Watt Brothers boss keeps family ethos alive in modern retail world

He said: "They gave me fruit pastilles. [I thought] it was great."

It was a somewhat different retail world in those days with Mr Watt, the fourth generation of his family to run the independent department store, serving an apprenticeship covering every aspect of the business.

That included several months in despatch functions, making sure floors were supplied with enough polythene bags and unloading materials from trucks. All that was before he formally started as a sales assistant where the section was dusted every morning prior to customers arriving.

He said: "When we first started you wrote all the sales down manually then carbon copied it.

"The customer got one and another went up the Lamson [pneumatic] tube system to the cash room and [the customer] had to wait for the cash to come back down.

"Eventually that was too slow so we moved on to cash registers."

He gradually worked his way through the business including spells buying goods and making trips to meet suppliers. Next he was put in charge of his own department.

Mr Watt said: "There wasn't anything you couldn't do and you had to know everything. I thought it was quite important. You could never ever ask someone to do something you hadn't done yourself."

The introduction of cash registers didn't meet with universal approval from all staff members at the time with some still attached to manual adding machines called comptometers.

He said: "Some of the older ladies on the comptometer could beat you even if you had a calculator."

At the age of 26 Mr Watt took over as managing director of the company but the lessons from the years spent learning his trade still hold sway.

In the past it may have been making sure the string to tie parcels was used in the most efficient way. Small things on the shop floor remain important but the wider concerns also include things like making sure the central warehouse facilities in Govan can take deliveries allowing the company to organise its own drop-offs at its eight stores.

A desire not to waste money - which according to Mr Watt is based on wanting to reinvest and keep prices competitive for customers - appears to run through the generations.

Mr Watt recounts being told his great-grandfather, the business founder Allan Watt, would sometimes get off his tram a few stops early in order to save pennies for buying additional stock.

He is also keen to point out the company does not use zero-hours contracts and its staff turnover is less than one per cent, far below industry averages.

He said: "Everybody is important. We have got staff who have been here 30 odd years and there is some who have been here generations with parents working here as well.

"The way it has always felt business should be is the customer is number one. They are the most important person then it is the staff on the shop floor. Our job is to serve all of these people.

"If you go the other route and the person at the top thinks they are so important then the business is lost. If staff on the front line are not happy then the customer won't get a good experience."

Mr Watt highlights making sure the company's 500 staff are not working too long hours and are being treated well as being the main things which underpin his philosophy.

He said: "I think half the battle in retail is actually enjoying it. We like our customers and like our staff. A lot of people seem to be the opposite of that."

In terms of treating customers he wants nice products which are clearly priced and presented in a clean environment. He said: "We don't to be seen as a discounter. We want to sell quality merchandise at good value."

Staff are told not to badger people but be available if anyone needs advice or help. Mr Watt's personal bugbear is customers having to stand in long queues.

He said: "We are paranoid about queues building up. We have managers monitoring that constantly and throwing staff at it."

Mr Watt's own days typically start between 7am and 8am and run for 12 or more hours. Much of that will be spent looking at and sourcing new products for stores while he will also visit premises on a regular basis.

He said: "We are constantly involved in the business. How could you not be?

"You can't have an ivory tower. People can approach me directly in stores and there's email as well."

One thing Mr Watt is certain about is the business won't be venturing into online retailing.

His instinct is that would take customers away from the store and he feels strongly that shopping should have a social aspect.

He said: "Years ago, going back to the 60s and 70s, on your Saturday or Sunday you went shopping in your local town centre.

"It was part of the community and I think we have lost that a little bit.

"People need to have fun and excitement when they are shopping. There needs to be a wee bit of difference."

Mr Watt points out there are very few independent department stores left in Scotland - mentioning Hourstons in Ayr, McEwens of Perth, Barbours in Dumfries and Donalds of Peterhead - while many suppliers have also left the trade in the last five to 10 years.

He believes lowering business rates for retailers would encourage more independent operators back into the sector.

He also thinks city councils need to make parking cheaper and reduce measures such as bus lane cameras in order to encourage a revival in town centre shopping.

He said: "People are actually thinking 'Why do I want to go to the city?' as you can go out of town or to a retail park without any stress."

Still, Mr Watt remains optimistic and has plans to open six new stores over the next few years while also increasing the size of its outlets in Clarkston, Ayr and Livingston.

He said: "You have to be competitive and make sure you are offering as good as the multiples. There is no reason why it can't be done.

"It is a challenging market going ahead but we are here for the long-haul and will keep at it."