The Harrods distribution Centre (TVDC) opened in Thatcham in 2012 and is a vital part of the Harrods success story. With over 340,000 square feet of bespoke warehouse space, it is the heart of their international distribution service and a key cog in ensuring a seamless experience for Harrods customers.

In readiness for the TVDC going live, Harrods invited a number of specialist employment agencies in to tender to become their chosen supplier to support their seasonal uplifts. Following a rigorous process Harrods placed an incredible amount of trust in Abacus and chose us as their preferred supplier, ten years on Abacus are still their chosen supplier.

We are delighted to share the Harrods / Abacus success story…

The requirement

As the World’s Leading luxury retailer and an employer of several thousand people, Harrods are committed to ensuring that high standards and sustainability are always at the heart of their values. The business has grown in size and the operation has evolved significantly since the TVDC opened in 2012. The retail market has seen dramatic changes to how a customer shops and in particular the explosion of online shopping. This has meant that Harrods have had to grow, innovate and adapt. The introduction in 2014 of the .com fulfilment operation in TVDC and the significant investment they have made following the installation of their automated packing machine has meant that they are able to meet customer demand and they now boast one of the most proficient and modern Distribution Centres in Europe.

Harrods have needed to resource in large numbers both temporary and permanent staff to meet customer demands, to be specific:

Harrods seasonal peaks see a requirement of in excess of 300 temporary workers to be resourced and onboarded. Each new employee plays a vital part in the success of the Distribution centre.
Permanent Headcount has also increased and continues to do so. In today’s competitive market with an ever decreasing pool of labour, this presents many challenges.

What we did

With over 30 years’ experience in the industrial and distribution market within the Newbury and Thatcham area, our reputation and brand profile is unrivalled locally. Working closely with the Harrods Senior Management team our first focus was to build a recruitment plan to onboard new staff each week and gradually increase the headcount in a controlled and sustainable way.

We set up a dedicated team of Multi lingual Resourcers whose sole focus is to find the most suitable candidates to fulfil the roles available. Working within the local markets and showing real passion, care and pride is where we have thrived. In a world of electronics and digital service, we still pride ourselves on our personal approach. Of course, we still have many system led processes in place to streamline our services and to ensure we are compliant, but it’s our personal touch that makes us different from the majority.

Engaging with a marketing company and various job boards ensuring that we are using the best platforms has been paramount and many of our new workers have come through these channels. Many others have come from word of mouth and our reputation in the area.

We have worked on site with Harrods to meet and induct new staff on a regular basis and have been on hand to help and guide staff with their role. Engaging the workforce, offering incentive schemes and rewards to ensure that staff levels are maintained and leaver levels are as low as possible.

Taking each week as it comes, we have held regular meetings with the SM team at Harrods to ensure we are on track. Of course, this has not always gone smoothly and we have had times where the market has been a real challenge. Being honest and transparent, making sure we do not overcommit and accepting help when we need it, is something that we see as a crucial responsibility to not be the weak link in the chain.

Having a network of branches surrounding us has had its advantages too - when the local market has been exhausted we were able to source staff from a new area. Staff which were recruited following the same stringent process which we had already put in place locally.

The results

To date Abacus continue to be the main supplier for Harrods TVDC, having increased our temporary headcount on site to 300 + staff at peak times dependent on client demand. We work closely with Senior management at Harrods to ensure that each peak is planned for accordingly - it’s a partnership where we work together to ensure that the correct staffing is in place so that Harrods can meet their customer demands and their SLA’s.

Latest statistics

2021 Abacus placed 132 permanent staff in Harrods TVDC

2021 We covered 20,642 shifts with seasonal labour

2021 Our staff worked a combined total of 154,548 hours

Harrods have had their most successful on line trading year on record

Testimonial - John Lacey, General Manager TVDC

“As General Manager of the Harrods Distribution Centre, partnering with a recruitment company that we can trust and rely upon is crucial. We have worked with Abacus for the past 10 years, they understand our business, our seasonal peaks and most importantly they are here when we need them and they deliver. Our seasonal demands fluctuate – often at very short notice, we also have to respond to varying conditions and legislation which is sometimes very much out of our control. Working with Abacus has really helped to ease the pressure and I feel confident that they are always available, providing an honest service. Our business success is as important to them as it is to us”.