well we are doing not in our daily take but how long our customers stay in-store. If they enjoy the experience they will come back again and again.” As a measure of success, The Wootton Village Boutique has most of the competition beaten already. Company: The Wootton Village Boutique Name: Bob Barfield Web Address: www.thewoottonvillageboutique.com