SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM
SAY HELLO TO...
LORRAINE JEX WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
ABOUTLORRAINE GREENGROCER, BOOKER PETERBOROUGH
I work full time and like to get in early so
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS?
that I have plenty of time to prepare. The
Yes, I absolutely do. If I can help to make
first thing I do is paperwork, checking
our customers’ lives that little bit easier
in all the orders and then doing all the
then I’m certainly going to try and the
temperature checks before getting started
customers know that. I give my phone
on putting the orders away that have come
number out to customers so that they
in overnight. From then on it’s basically a
know they can call me whenever, if they
constant process of keeping the offer
need an order or if they need to make a
looking as good as possible, putting out
change. I think they really appreciate that.
reductions and crucially, preparing orders.
I’ll also always help to pick orders for any
I personally pick orders for quite a few of
customers who need a bit of help. I pride
our catering customers and over time I’ve
myself on the service that I deliver.
built up really strong relationships with under her belt, Lorraine Jex has
develop over the years. The bonds that
HOW HAVE CUSTOMER NEEDS CHANGED IN RECENT TIMES?
become a key and popular figure at
I’ve built with so many of our customers
The pandemic was obviously challenging
Booker’s Peterborough branch.
really means something to me and to be
for the catering trade so it has been so
honest it’s one of the best parts of the job.
wonderful to see so many familiar faces
With more than 18 years of service
them. I’ve seen their businesses grow and
coming back into branch when everything
Having started out on tills, before
re-opened. Customers are more price
branch has seen her try her hand at a
HOW HAS YOUR ROLE AS GREENGROCER WITH BOOKER EVOLVED?
range of different disciplines, earning
Dramatically! When I first started on fruit
rather than one or two big ones because
and veg it was all ambient. Sales were good
they are nervous about what lies ahead,
but we knew there was plenty of room for
but we’re happy to work with them like that
growth, for both us and our customers.
and help them make the best decisions
It’s worlds away from where we are now.
for their businesses. Equally, quality is
We now have a dedicated chilled room
becoming increasingly important which is
and sales are up about 400% on where we
great news for us as the quality of our offer
were before. The offer has evolved almost
is something that we really pride ourselves
beyond recognition and as a result so too
on.
moving onto frozen, chilled and later the buying office, her time at the
her a rich cache of knowledge and experience. But it’s her time as the branch’s greengrocer, the role that she has held for the last 10 years, where Lorraine has truly flourished – and the branch’s offer has flourished with her.
conscious than ever before and are also choosing to make more smaller orders
has my role, and I love it!
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FEBRUARY 2022
