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Photo of winning SBE students with Charanjit Singh, Store Manager of the Boots Loughborough store.

17 May 2018

Students awarded for ideas to improve retailing at Boots

Business students were acknowledged for their innovative ideas to improve Boots’ retail operations at an awards ceremony last month. 

Second-year students on the BSc Retailing, Marketing and Management degree (part of the School of Business and Economics) were tasked with finding ways to improve staffing efficiency, stock availability and the Electronic Prescription process at the Loughborough Boots store as part of their Retail and Service Operations module.

Student teams were given seven weeks to conduct research and develop recommendations for the store, before presenting to Loughborough’s Store Manager, Charanijt Singh, who supported students with valuable guidance throughout.

The project forms part of a strong eight-year relationship between SBE and Boots.

Students Katy Brightwell, Maggie Vacher, Rosie Davies and Liam Berwick were crowned winners of the Best Presentation Award and given a monetary prize for their efforts.

Charanjit Singh said: “Pharmacy operations are a vital part of our Boots stores. The Loughborough University Pharmacy project enables students to study a real-life business problem, to research, critically review, analyse and present recommendations to myself as a Store Manager.

“It is amazing to see what the students achieved in such a short time and the high standard of their recommendations.”

Dr Cathy Hart, Module Leader and Senior Lecturer in Retailing, added: “This project is a great opportunity to experience first-hand the pressures of operating a busy pharmacy retail business. This work-based learning approach enables students to analyse real operational issues and develop powerful problem-solving skills in a live business environment.

“These skills are particularly important in preparation for the students’ forthcoming year-long business placement. The School and the students are indebted to the Loughborough Boots Store Management team for their valuable input, encouragement and support.”