The National Retail Association Training team had the pleasure of running one-day non-accredited training workshops for the National Motor Museum, based in Birdwood, South Australia.

Here’s the lovely feedback they shared with us…

“The National Retail Association was a very professional organisation to deal with from the outset.

Being in South Australia, I was struggling to find a local training provider that could meet our needs. I came across NRA in a copy of the Australian Gift Guide and from my first phone call they were more than willing to work with me to be able to provide and develop a training package on Visual Merchandising and Customer Service.

Leading up to the 2 training days, I found Jo Maxwell to be very professional and organised in her approach to customizing the training to our quite unique requirements.

We are a small team and very quickly Jo made all of us feel that the training was going to be informative, interesting and just as importantly enjoyable. Her approach was to provide very interactive and collaborative training. Jo has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the retail and customer service sectors and along with her enthusiasm made for very educational training.

The Visual Merchandising training was delivered with a very hands on approach which was a great way to get the staff enthused and involved. I felt the way that all staff participated was very positive and the training was beneficial to us all as well as the organisation.

The Customer Service training was customised to our requirements and once again all staff were very positive and participated enthusiastically in the sessions.

It was a great testament to Jo’s skills as a trainer that the feedback I received from all staff including our Director was very positive and I would highly recommend not only Jo as a trainer but also the NRA as a training provider.”

Sue Wheeler, National Motor Museum

When my husband and I took over Peter Baker-Finch in 1999 the company was already a member of the National Retail Association (NRA). There was never any question of not continuing the membership, as in our early days of running the store, NRA proved to be an extremely helpful resource.

NRA provides me with updates pertinent to running a retail business and have helped me navigate the changes within the industry.

NRA offers a diverse range of services and are willing to share their wealth of knowledge to avoid others encountering similar issues which makes it stand out from other organisations. In my experience the team have been very helpful and quick to respond. If they come across a situation beyond their expertise they very quickly provide contact to the appropriate entity.

Peter Baker-Finch has used many of the NRA’s services such as the legal hotline, member’s portal resources, workshops and even have two current staff members found through the Ready for Ready course offered to jobseekers. They have been employed by my company for over 8 years.

In my opinion NRA is a necessary membership to have if you wish to run your business effectively and I highly recommend becoming a member.

Cathy Millar, Peter Baker-Finch.

National Retail Association (NRA) membership was recommended to us by our franchisor as the industry organisation to join.

NRA have always been responsive and efficient in our dealings with them. My questions never go unanswered.

The NRA Team’s services are most invaluable and have assisted us on many occasions.

The legal team have knowledge and expertise we don’t possess. They show us the best path to take in delicate situations, which is an important part of the smooth operation of our business.
Legal matters can be costly for businesses so it’s good to know there is someone you can just call and ask questions. The cost of fee for service work is also very reasonable, considering external law firms can cost a great deal.

I would highly recommend NRA membership to Australian retailers.

Andy Stribling – Boost Juice Franchisee

Nextra Mona Vale Newsagency first decided to join the National Retail Association (NRA) when the Nextra head office brought in a staff member from the NRA to explain member benefits.

Immediately our business saw the value in such membership and the opportunity to be represented by retail specialists. That was 13 years ago and I would still highly recommend becoming a member!

Nextra Mona Vale Newsagency have predominately relied upon the legal advice and support services offered by NRA’s Legal Division.

The Legal Division have not only helped us to resolve all of our legal outcomes successfully, they have helped us to understand the process and how they reached a particular solution, allowing me to better handle similar situations in the future.

Other legal offices do not have the broad range of knowledge and are not qualified to deal with the variety of issues you come across in the retail industry.

Nextra Mona Vale have also been able to take advantage of the various training programs delivered by our in-house Registered Training Organisation, helping to ensure that our employees are well trained and confident to perform the duties required of them in a customer service environment.

I only have positive things to say about my interactions with the NRA.

– Jeff Johnson, Owner Nextra Mona Vale Newsagency

kikki.K have been a member of the National Retail Association (NRA) since 2011 and in that time the legal hotline has been invaluable to our business.

Having access to experts in the area of Industrial Relations to be able to sense check your approach is great, as no 2 situations are ever alike and more often than not can be approach in more than one way.

Fee for service work has also been a tremendous support to myself and my team in navigating through some tricky IR issues.

Dominique Lamb and her team are extremely professional and knowledgeable, and she is exceptional at understanding the balance between compliance and commercial needs. She is a great asset to the NRA.

Attending NRA events including networking sessions with other retailers is also a real value add, and gives you an opportunity to hear what other retailers are doing, what are the trends in the industry and knowing what best practice looks like.

NRA offers kikki.K great service with professional and timely responses that are catered to the needs of our business.

We look forward to a long relationship with the NRA.

Melissa Wise, Talent & Engagement Manager – kikki.K

The Hardware Association of Queensland formed an affiliation with the NRA in July 2009 and our decision to join forces was based on a positive recommendation from the Hardware Association of Victoria, who had already formed a partnership using the NRA services.

The NRA have certainly lived up to all expectations, providing a quality IR service to our members and keeping them informed on all employment law matters. The National Retailers Association has a very good understanding of the retail industry providing our membership the representation and strong voice for government they deserve.

A bonus for HAQ members, sponsors and supporters is the excellent events organisation and marketing services the NRA deliver, events such as our annual Golf Day and Industry Awards Night. The quality of this service has already delivered very positive results for the HAQ.

The HAQ look forward to a continued successful long term affiliation with the National Retail Association.

The NRA provides a range of support to the Franchisees in our network and has assisted in the negotiation of individual franchisees’ pay arrangements with their employees. At all times these services have been delivered in a timely and professional way and in language that our franchisees can relate to.

The NRA staff are friendly, spot-on and a pleasure to deal with. The bottom line is that franchisees describe their membership as a great investment for their business.

Membership of the NRA has provided significant benefits to our organisation. The NRA provides topical information ensuring Yum remains informed about issues relating to the retail industry. Yum has also utilised a range of NRA specialist services in industrial relations. The NRA has facilitated opportunities for Yum executives to lobby policy makers at State and Federal levels on issues relating to our operations.

Yum has been very satisfied with the professional quality of services provided, particularly in the leadership that the NRA has provided to member organisations like ourselves around issues important to our industry. The NRA responds to our questions with clear, concise answers, stating options available to us and their view on likely outcomes. Yum’s experience is that the advice the NRA has provided to us has been demonstrated over time to have been accurate.

Our internal culture and needs are very specific and the NRA has taken time to understand these needs and determine what works best for our business. They are always open to new ideas and to feedback and are willing to help and assist wherever they can. They are prompt with the responses and their follow through is outstanding.

The National Retail Association (NRA) provides Target with a significant level of support in the areas of employment law, government relations and retail trading hours.

The NRA has provided Target with a range of highly valued services since Target became a member in 2008, including:

delivering comprehensive training activities and workshops for Target management in a range of key workplace relations areas, including performance management;

seeking tirelessly to secure favourable trading arrangements for Target’s Stores; and

providing timely and accurate advice on industrial relations and related issues.

The NRA staff are committed and knowledgeable. Their insight into Target’s business and its operating environment has enhanced the NRA’s ability to deliver practical and timely advice and valuable assistance to our business.

Myer is a long term member of NRA and regularly uses its products and services and participates in its industry committees such as employment and training, industrial relations, loss prevention and technical standards. NRA’s services and its contribution to the retail sector are highly regarded by the Myer Team.

Julie just took a phone call from a woman who started off by saying something which made it sound like she was going to make a complaint & Julie very politely then asked how we may help her & she then went on to say that she rarely gives compliments but in 30 years of visiting various outlets had NEVER received such OUTSTANDING customer service as she did when she visited our establishment yesterday!!! She said nothing was a problem & the girl went out of her way to accommodate her needs!!! YAY YAY YAY!!!! The “girl” ends up being Jacky Bilton who we already know is amazing in the customer service department but she has obviously kicked it up a notch after training!!! So, Jo, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

This course has helped me discover my potential ability.

The classes have been amazing and I have felt eager to come every day. From day one, I was given support to continue, even with my limitations with the English language. I now feel confident speaking to customers.

This course has helped me feel welcome in this country, now I am sure I can get a great job.

This course has been very practical and helpful. Besides lots of professional knowledge in the retail industry, it has also taught me how to prepare a formal resume and build my self esteem and confidence in a new country

This course has provided me with an insight into retail career pathway, it has also boosted my confidence. I now feel ready to enter the workforce and be the best sales person I can be.

Certificate III in Retail Operations has armed, geared and launched me into a colourful world of retail. I have developed practical skills and knowledge required to successfully get a head in this diverse, dynamic industry

One of the key building blocks of our future in retail and as a paint specialist, is our Retail Leaders program, developed in conjunction with NRA. This program allows us to deliver management, productivity & capacity building through a course that provides practical & self-developmental outcomes. No one will create the paint specialists of the future but us – we are committed to creating store, business & market leaders – this course helps build this capacity & cement our culture. We are 25 years old this year – this is a foundation for the next 25!