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“Although there have been some major changes in our business over the last twelve months, with corporatisation and then the acquisition by JB Hi-Fi, our unwavering commitment to providing our customers with the best service possible has remained unchanged,” The Good Guys CEO, Michael Ford, said.

“Customer service has always been an integral part of The Good Guys ethos and we are constantly challenging ourselves to improve our customer engagement model; creating a deeper relationship-based shopping experience with our customers,” he said.

The Good Guys was announced as the winner of the Roy Morgan Research Customer Satisfaction Award for Furniture/Electrical Store of the Year 2016, based on Customer Satisfaction ratings collected from Roy Morgan’s Single Source survey of approximately 50,000 Australian consumers annually. Results were analysed over the course of 12 months to identify those Australian businesses that consistently satisfy a higher proportion of their customers than their rivals.

The Good Guys received the title of ‘Furniture/Electrical Store of the Year 2016’ after dominating the category over the past 12 months.

“We put our customers at the centre of everything we do, and try and identify their needs and delight them with remarkable service at all stages of their shopping journey, both in-store and online,” Mr Ford said.

“The Good Guys team is committed to making customer satisfaction their top priority and they strive to deliver exceptional service every day no matter where, when or how our customers shop with us.

“While we focus a lot on our customer service, we also know that price still plays a huge role in customer satisfaction which is why we’ll beat any of our major competitors’ advertised prices. Plus our customers are protected against competitor price drops even after they have made their purchase thanks to our 30 Day Price Guarantee. This way our customers can always trust they get the best price when they buy from us.

“Being granted this award for the fifth time in six years is a testament to our store teams, their resilience and their hard work. I’m incredibly proud and grateful to all of our team members for contributing to this outstanding result,” Mr Ford said.

Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan Research, commented, “Although The Good Guys make it look easy, walking away with the Furniture/Electrical Store of the Year Award for the fifth time in six years, this is a hard-fought category of the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards, with some household names vying for the title.

“But by remaining dedicated and attentive to their customers' needs, rather than resting on the laurels of their excellent reputation, The Good Guys has once again given their sector a masterclass in customer satisfaction. Congratulations from all of us at Roy Morgan!”

The 2017 Roy Morgan Award adds to the growing customer service accolades for The Good Guys, who recently won the Canstar Blue customer satisfaction award for a sixth year in a row and is the only brand to win every year since the Canstar Blue awards began.

A long-time Wollongong family has donated the Illawarra’s first Orange Sky Laundry van. The van has been christened ‘Daisy’.

Impressed by the work of Brisbane mates and 2016 Young Australians of the Year, Lucas Patchett and Nicholas Marchesi, who founded the venture in 2014 as a way of providing the homeless with dignity and respect, Bruce and Val McDiarmid were quick to champion the cause.

With the blessing of their four children, the couple contacted Wollongong surgeon Dr Bruce Ashford, who has been the driving force behind setting up the service in the Illawarra along with Wollongong Private Hospital CEO David Crowe, and pledged to meet the cost implementing this vital service.

The McDiarmids said the donation was a personal choice in response to a situation and opportunity that struck a chord the minute they heard about it.

“Once we heard about this fantastic initiative and realised its potential benefit to the Illawarra region, we wanted to help,” Bruce said.

“We thought, this is a charity we want to support and our children agreed.”

Thanks to the donation, the 11th van in the Orange Sky Laundry national fleet is now in operation on the streets of Wollongong, providing clean clothes and conversation at various locations across the region.

Dr Ashford said the realisation of the Orange Sky Laundry service in the Illawarra is amazing and praised the generosity of the McDiarmid family in making the dream a reality.

“Bruce and Val have long been quiet achievers in the Illawarra but, in this instance, they are being open about their gift in the hope that others in the community will step up and donate their time to ensure the service is a success.“

“I know from the response I have already received that the Illawarra is keen to embrace Orange Sky Laundry and help others within the community. It’s enriching to see how much people care about the society around them.”

The world-first service has proven so successful it has grown from the original van on the streets of Brisbane in 2014 to 10 operations across the country. Wollongong is be number 11.

The Good Guys Warrawong Store Executive Manager, Michael Seaman said Daisy will be a very welcome addition to the region.

“The Good Guys is passionate about strengthening local communities and supporting Australia’s most vulnerable.

“We are proud to support Orange Sky Laundry in every location around Australia, and myself and my team are really looking forward to seeing the van out and about across the Illawarra “he said.

Co-founder Lucas Patchett said the duo were impressed with the fast and passionate response of the Illawarra community to the appeal to bring a van to the region.

“It was only in July that we visited Wollongong while transporting one of our vans to Tasmania and got to talk to some of the community in Warrawong and Wollongong and introduced them to the service,” he said.

“In just under two years we have been running Orange Sky, we have been continually blown away by the support we have received and how well the vans have been integrated into a range of communities.

“Everyday people understand what we are aiming to do and embrace it and, ultimately, the people who are homeless in the community. The donation by the McDiarmid family is wonderful and we have no doubt that the Wollongong community will back that generosity with their own support for the service.”

Ramsay Health Care spokesman Malcolm Passmore said the company will continue to support the service as it has done from the start.

“Orange Sky Laundry has proven to be a valuable resource to many communities around the country and Wollongong will be no different,” he said.

“It takes all kinds of people, businesses and organisations to make a service work in the long-term and we will continue to be a part of that process. This is a worthy cause with real outcomes for disadvantaged people and we will help in any way we can.”

Orange Sky Laundry is delivering the service to Wollongong with the help of their National “Doing Good” Partners – The Good Guys, National Training Partner – The Australian Academy of Business and National Servicing Partner – Richard Jay Laundry.

The Good Guys is the only brand to win a Canstar Blue Award every year since Canstar Blue began its awards six years ago.

Michael Ford, The Good Guys CEO, says receiving this award for six years running and being the only brand to do so is something he is extremely proud of.

“We are overjoyed to be recognised by the people most important to us; our customers.”

Canstar Blue surveyed close to 2,000 shoppers across the country on the topic of ‘Electronics Retailers’ and found that good point of sale service remains the greatest driver of customer satisfaction for 27% of Australians.

“We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver an exceptional customer experience not only in our stores, but also on our website, through our product range, and by providing our customers with value for money – all of which were assessed in this year’s survey,” said Mr Ford.

Electronic retailing is in an ever-evolving cycle of change where the customer’s shopping experience now goes far beyond just price.

“In this 24/7 connected marketplace where customers can shop for whatever they want, whenever they want, wherever they are they are looking for brands that not only deliver great product ranges and great prices but a superior customer experience across all channels and all touchpoints.”

“Our customer engagement model focuses on building a relationship with our customers that extends far beyond the product transaction so we work with our customers in a friendly, genuine manner to ensure we are delivering the service that they want and the solution that they need,” said Mr Ford.

The Good Guys receives this accolade at a time when online retail spending has grown to $20.4 billion in the year to July 2016, equivalent to some 6.8% of traditional retail spending, according to National Australia Bank’s (NAB) Online Retail Sales Index. It has taken the overall year-on-year growth rate to 11.8%.

“We have invested heavily in our website and IT infrastructure over the years so we’re pleased to see Australian shoppers rate their interaction with it so highly.”

“Most of our customers start their shopping journey online, but the majority are still coming into a store to make their purchase so delivering a unified brand story and great experience both in-store and online remains paramount to our approach to customer satisfaction,” added Mr Ford.

Head of Canstar Blue, Megan Doyle, said that though a lot has changed over the last year, one thing remains consistent; The Good Guys.

“In the last year, we’ve seen Dick Smith stores disappear and JB Hi-Fi acquire The Good Guys, but amongst all the changes in the industry, Australians who shop at The Good Guys continue to report five-star service and value for money,” said Head of Canstar Blue, Megan Doyle.

“This has been a consistent theme from customers over the years. The Good Guys has clearly struck a winning balance in its stores. Consumers like the layout of The Good Guys stores, they think they have a great range of products to choose from, and they are convinced they’re getting a good deal on price. Most importantly of all though, the customer service is top-notch,” finished Mrs Doyle.

The Good Guys was the only electronics retailer to receive a five star rating from Canstar Blue across the categories of value for money, price compared to others, point of sale service, product range, store layout and catalogue.

Media enquiries:
Mark Detre on 0412 539 930
Email: mark.detre@ppr.com.au

Michael Ford will remain CEO of The Good Guys, reporting to Richard Murray, and The Good Guys Support Centre will remain based at Essendon Fields.

The Good Guys Executive Chairman, Andrew Muir, commented, “Joining forces with JB Hi-Fi makes enormous sense from every standpoint. We are bringing together two iconic Australian retail brands that both have tremendously strong and loyal customer bases. The Good Guys’ position and track record in home appliances is matched by JB Hi-Fi’s strength in consumer electronics and entertainment. Both brands stand for customer service, range and value and have always been at the forefront of their respective markets. “Bringing these brands under common ownership will combine the skill and expertise of two of Australia’s most respected retailers. The combined company will have the scale and resources to realise the growth aspirations and potential of both brands”.

Reflecting on the achievement of the Muir family, he said, “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved at The Good Guys. We grew from a single store in suburban Melbourne in 1952 to the number one retailer in our core categories and one of the most successful retail brands in Australia. Our business structure was highly innovative and provided our people with the opportunity and motivation to realise their own potential, inspiring them to deliver a truly special experience for our customers. Like others that have prospered in our industry, we moved with the times and constantly adapted to the changing needs of our customers and the world around us. Our unwavering commitment to delighting customers and “doing good” built The Good Guys into a brand that today is not only renowned for its outstanding customer service and community giving but is deeply valued and trusted by its customers and employees alike”.

The Good Guys CEO, Michael Ford commented, “This is a fantastic opportunity for The Good Guys. We will preserve the things that have made The Good Guys great, and by combining with JB Hi-Fi, we will have the scale and resources to grow the brand and realise its full potential. I’m excited to be leading The Good Guys into this next phase of growth. The future for The Good Guys has never looked brighter and I have enormous confidence in our collective success”.

Media enquiries:
Nerida Mossop (03) 9600 1979 or 0437 361 433

At yesterday’s launch at The Good Guys Caringbah the Minister for Environment, Mark Speakman, announced the Home Energy Action Appliance Program and called on eligible households to replace their old money-wasting fridges and TVs with selected new energy efficient models.

The program provides financial support to the tune of a 40% subsidy for fridges and a 50% subsidy for TVs on offer.

The Good Guys has been chosen as the program’s delivery partner and will be responsible for managing all public enquiries, assessing customer suitability/eligibility, assisting customers with the application process, referring discretionary customers to engagement partners for assessment and managing the sale, delivery and installation of new products as well as the removal of old products.

“When we first heard about the NSW Government’s plans for a Home Energy Action Appliance Program, to assist low income households through an appliance replacement incentive, we knew it was something that The Good Guys needed to get involved with”, The Good Guys CEO, Michael Ford, said.

“We take corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability very seriously and this program fittingly covers both areas,” he said.

One of The Good Guys’ key objectives is to support those in the community who need it most through initiatives, actions and partnerships that have a positive, ongoing and sustainable impact.

“For a number of years now we have worked closely with many of the program’s engagement partners, including Good Shepherd Microfinance, to provide people on low incomes with fair and affordable access to household appliances,” Mr Ford said.

The Home Energy Action Appliance Program is a natural extension of what we have been doing, so we’re very excited to be the chosen delivery partner,” he added.

Minister Speakman said that replacing inefficient appliances is one of the easiest ways to reduce energy bill stress.

“We’ve cut high upfront costs to bring quality and efficient appliances in reach of households who are vulnerable to rising energy costs, including community housing tenants, renters, single parent families and pensioners. These households will see an average of $140 dollars saved on their energy bills each year,” Minister Speakman said.

“This could result in approximately 11,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided per year, the equivalent of taking more than 2,800 cars off the road,” he added.

The NSW Government is also working with leading community service organisations including Anglicare, Baptist Care, Kempsey Neighbourhood Centre, Kildonan Uniting Care, Metro Assist, Northern Rivers Community Gateway and Good Shepherd Microfinance to ensure their energy hardship clients can easily access the offer, particularly those most in need across regional and remote NSW.

The project is part of the Government’s $26.8 million Home Energy Action program, which provides energy efficiency improvements to low-income households across the state. The project will also contribute towards the Government’s Energy Efficiency Action Plan goal to save 16,000 gigawatt hours of energy a year by 2020.

Eligible households must:

• Be a NSW resident
• Hold either a valid Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or Low Income Health Care Card from Centrelink or a Gold Card from Veterans’ Affairs
• Own a suitable existing fridge six years or older or a plasma or cathode ray tube (CRT) TV to replace.

Eligible households can apply by visiting

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/households/appliance-replacement-offer.htm

The offer is available while stocks last.

The Executive of the Year Awards acknowledge the efforts of business leaders, both new and veteran, and reward those who made notable difference in the corporate world during the 2015/16 financial year.

Michael Ford, who took out the title of Retail Executive of the Year in 2015, will see if he can repeat his performance at the awards ceremony on 24 November.

Michael has been recognised for his outstanding leadership of The Good Guys during the biggest transition in the company’s history to date. Michael has successfully steered The Good Guys through corporatisation, with deliberate and transparent leadership, while continuing to deliver earnings growth, driving an aggressive innovation agenda, and architecting a more exciting tomorrow for the brand.

This is the first year that Robert Ambler-Frazer and Carl Gadini have featured in the Executive of the Year Awards, in the categories of Marketing Executive of the Year and CIO of the Year respectively.

Robert has been recognised for his innovative approach to transforming the customer relationship and facilitating some of most successful marketing programmes in the industry, while Carl’s ability to translate business requirements into effective technical solutions, and drive a continuous IT improvement strategy to ensure The Good Guys remains at the cutting edge, has consolidated his leadership position in the industry

A total of 102 finalists have been announced across 24 categories.

Chris Dutton, CEO and Co-Founder of The CEO Magazine, said “We are continuously impressed with the high-calibre and quality of entrants the Executive of the Year Awards attracts. And we are proud and honoured to highlight these individuals for their contributions in their respective categories.”

The award, which recognises excellence in delivering superior customer experiences across physical and digital channels, was announced at a ceremony in Melbourne this morning.

“We’re delighted that our multichannel strategy continues to be recognised as one of the best in Australia,” commented Michael Ford, The Good Guys’ CEO.

“Our teams work very hard to ensure that our customers have a fantastic experience, regardless of whether they buy online or offline.”

“Our strategy which is centred on customer relationships, that often begin with researching online and continue post-purchase, has been designed to anticipate the changing needs of customers and deliver a fully connected, customised and unified experience across all channels, while creating a lasting and continuous conversation with customers rather than a set of one-off, one-way transactions,” he said.

The Good Guys has embraced a customer-centric total retail approach and invested accordingly in an effort to deliver a superior customer experience across all channels.

“Many of our customers begin their shopping experience with us online,” continued Ford, “but then come into a store to make their actual purchase. We want to ensure they have a totally connected experience with us, regardless of what device they’re using to shop, or whether they’re doing it online or in person.”

The Good Guys aims to build a strong understanding of customers at every stage of their shopping journey, from when they are first browsing, through their transaction and after their purchase.

“We combine consumer insights through customer surveys with sales data to provide us with valuable insights into viewing and shopping habits and customer satisfaction. These insights then allow us to better anticipate the changing needs of our customers and make agile developments to our online platform according to how customers behave,” Mr Ford said.

Key to The Good Guys’ multichannel success is the stability of its eCommerce platform, the accuracy of its perpetual inventory, the strength of its content in providing customers with everything they need to make an informed buying decision, the seamlessness of the user experience, the effectiveness of its integrated marketing program and the company’s ability to make agile developments.

Lakeland is known and loved throughout the UK for its innovative and creative kitchenware products and operates a hugely successful, multi-national network across the UK, India and the Middle East as well as distributing to millions of customers worldwide.

The Good Guys CEO, Michael Ford, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Lakeland to bring this exciting and innovative brand to Australian customers. It is the perfect complement to our extensive offering that provides ‘Everything for the Cook’, from kitchen design and cabinetry to appliances and kitchenware.”

“Lakeland is an incredibly loved brand in the UK and it won’t take long for Australian consumers to discover why. When you combine the product quality with the price and their customer service I think they bring something new and very special to the Australian market,” he said.

The Good Guys will be responsible for managing Lakeland’s Australian operations. The partnership will begin with Lakeland stores-within-stores at The Good Guys starting in 12 locations in 2016 with plans to expand nationally over the next two years and the first Stand-alone Lakeland store is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2017.

Lakeland’s Managing Director, Sam Rayner, believes there is tremendous opportunity for the Lakeland brand in Australia.

“Our innovative, quality kitchenware ranges align perfectly with Australia’s foodie culture and passion for cooking and baking so we’re confident that our products will prove very popular with Australian consumers,” Sam said.

Marketing and International Development Director, Tony Preedy added, “We are very selective with the markets we choose to enter and Australia’s no different. We’re delighted to make Lakeland’s products available to Australian consumers and are extremely pleased to have selected iconic Australian retailer, The Good Guys as our local partner.”

The Lakeland partnership forms part of The Good Guys growth strategy and adds a whole new dimension to the retailer’s offering.

“We have been refining our kitchenware product range over the past nine months and the addition of Lakeland will provide us with a unique solution for kitchenware that puts us well ahead of our competitors,” Michael added.

The Lakeland range has over 4,000 products from quality kitchen utensils and storage containers to vegetable spiralizers and anti-gravity pouring cake kits. The company is renowned for finding innovative products that make life easier for customers and then putting them through a rigorous selection and testing process to ensure they meet the brands high standards.

Working with Airtasker, The Good Guys provisioned a new installation platform that leverages The Good Guys’ existing national installer network but is much more customer-centric.

The new platform which streamlines The Good Guys installation operations also allows The Good Guys to better manage its contractor network to the highest standards while delivering higher levels of customer satisfaction.

Customers are now directly connected to the full network of The Good Guys’ experienced installers and are able to track and coordinate their service at the click of a button, manage variations to their job, access any required certificates once the job is complete and rate their experience.

The solution, which rolled out across The Good Guys store network in June 2016, also streamlines payments for installers and generates full reporting dashboards to give installers access to all of the information they need, whenever they need it.

“We are always looking for ways to innovate in terms of the post-purchase experience and partnering with Airtasker to develop this booking portal for our Concierge Home Installation Services has provided us with a unique solution that puts us well ahead of our competitors and makes coordinating services easier and more hassle free for our customers, more efficient for our installer network, and more cost effective for The Good Guys,” said The Good Guys Chief Marketing Officer, Robert Ambler-Frazer.

“We have an existing network of approximately 400 installers. They now have access to more jobs from more stores and our customers have access to more installation services and more choice in terms of installers and contractors. Plus, customers have an opportunity to rate their experience and leave feedback for the installer. This assists with quality assurance and maintaining the high level of service satisfaction that our customers have come to expect from The Good Guys,” he said.

“What we’re seeing in the retail marketplace is that businesses are wanting to improve their offering and find ways of distinguishing themselves, especially in terms of the post-purchase experience. There has been a major shift towards loyalty and customer retention and there is now technology available to really innovate in this space,” said Airtasker Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Lui.

“The agile digital solution we have created with The Good Guys is an Australian first and will revolutionise their installation services by streamlining the process, enabling fast, accurate bookings with seamless contact between customers and installers,” he said.

“The Good Guys is really leading the way in terms of post-purchase customer experience and it is great to see them thinking ahead of the curve and embracing this innovation,” he concluded.

“As we transition through corporatisation, we are promoting and recruiting new leaders at a pace we have never seen before so in order to ensure The Good Guys way into the future it is critical that we set our store leaders and teams up for success,” The Good Guys Chief People Officer, Jaime Ehrhardt, said.

“To do this we have overhauled learning and development at The Good Guys and invested heavily to turn induction on its head; moving away from the traditional training methods, which primarily focus on technical skills and processes, to advanced leadership development which focuses more on experiential learning, high pressure test situations and exaggerated practice.”

“Through Ignite we communicate culture, enthusiasm and the vision of ‘great’. We recognise that so many fundamental leadership skills can only be learnt by ‘doing’ so we utilise experiential activities in all of our workshops,” she said.

The Good Guys has also invested heavily in building a state of the art Leadership and Learning Centre, located near its Support Centre in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, to provide an innovative space that fosters learning and promotes creativity.

“I believe our Leadership and Learning Centre is one of the most innovative learning spaces that exists in Australia, if not the world!”

“We completed a worldwide benchmarking process and looked at best-in-class standards around the word to develop this incredible multipurpose space that has many different zones where development takes place by creating learning moments.” Ehrhardt said.

The Leadership and Learning Centre was designed to allow The Good Guys to create experiential programs that leverage live environments like a mock store, point of sale & Concierge desk and fully functioning test kitchens, but it also includes workshop spaces of varying sizes, auditorium seating, a chill out zone and an outdoor inspired café area to nurture creativity, collaboration and innovation.

“Our vision is to develop and deliver a number of innovative programs for our employees at the Leadership and Learning Centre such as a Sales Floor Leader and C.R.E.A.T.E. Academy, VM Academy, Cooking Academy, Strengths workshops and of course leadership development programs. We have many exciting projects in the pipeline!” Jaime added.

“We have made this investment to future proof our business, build our talent bench and strengthen our employee value proposition. We are committed to being a true learning organisation where our employees are provided with opportunities to learn, grow and develop and are encouraged to learn organically and on an ongoing basis in order to deliver remarkable results and become the best versions of themselves” she concluded.

Vahe joins The Good Guys with over eight years of senior retail management experience in the field of consumer electronics, during which time he has been recognised on numerous occasions for his customer service and retail management skills.

The Good Guys CEO, Michael Ford, said Chirnside Park is a dynamic, growing community which The Good Guys has been looking to expand into for quite some time, and under the leadership of Vahe, he expects the store to thrive.

“Vahe is a disciplined, loyal and humble team leader who prides himself on running successful stores and building strong, agile teams,” said Mr Ford.

“At The Good Guys, we have a real focus on creating the most knowledgeable, friendly and approachable teams, and we believe our team at Chirnside Park will do that and more,” continued Mr Ford.

The Chirnside Park location is one of many stores that The Good Guys is looking to open in the next few years to better service its new and existing customer base.

“Finding ways to generate growth is always a challenge for retailers. We are constantly looking for opportunities to innovate and invest in our store network, our online channels and our customer experience, and store expansion presents a real growth opportunity for our business,” said Mr Ford.

As with its other 100 stores, The Good Guys Chirnside Park will stock the biggest brands and offer an extensive range of products across the key categories of fridges and freezers, kitchen appliances, kitchenware and cooking, laundry, vacuums, coffee machines, personal care, heating and air conditioning, TVs, computers, tablets and other technology products.

“It is a very exciting time for our business where growth and opportunity is infinite,” concluded Mr Ford.

The Good Guys Chirnside Park is located at Shop 11, 282 Maroondah Highway, Chirnside Park VIC 3116.

The Good Guys supplied all of the kitchen appliances for the training kitchen, the washers and dryers for the laundry facility as well as products such as MP3 players, laptops and TVs to help make the Living Room a place of social and personal development, conversation and comfort.

“Doing Good in the communities in which we operate is an important part of what it means to be a Good Guy,” said The Good Guys CEO Michael Ford.

“One of our key objectives is to support Australia’s most vulnerable through initiatives, actions and organisations that have a positive, ongoing and sustainable impact on people in the community who need it most and we are delighted to be part of a group of businesses that have joined together to donate products and services to create this amazing facility”, he said.

Youth Projects’ Chair Melanie Raymond said the Living Room will provide facilities and services that Melbourne’s growing homeless population have said make the most difference to them, from a simple shower to laundry facilities, secure storage for their belongings and vital physical and mental health care.

“Melbourne’s homeless are missing out on everyday life experiences and amenities that we all take for granted. The relaunch of Youth Projects’ Living Room will give the homeless access to healthy food, showers, laundry services, GPs and nurses, podiatrists and mental health services, and a new life skills centre to boost the transition from homelessness into housing,” Melanie said.

Melanie said the Living Room, which has been operating for 15 years, had become run-down and lacked the space to accommodate the vast amount of people who need help.

“We have had to facilitate over 8,500 episodes of care for Melbourne’s homeless in the past 12 months, an increase from 6,000 las year, and have struggled to provide this care with limited resources and run-down facilities,” she added.

The redeveloped Living Room features a training kitchen for clients to learn to prepare healthy food, free medical services including regular GPs, podiatrists, a midwife and night nurses, new bathroom and laundry facilities for regular showers and clean clothes, access to computers, lockers for the homeless to store their belongings and safe living spaces for art therapy, relaxing and talking and employment and training pathways.

Having worked closely with Orange Sky Laundry, the world’s first mobile laundry for the homeless, over the past year The Good Guys is keenly aware that the number of Australians who are homeless or sleeping rough continues to rise and breaking the cycle of homelessness is an ongoing challenge that Australian businesses can’t shy away from.

“The problem is complex, and one that the team at Youth Projects tackles head on every day of the week, every week of the year. The pressure on organisations like theirs just keeps getting greater, and their unwavering determination to help those in need is simply inspirational,” Mr Ford said.

“We hope that what we have helped to create with this redeveloped centre can deliver hope, direction, support and joy to everyone who makes use of it,” he concluded.

The Good Guys partnered with Hickory Constructions and Elenberg Fraser on the project which was valued at $500,000.

Working with IBM, the Good Guys provisioned a new B2B digital solution that will make it easier for its business customers to source quotes, place orders, process payments and monitor transactions through a single online portal.

The solution, which went live in April 2016, is designed to service The Good Guys’ B2B customers and purchasing agents across Australia. The solution replaces a manual, resource intensive quote sourcing and purchasing process. Using the new online portal B2B customers are able to self-serve and streamline processes by sourcing live quotes and making real-time purchasing decisions. Providing additional personalisation, the portal is customised to allow each client to have their own unique sign in and pricing structure on the products of their choice.

“There was a real need in the market for a solution to allow The Good Guys clients to transact with the brand in a fast, efficient and satisfying manner,” said Donald Furber, General Manager – Commercial Sales, The Good Guys. ”

“We anticipate around 85 percent of our clientele will use the new digital solution in their business to automate lengthy procurement processes and retrieve live pricing to better service their business needs in a more efficient and effective way,” he said.

The launch of the new B2B digital portal follows on from the success of the consolidation of The Good Guys B2C website for usability across mobile, tablet and desktop in December 2014. The consumer digital solution is underpinned by the IBM WebSphere Commerce platform and is fully responsive for the end user’s device. This consolidation of the B2C platform, along with the continuous addition of new services and functions to the B2C site, have resulted in significant year on year online growth.

“The added advantage of implementing the digital portal on one platform, is we now have one system in place to service both our B2B and B2C needs, reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and creating more efficiencies in our internal systems and processes. The solution will assist in creating an even more unique selling proposition in our sector, as well as offering one of the fastest transacting, customisable solutions available to all our customers,” continued Furber.

“What we’re seeing in the B2B marketplace is that businesses are wanting to have the same convenience and intuitive experience when they transact with brands online as they do in their consumer lives. The connected consumer is really driving this change in the business world,” said John Mullins, General Manager, IBM Commerce Australia and New Zealand.

“The agile digital solution will allow The Good Guys to offer their customers a secure and robust platform to streamline arduous procurement processes and make it easier for them to transact with the brand,” he concluded.

According to The Good Guys Territory Executive Manager, Michael Lambert, the pop up location is all about being able to start servicing customers in the Nowra community again.

“When we closed our Central Avenue store earlier this year we always planned to re-open as quickly as possible but we also wanted to find the right location. While we are still working on securing the best location for a permanent store we have been able to secure a temporary location to service our valuable customers through a pop-up store.”

“While the pop up store is smaller than the average The Good Guys store, and will therefore stock a more limited range, our customers will have access to all the products and services they have always been able to get at The Good Guys,” Mr Lambert said.

The previous Nowra store closed temporarily in February following the end of its lease in Central Avenue and throughout the closure period The Good Guys has remained committed to the Nowra community and its team members.

All 22 staff members have remained employed and many of them have been supporting the local community through volunteering activities at various organisations.

Helen Bennett, an employee at The Good Guys Nowra for more than eleven and a half years, has been volunteering at Noah’s Arc, a not for profit children’s charity, since the beginning of February as part of the store’s scheduled activity program.

“Everyone at Noah’s Act is always very appreciative of the work we do and it has been a pleasure to help make a difference each week to such a deserving organisation.”

“The staff at Noah’s Arc are always very supportive of our store and I’m really happy that The Good Guys has allowed us to dedicate a significant amount of hours to a worthwhile cause,” said Helen.

Helen, along with one of her fellow The Good Guys team members, helped with data entry, fundraising and event organisation while at Noah’s Arc, which was just one of the local community groups that The Good Guys Nowra helped over the transition period.

The Good Guys also continued to provide financial support to Hope Centre Food Barn, the store’s local cause partner, and had team members actively involved in various projects onsite with them as well.

The Good Guys Nowra pop up store will be in operation from late June/early July at Nowra House and Home Centre, 28 Central Avenue, South Nowra.

For media enquiries, please contact Jodie Carlson on 0409 244 365 or Jodie.carlson@ppr.com.au

The Good Guys is an iconic brand and leading Australian specialty retailer of household appliances and consumer electronics products. With annual sales of approximately $2 billion, it has leading market positions in multiple categories including white goods, cooking, small kitchen appliances and home entertainment.

The Good Guys operates 100 large-format stores across metropolitan and regional Australia, supported by an advanced e-commerce platform that forms the foundation for its industry leading multi-channel sales strategy. Transition to 100% ownership of the store network is proceeding well and remains on track for completion at the end of the current financial year.

The Good Guys is recognised for its customer service and is one of Australia’s most admired and successful retailers. This position is underpinned by its best-in-class staff engagement, learning and development, and is reinforced with its recent investment in The Good Guys purpose-built Training Academy and program.

For media enquiries, please contact: Nerida Mossop on 03 9600 1979 or 0437 361 433.

“Those in our community that sleep rough each night often go without essential services that many of us take for granted. The lack of these basic necessities is particularly felt during the cold winter months which is why we want to help make sure they at least have access to clean, dry clothes,” The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, said.

“Orange Sky Laundry is such an incredible initiative which is already having a profound impact in the community. In just 18 months of operation they have washed a staggering 122,000kg of laundry and have facilitated over 30,000 hours of genuine and non-judgmental conversations. As a national partner, we are passionate about helping Orange Sky Laundry to expand their service even further.”

“Every $6 we donate to Orange Sky Laundry enables them to do another load of washing so we are aiming to fund over 800 additional loads of washing for people living without a home this winter,” Andrew explained.

Since inception, Orange Sky Laundry has grown from one Brisbane based service to nine mobile vans operating across sixty-two locations in six states throughout Australia.

Founded by 2016 Young Australians of the Year, Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, Orange Sky Laundry is a grassroots program which provides facilities for homeless people to wash and dry their belongings, helping to raise health standards and restore respect.

Not only does Orange Sky Laundry complete more than five and a half tonnes of washing each week, they also facilitate conversations and provide valuable company for those most vulnerable in the community.

“We value our collaborative partnerships with not-for-profit organisations such as Orange Sky Laundry which allow us to contribute to society in a very real and meaningful way by addressing important social challenges.”

“We look forward to continuing to work with Orange Sky Laundry and the local community to ensure the 105,000 Australians sleeping homeless every night have clean, dry clothes,” said Andrew.

From Monday 23 May, The Good Guys will also offer other community groups and charities across the country the chance to receive a new dryer to help them get through this winter through its Dryers for Communities initiative.

“The Good Guys is passionate about strengthening the communities in which we operate by partnering with local community organisations that provide essential support to those in the community who need it most,” Andrew concluded.

The Good Guys is one of very few Australian companies to receive the accolade in consecutive years.

The Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards were introduced in 2015 to recognise and celebrate companies that truly understand their consumer’s needs and deliver excellent service.

The Good Guys Chief Executive Officer, Michael Ford, said he is extremely humbled by the accolade.

“Our customers are the driving force behind our business and the fact that we’ve been recognised not once, but twice, is something we are truly proud of,” Mr. Ford said.

“The retail industry is changing at an increasingly fast pace and the power has shifted from the retailer to the customer,” said Mr Ford. “In order to stay relevant and top of mind to our customers, we strive to consistently review and update our approach to customer service. This means we can be agile in an environment where our customers’ needs are constantly changing.

Mr Ford believes that winning the Reader’s Digest Quality Service Award again in 2016 is a real credit to his team and it further strengthens The Good Guys’ belief that its commitment to delivering exceptional customer service is both noticed and appreciated by Australians.

“Strengthening our relationships with our customers is at the heart of everything that we do here at The Good Guys and ensuring we not only deliver but exceed customer expectations will always be a key focus for the business.”

The Good Guys came out on top over competitors including Bing Lee, Betta Electrical and Harvey Norman.

With one in 200 Australians homeless on any given night and ACT having the second highest rate of homelessness in Australia, the service is an important part of helping over 1,700 people in need in the nation’s capital.

Founded by the 2016 Young Australians of the Year, Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, Orange Sky Laundry aims to restore respect and reduce strain on resources. Via a growing team of 530+ volunteers, the service is washing and drying an average of 4,500 kilos of belongings every week around Australia for those who are homeless or sleeping rough.

Recognised as the market leader, The Good Guys has the number one market share and preference to shop for large and small appliances, and the highest Net Promoter Score in the industry.

“Never before have people doing it tough in Canberra been able to wash and dry their clothes for free and we are incredibly excited to bring Orange Sky Laundry to the ACT,” said Nicholas.

The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, is delighted to see another Orange Sky Laundry van on the road to help support Australia’s most vulnerable.

“Nicholas and Lucas, and their team around the nation, truly personify what it means to be good guys, and our three stores in Canberra can’t wait to get involved with the van at a local level” he said.

“Doing Good and our relationship with our cause partners is very important to us, so it’s great to see other partners like Beyond Bank supporting the boys in their plans to expand across Australia, strengthening local communities wherever they go” Mr Muir concluded.

“Beyond Bank is thrilled to help bring Orange Sky Laundry to Canberra and donations to this great cause can be made at any branch,” said Peter Rutter, GM Community Development at Beyond Bank.

The expansion of Orange Sky Laundry to the ACT follows the success of the launch on the Sunshine Coast earlier this month and the now well established services in Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne CBD, Adelaide, Sunshine Coast and South East Victoria.

More locations are on the agenda, with an Orange Sky Laundry van planned for the Northern Territory later this year.

The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, commented, “This is the next logical step in the evolution and growth of The Good Guys. Over the past five years we’ve moved toward a more centralised and corporatised business model to remove the constraints to the growth of our business. We are now ideally placed to pursue our growth plans and a new ownership structure will provide greater access to capital and new opportunities”.

The Good Guys is one of Australia’s largest and most admired household appliance and consumer electronics retailers, with annual sales of approximately $2 billion and over 4,000 employees. The Good Guys currently operates 100 stores across metropolitan and regional Australia, as well as an eCommerce website and eBay outlet store.

The Good Guys has been operating in Australia since 1952 and has grown to become one of Australia’s most successful and respected retail brands renowned for its low prices, robust range of leading appliance brands, stock availability, convenient locations, outstanding customer service and community giving.

Recognised as the market leader, The Good Guys has the number one market share and preference to shop for large and small appliances, and the highest Net Promoter Score in the industry.

For media enquiries, please contact: Nerida Mossop on 03 9600 1979 or 0437 361 433.

The Good Guys, as Orange Sky Laundry’s National Partner, has co-funded the van with RACV Salary Solutions.

The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, is delighted to see another Orange Sky Laundry van on the road to help those in the community who need it the most.

“Nicholas and Lucas, and their team, truly personify what it means to be good guys, and our five stores in Adelaide are all eager to get involved with the van on a more local level.”

“We’re thrilled to be joining them on the next phase of the Orange Sky journey in what The Good Guys sees as a truly collaborative partnership with a visionary team,” finished Mr Muir.

The Good Guys established a national partnership with Orange Sky Laundry in late 2015. Through their local giving program, The Good Guys is supporting Nicholas and Lucas in their goal to expand all over the country, setting up their free mobile laundry vans in a growing number of locations where Australia’s most vulnerable need their help.

RACV Salary Solutions has provided a $40,000 grant for the Adelaide van under the RACV Good Citizen Program, which aims to support not-for-profit projects that benefit the communities in which RACV operates.

“We’re pleased to support Orange Sky Laundry in its endeavour to provide fresh, clean clothes to help homeless people to gain self-dignity and to raise their health standards” said RACV Salary Solutions General Manager, Mark Geraghty.

“There are more than 6,000 homeless people in South Australia, with an estimated 180 sleeping rough in Adelaide alone so initiatives such as Orange Sky Laundry can help many of these people to feel part of their community and to gain fresh opportunities ” he said.

Founded by the 2016 Young Australians of the Year, Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, Orange Sky Laundry aims to restore respect and reduce strain on resources. Via a growing team of 450+ volunteers, the service is washing and drying an average of 3,500 kilos of belongings every week around Australia for those who are homeless or sleeping rough.

“Never before have people doing it tough in Adelaide been able to wash and dry their clothes for free and we are incredibly excited to bring Orange Sky Laundry to South Australia,” said Nicholas.

The expansion of Orange Sky Laundry to South Australia follows the success of last month’s launch in Perth and the now well-established services in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne CBD and South East Victoria. More locations are on the agenda, with an Orange Sky Laundry van planned for the Sunshine Coast, Canberra and the Northern Territory later this year.

Each van costs close to $100,000 to get on the road.

It is estimated that there are around 168 people sleeping rough in Perth every night, and 9,595 people classed as homeless across the state of Western Australia.

Founded by 20-year-old best mates and 2016 Young Australian of the Year Award recipients, Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, Orange Sky Laundry aims to raise health standards, restore respect and reduce strain on resources.

“Never before, have people doing it tough in Perth been able to wash and dry their clothes for free in a park and we are incredibly excited to bring Orange Sky Laundry to the West Coast,” Orange Sky Laundry co-founder, Nicholas Marchesi, said.

“We are looking for members of the local community to be involved in the operation of the Perth service and encourage interested volunteers to apply on the Orange Sky Laundry website.

“We couldn’t have got where we are without extremely generous donations and support from the likes of our Principal Partner, The Good Guys,” Nicholas said.

The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, is extremely excited about this new service to help support Australia’s homeless.

“Doing Good and our relationship with our cause partners is very important to us,” said Mr Muir.

The Good Guys principal partnership with Orange Sky Laundry has been in place since late 2015 and they have played a pivotal role in the fast national expansion of the service.

“Nicholas and Lucas, and their team around the nation, truly personify what it means to be good guys, and our 14 stores in WA can’t wait to get involved with the van on a more local level.”

“We’re thrilled to be joining Nicholas and Lucas on the next phase of the Orange Sky journey in what The Good Guys sees as a truly collaborative partnership with a visionary team,” finished Mr Muir.

The expansion of Orange Sky Laundry to Western Australia follows on from the success of the now well established services in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne CBD and South East Victoria.

Co-founder Lucas Patchett said that it’s not just about the laundry, it’s about the conversations.

“Orange Sky Laundry volunteers have fostered over 16,000 hours of positive and genuine conversations and these conversations are what can have the biggest impact to our friends on the street.

“Over a year ago we started this charity because we wanted to find a way to give back to the community and involve us and all of our mates. What really drives us is the opportunity to treat others how they want to be treated and restore that basic human right of clean clothes and conversations,” Lucas said.

“To be launching in WA is a tremendous achievement that we are really proud of.”

An Orange Sky Laundry van is planned for South Australia, Canberra and the Northern Territory later this year.

In this spirit, The Good Guys has launched a national awards program to recognise and celebrate Australia’s super kids and super schools.

In its inaugural year, The Good Guys Super Kid Awards program will recognise children aged 6 – 12 who have demonstrated their inner super hero strengths and capabilities, and will honour children whose super hero qualities have helped them to make a difference in their community by doing good.

The Awards will also acknowledge primary schools that have made an outstanding contribution to improving the wellbeing of children by implementing or executing programs that generate long term benefits.

The winners of the two Super Kid Award categories will each receive $10,000 to support their educational growth and development, while the winner of the Super School Award category will receive $10,000 to further develop their innovative program. Samsung tablets will also be awarded to 100 finalists in each of the two Super Kid Award categories.

As part of its commitment to helping improve the physical and mental wellbeing of children, The Good Guys launched a Super Hero Academy in September last year, which aims to empower children to discover their inner strengths and capabilities by taking on challenges in a fun and safe environment.

After watching more than 4,000 Super Hero cadets pass through 120 of the Super Hero Academy workshops, The Good Guys was inspired by the many unsung little super heroes and The Good Guys Super Kid Awards presents the opportunity to celebrate and recognise the good they do.

Nominations will be reviewed by an honorary selection panel including Andrew Muir, Chairman of The Good Guys and board member of The Good Foundation, as well as three independent panel members.

Full details can be found at www.superheroacademy.net.au. Nominations open 15 February 2016!

Childhood friends Nicholas and Lucas came up with the idea in 2014 when they fitted out an old van, nicknamed Sudsy, with a generator, water tanks and two large washing machines and dryers in Brisbane.

Now operating across the eastern seaboard of Australia, the Orange Sky Laundry service has washed over 53,000 kg of laundry in 2015 alone, as well as facilitated countless hours of conversations each week with those who need it the most.

Nic and Lucas’s achievements were recognised when they were announced the 2016 Young Australians of the Year, an honour that is granted to those aged 16 to 30 years old who have made an ongoing contribution to the Australian community and who are inspirational role models.

As Orange Sky Laundry’s principal partner, The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, said the award could not have gone to two more deserving members of the community.

“The Good Guys wholeheartedly congratulates Orange Sky Laundry co-founders, Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, on their Young Australian of the Year Award achievement,” Mr Muir said.

“When we heard about the charity that these two young guys had set up we were truly blown away by their vision to help homeless people across Australia by offering a free mobile laundry service, and we just couldn’t help but get involved and support their project.”

“The Good Guys is honoured to be Orange Sky Laundry’s Principal Partner and we couldn’t be prouder of Nicholas and Lucas on being presented this well-deserved, prestigious accolade,” he said.

Orange Sky Laundry now services multiple locations, in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney and South East Victoria, and washes more than 350 loads of washing each week. Further expansion is planned for Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory in 2016.

Orange Sky Laundry is a grassroots program that provides facilities that allow homeless people to wash and dry their belongings, helping to raise health standards and restore respect.

“We are passionate about strengthening the communities in which we operate by supporting charities that provide essential support to those in the community who need it most, and as a business that sells one in every three laundry products in Australia, partnering with Orange Sky Laundry was a perfect fit for our company,” Mr Muir said.

“Nicholas and Lucas have done a fantastic job of launching and expanding the service so quickly to multiple states across Australia. The work that they have done has already had a profound impact on the community and they really are deserving winners of an award that recognises outstanding and exceptional young Australians.”

The Orange Sky Laundry service operates in parks and drop in centres through custom-vans that are fitted with two industrial washers and dryers, operating with a goal to connect the local communities in which it operates.

The Young Australian of the Year Award considers personal, academic and professional achievements as well as demonstrated leadership, innovation and creativity, with the winners in each category showing an outstanding commitment to making the nation and the world a better place.

The Good Guys is a principal partner of Orange Sky Laundry nationally. Donations can be made online at www.orangeskylaundry.com.au or at any The Good Guys store.

“This year, in the spirit of our new Pay Less promises, we wanted to help our customers Pay Less by giving them the opportunity to skip the queues on Boxing Day and take advantage of Knockout deals before Christmas,” Geoff Reader, The Good Guys Chief Merchandise Officer, said.

In recent years Australia’s biggest retailers, including The Good Guys, have started their Boxing Day sales online as early as Christmas Eve, but this year The Good Guys has decided to respond to customer demand and start even earlier.

The move follows a trend by some of Britain’s biggest high street brands including Marks and Spencer, Argos, Gap, House of Fraser and Debenhams who started their Boxing Day sales last week.

“Boxing Day has always been the biggest shopping day of the year. Many of our customers who shop on Boxing Day are looking to upgrade an appliance and they hold out for the sales in order to snag a serious bargain,” Mr Reader said.

The Good Guys launched its Knockout sale today in-store and online offering customers huge discounts off both wish list items as well as the traditional household essentials that are always popular on Boxing Day.

“We have a fantastic range of products on sale now, from blenders and fridges to washing machines and vacuums as well as laptops, cameras and Smart TVs, and we will have more fantastic savings starting on Boxing Day,” said Mr Reader.

“TVs are always incredibly popular on Boxing Day so we have slashed $396 off the price of a Hisense 58" UHD Smart TV which is now only $999. Coffee machines are also a hot property and the Nespresso Inissia Capsule Machine – Fuschia will be flying off the shelves at only $129, $79 after a $50 cashback.”

“The Nikon Coolpix s7000 Digital Camera has been drastically reduced by 47% and can be snapped up for only $158, while customers can save a cool $200 on a Samsung 458L Bottom Mount Refrigerator or a clean $300 on a stainless steel dishwasher, both now only $798.”

“Plus some of the hottest items this Christmas, including the Nutri Bullet and Gro Pro, have been reduced so we are expecting to see even greater demand of these wish list items,” he said.

To ensure customers feel confident that they got the best deal, The Good Guys has also removed blackout periods from its 30 Day Price Guarantee meaning that customers are protected against any price drops made The Good Guys competitors, including Harvey Norman and JB HiFi, during the Boxing Day sales. The Good Guys has also made it even easier for customers to make a 30 Day Price Guarantee claim by enabling them to claim online, without having to return to the store.

The Good Guys is expecting a strong week of trading followed by a ‘bumper’ Boxing Day and are expecting customers to come out in force to take advantage of the opportunity.

Under Michael’s leadership, The Good Guys has flourished in an industry that has undergone rapid transformation and change by identifying and utilising industry trends, investing in best-of-breed systems and infrastructure and adapting working practices to accommodate rapidly changing consumer needs.

Michael’s achievements were recently recognised when he was named Retail Executive of the Year at The CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Awards.

The prestigious Executive of the Year Awards are judged based on the business acumen of applicants, on their personal achievements, the contribution and differences they have made to the company where they work, financial highlights, and new initiatives that they have established.

During the 11 years that Michael has been the CEO of The Good Guys, he has not only managed to turn The Good Guys into the market leader for large and small appliances but has helped the retailer set the standard for both customer satisfaction and community giving.

Understanding customers and their behaviours both on and offline inspired Michael to change the way The Good Guys approached customer service. As a result, he built an innovative, world-class sales capability and culture to move The Good Guys from having transactional based contact with customers to a deeper relationship.

This approach has delivered increased customer satisfaction and improved business outcomes, and has helped to position The Good Guys as the retailer of choice for consumers with a net promoter score that is over 60 points stronger than the group’s major competitor as tracked by ongoing industry buyer feedback.

This exceptional gap on customer satisfaction directly correlates to the multitude of accolades The Good Guys has received for service excellence, which include the Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customers Award for five straight years (2011-2015) and the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Award for four straight years (2011-2014).

In the pursuit of Remarkable Retail, Michael Ford’s ‘fail fast to win big’ philosophy has created a lean and agile team at all levels willing to trial new initiatives, investing in those that succeed while jettisoning those that don’t.

He has already overhauled the group’s merchandise operations, inventory management and buying functions; secured an exclusive sourcing partnership with Dixons UK; and developed exclusive strategic partnerships with targeted suppliers such as Whirlpool.

He has also embraced a total retail approach, driving innovation in order to deliver customers a consistent brand experience across The Good Guys store network and online channels.

This innovation in total retail has been recognised not only in Australia, but also across Asia-Pacific with The Good Guys being named Multichannel Retailer of the Year at the 2015 Australian Retail Awards and being awarded the prestigious Retail Asia-Pacific Top 500 ‘Best of the Best’ Award for two consecutive years (2014 & 2015).

Michael has also ensured that The Good Guys has built on a solid reputation for Corporate Citizenship; overseeing the company’s involvement as the founding partner of Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food in Australia, as well as the expansion of The Good Guys Foundation, which has just entered into a principal partnership with Orange Sky Laundry; a not-for-profit local community service which will be rapidly expanding into many major cities in 2016.

Part of The Good Guys transformation journey to delivering Remarkable Retail has involved revitalising the company culture. Michael lives by the mantra “culture eats strategy for breakfast” and has worked tirelessly to ensure team members at all levels of the organisation are passionately engaged with the brand, while he himself has evolved his management approach, becoming more transparent and agile.

Through a new value proposition of Pay Less, Pay Less, The Good Guys continues to strive for remarkable. Michael has made it clear that delighting customers, engaging employees and continued profitable growth, are balanced priorities. Together, this has delivered increased customer satisfaction and improved business outcomes, positioning The Good Guys as one of Australia’s most admired and innovative retailers.

The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, along with the entire employee community want to acknowledge that Michael Ford has built a remarkable legacy at The Good Guys for which this most recent accolade is truly deserved.

As featured in the Australian Financial Review, December 4th, 2015.

The Good Guys, traditionally known for its whitegoods, has branched out into everything for the cook from kitchen design and cabinetry to kitchenware and utensils.

Offering product authority, value and superior customer service across all aspects of the kitchen, customers can create the ideal kitchen to suit their needs with style and practicality at everyday low prices.

The Good Guys kitchenware range includes Victorinox knives, time-saving food prep tools, crockery, cutlery, glasses, serving dishes, storage solutions, bakeware and quality cookware from Le Creuset, Tefal, Circulon, MasterClass and more.

The Good Guys is serious about customers feeling confident when they shop so all kitchenware products and appliances are covered by The Good Guys 30 day price guarantee, which ensures that every day of the year customers are protected against competitor price drops even after they have made their purchase at The Good Guys.

Passionate cooks are looking for inspiration so when they shop they are looking for high quality branded products with great appeal that will make their life easier, something that The Good Guys delivers and more.

The Good Guys is raising the game when it comes to customer service, offering a consultative shopping experience in-store and informative and helpful buying guides online to assist customers in finding the right solutions for their needs.

As founding partner of Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia The Good Guys is passionate about promoting good health and nutrition by helping to inspire people and get them excited about cooking.

The Good Guys full kitchenware range is available to purchase online at thegoodguys.com.au and in the event that a product needs to be returned, the returns process is simple. If a customer changes their mind about their kitchenware purchase they can simply return their product within 30 days by contacting The Good Guys friendly Customer Care team on 1300 466 348 for a replacement, exchange card or full refund or by visiting any of The Good Guys stores for an exchange card.

As featured in the Australian Financial Review, December 4th, 2015.

With less than 15% of The Good Guys transactions now made in cash and more than 60% of store customers researching products and prices on The Good Guys own website before buying, the internet has replaced the need to haggle for many customers.

Chief Marketing Officer, Robert Ambler-Frazer, said that while Pay Less, Pay Cash was very successful the time has come for a new tag line that is relevant for today’s increasingly millennial consumer.

“Brands have to evolve in line with changing consumer needs and that is what we have done at The Good Guys.”

“Pay Less, Pay Cash served the brand enormously well for many years when cash was the way a lot of people paid, but the internet has changed how people shop so we have been thinking about how we could communicate a strong, value based promise to consumers who start the shopping journey online.”

“Digitally empowered consumers expect to be able to shop for the products they want at the best price when, where and how they want. They have fingertip access to information wherever they are through mobile devices and are looking for a consistent experience with brands online and in-store,” he said.

The Good Guys wanted its brand promise to remain simple and true to what it has always been famous for.

“We know that price is still the most critical customer consideration when shopping for electrical appliances, so our key message is that we are the cheapest in the market, before and after you buy. How better to convey this than to simply repeat what is most important to our customers - PAY LESS,” Mr Ambler-Frazer said.

“PAY LESS, PAY LESS is intended to help our customers trust that they will PAY LESS before they buy and PAY LESS after they buy thanks to some simple PAY LESS promises.”

“These promises have existed for a long time at The Good Guys and for customers starting the shopping the journey online, there is no impact on our ability to continue to deliver these promises today. In fact adoption of online shopping means we have been able to make the PAY LESS after you buy promises easier for customers by enabling them to claim our 30 Day Price Guarantee online, without having to return to the store.”

“We have also strengthened our PAY LESS after you buy promises by removing blackout periods from our 30 Day Price Guarantee and adding in PAY LESS Paybacks in the form of PAY LESS eftpos cards,” he said.

The Good Guys 30 Day Price Guarantee, which is the best in the market*, ensures that every day of the year customers are protected against competitor price drops even after they have made their purchase.

“We are serious about our customers feeling confident when they shop with us and want them to know that we are dedicated to honouring our price guarantee. To date our 30 Day Price Guarantee paybacks have ranged from as little as $5 to as much as $1,171,” said Mr Ambler-Frazer.

Peter from Newport in Victoria recently made a claim when a 55” TV he had bought at The Good Guys went on sale at another retailer after he had made his purchase. “I was disappointed when I saw it cheaper in a competitor’s sale a few weeks later so I jumped onto The Good Guys website to see if they had price matched it. When I saw the 30 Day Price Guarantee I put in a claim and within two days I had received notification that my claim was successful. I was wrapped to get the payback and really happy with the turnaround time. Because I now know about the price guarantee it makes me more inclined to shop with The Good Guys again,” Peter said.

While The Good Guys has a new tag line, its new TV commercial still features a jingle to The Beach Boys song ‘Good Vibrations’, lots of dancers and in-store action and the quirkiness that The Good Guys has become famous for.

“We’ve got it all and a lot more. We wanted to stay a brand that was happy to laugh at itself and not take itself too seriously,” said Mr Ambler-Frazer.

“We have again brought back director Don Percy, who has filmed all our most iconic TV ads to inject a new level of energy into our TV message, while maintaining the humour and playfulness that the brand has become known for,” he concluded.

*Choice magazine article ‘How Low to they Go’ 24 September 2014 www.choice.com.au

The Good Guys PAY LESS promises are:

BEFORE YOU BUY

• Daily Price Checks - The Good Guys check competitors’ websites daily to ensure you PAY LESS.
• Bargain Buys - Bargain Buys are the best Australian prices online, checked every morning, so you PAY LESS.
• We always PRICE BEAT* - We will beat a major competitor’s advertised price if they are in stock today. Ask in store to PAY LESS.
• The Week’s BEST Deals - Every week we’ll bring you ‘As Advertised’ specials, available for a limited time, so you PAY LESS.

AFTER YOU BUY

• 30 Day Price Guarantee* - If you do find a lower advertised price within 30 days of your purchase, The Good Guys will happily Payback 120% of the difference. There are no exclusions periods and you can claim online any time! The 30 Day Price Guarantee covers all The Good Guys products every day of the year.
• The PAY LESS Card - Every week The Good Guys offer PAY LESS Paybacks in store or online. Look for the PAY LESS Payback icon to see how much you can claim in the form of a PAY LESS eftpos card.

*Competitors are all Australian based businesses and exclude eBay. See www.thegoodguys.com.au/ for full terms and conditions.

With one in 200 Australians homeless on any given night and more than approximately 350 rough sleepers in the City of Sydney alone, a service such as Orange Sky Laundry has never been more vital.

“We’re thrilled with the significant donations from the NSW Government and The Good Guys to help Orange Sky Laundry begin servicing the Sydney homeless community,” Orange Sky Laundry co-founder Nicholas Marchesi said.

Minister for Family and Community Services, Brad Hazzard said the NSW Government was pleased to partner with Orange Sky Laundry to establish essential services for rough sleepers in Sydney and the outer metropolitan area.

“The NSW Government is always looking for innovative solutions, and when we saw what Nicholas and Lucas have achieved in Brisbane and the Gold Coast with the mobile laundry service, we approached them about coming to Sydney,” Mr Hazzard said.

“The great thing about Orange Sky Laundry’s service is that as well as being free, it’s also mobile, meaning it can travel anywhere at any time, to the areas of most need.

“Wearing clean clothes is something most of us take for granted, but for someone who is homeless or a rough sleeper, access to a free laundry service makes a big difference.”

The Good Guys, known for its contribution within the community through its Doing Good initiatives, is pleased to support the new service.

“As a business that sells one out of every three laundry products in Australia, The Good Guys is proud to support this grassroots program that provides facilities that allow homeless people to wash and dry their belongings, helping to raise health standards and restore respect,” The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, said

“We are passionate about strengthening the communities in which we operate by supporting charities and community organisations that provide essential support to those in the community who need it most,” Mr Muir said.

The Good Guys are now principal partners of Orange Sky Laundry nationally alongside national travel partner Jetstar, who provides flights and accommodation to aid the charity’s expansion across Australia.

Orange Sky Laundry is Australia’s first mobile laundry service for the homeless. With primary goal to connect the community. A world first, started in Brisbane by two best mates, Orange Sky Laundry service parks and drop in centres in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, South East Victoria and now Sydney through their custom-vans fitted with two industrial washers and dryers.

Donations can be made online at orangeskylaundry.com.au or at any The Good Guys store.

Almost half of the 100 bricks and mortar stores that make up The Good Guys store network are currently corporately owned and managed. It is intended that the transition to corporate ownership would be during mid-2016.

Chairman of The Good Guys, Andrew Muir, said “The Joint Venture Model we established in the 1980’s was a first in Australia. I am very proud of what we have been able to achieve and build together and while it will always remain an important part of the company’s history, we need to move to a new structure that is more relevant for modern retailing and will better support our customers and future growth objectives,” said Mr Muir.

“The Australian retail environment has experienced enormous change. Today more than ever we need to be nimble and responsive so we anticipate and respond to the changing needs of our customers. We need to deliver a consistently remarkable retail experience for customers right across our entire network,” he said.

The Good Guys CEO, Michael Ford, said the new business model will support improved performance, reinvestment and growth, and create more opportunities for employees.

“Bringing our store network under common ownership will support the consistent rollout and execution of best practice across the entire The Good Guys network. It will enable profits to be reinvested back into the business, while the centralisation of support services will allow stores to have a singular focus on customers, brand and service delivery,” said Mr Ford.

“It will also create greater career and training opportunities for our employees which is very important to us as a business as we want to create a work environment that engages employees and provides them with challenges and opportunities,” he said.

Today’s announcement provides our business partners time for an orderly transition. While the business model may be changing, The Good Guys’ commitment to its customers and its communities will not change.

“We remain 100% committed to providing our customers with the best range of household electrical appliances at the most competitive prices, when and where they want to shop, while delivering our customers a consistent experience and superior customer service to ensure they are satisfied at every stage in their shopping journey,” Mr Muir said.

“We will continue to be a family-friendly business, operating with ‘family values,’ and ‘doing good’ in our local communities will always be a significant part of The Good Guys philosophy,” he concluded.

Startling statistics show that 1 in 200 Australians are homeless on any given night and Melbourne’s South East corridor has a homeless population of 22,800, of which 50% are under the age of 25.

Orange Sky Laundry co-founders Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett selected the location because it has been identified as one of the worst areas for homelessness in Melbourne.

“Over the past couple of weeks we trialed a van here and were inundated with people using the service, which solidified our desire to get a van operating in this area as quickly as possible,” Nicholas said.

The Good Guys, known for its contribution to communities around Australia through its Doing Good initiatives, has agreed to fund half of the new service.

“This extremely generous partnership with The Good Guys has allowed us to keep our dreams of expanding nationally by the end of 2015 alive,” Nicholas said.

“However The Good Guys’ contribution has only covered half the cost of getting this van up and running, so we still require further support from the community. Donations can be made online at orangeskylaundry.com.au or through any The Good Guy store,” he said.

The launch of the new van, which is the second in Melbourne and the fourth in Australia, coincides with World Homeless Day and the charity’s first birthday.

“A year ago we started this charity because homelessness is a growing issue in Australia and we wanted to make a difference. We thought that by providing facilities that would allow homeless people to wash and dry their belongings we could help raise health standards, restore respect and reduce the strain on community resources,” Lucas said.

“To be launching our fourth van after only one year is a tremendous achievement that we are really proud of and it is fitting that this Saturday is World Homeless Day because our service can now help more than 105,000 disadvantaged Australians.”

“We originally piloted the service last year in Brisbane to see if it would be used, and whether on a technical level it was even possible as this had never been done before. It proved an amazing success and as a result we wanted to expand as quickly as possible, to get more vans on the road,” he said.

Orange Sky Laundry’s custom fitted vans now service parks and drop in centres across Brisbane and Melbourne, and their wider communities.

Orange Sky Laundry is planning to launch a van in Sydney before Christmas and has every intention of a rapid expansion into other states in order to have vans operating across Australia.

From humble beginnings The Good Guys has become a household name and one of Australia’s leading retail brands. North Lakes is a credit to our history, a culmination of a simple but customer friendly environment and the salient feature this store represents is the progress The Good Guys has made over the years in store layout and merchandise presentation.

We remain dedicated to providing our customers with the best range of electrical appliances at the most competitive prices, when and where they want to shop and a balanced and integrated offering online coupled with our now 100 physical stores ensures The Good Guys is able to service customers 24/7 when and how they like,” said Mr Ford.

The Good Guys will continue to innovate and invest in both its store network and online channels in order to maintain its market leadership position.

“Over the past few years The Good Guys has rationalised store locations and standardised merchandise presentation in-store to provide customers with consistency when shopping at The Good Guys,” said Mr Ford.

“We will continue to invest and innovate in the way we go to market and in how our stores are presented; in our interactions with customers; and in how we manage our business processes and operations in order to anticipate the changing needs of consumers.”

“Our job as retainers is to add value to our customers, so across all our stores we retain a single minded focus on delivering an outstanding customer experience. In every interaction our team members try to marry our customer’s requirements with a total solution so that they not only get what they want and need, but also walk away having had an enjoyable shopping experience,” concluded Mr Ford.

In the recent Canstar Blue Awards, where The Good Guys was named Australia’s favourite electronics retailer for a fifth consecutive year, The Good Guys once again received five stars for product range and store layout – the only electrical retailer to do so.

The Good Guys store network now consists of 29 stores in New South Wales, 26 in Victoria, 21 in Queensland, 14 in Western Australia, 5 in South Australia, 3 in ACT and 1 each in Northern Territory and Tasmania.

Emilio said “I’m a Melbourne boy who spent my childhood growing up in this area, so I am really looking forward to getting back to my roots.”

“I have a fantastic team here at the Essendon store and am excited to work with such an enthusiastic and extremely motivated bunch of people,” said Emilio.

At The Good Guys Essendon customer service has always been the number one priority, proven recently by the retailer being named Australia’s favourite electronics retailer by consumer research company Canstar Blue for a fifth year in a row, as well as securing the coveted ABA 100 Winner for Service Excellence in The Australian Business Awards 2015.

“At The Good Guys Essendon we are committed to delighting our customers and doing good because, after all, this is what my team of good guys are all about.”

“I can’t wait to get to know the local faces and I encourage everyone to come in and say hello to me and the team,” Emilio concluded..

The Good Guys Essendon is located at Tenancy 20, Building 4, Homemaker Hub, Essendon Airport, and is open every day from 10am until 6pm, staying open later on Fridays until 8pm.

Store General Manager and local resident, Anthony Mills, is excited about running the store and becoming more involved in the North Lakes community.

“Opening The Good Guys North Lakes is something very close to home for me – literally! I have been a Redcliffe resident and lived locally for most of my life and can’t wait to work in, and with, the local community.

“I remember riding through the Mango Hill and North Lakes when it just a pine forest and Anzac Ave was just a single lane road – how things have changed since then!”.

“I have worked at The Good Guys for over 13 years, starting out at the Aspley store when there were only 5 stores in Queensland. That store then relocated to Carseldine and I eventually became the store manager there before getting this chance to run the new store in North Lakes which is an incredible opportunity. North Lakes will be the 20th The Good Guys store in Queensland and the 100th nationally,” Anthony said.

The team at The Good Guys North Lakes is looking forward to delivering customers with the high levels of customer service that The Good Guys has become known for.

“The team and I are passionate about providing our customers with the best range of household electrical appliances at the most competitive prices. Our mission every day will be to surprise and delight our customer by focusing on being the most knowledgeable, friendly and approachable team in the area,” he said.

Anthony, who already personally participates in the Redcliffe Jetty 2 Jetty, Brisbane City 2 South and Lakes College funs runs each year, is also looking forward to becoming more involved the North Lakes community and upholding The Good Guys community values.

“Doing good and making a difference in the local community is an integral part of what it means to be a Good Guy. Whether it be through sponsorships, donations or volunteerism, we’re always happy to help in any way we can and this new store in North Lakes will be no different.”

“We strongly believe in strengthening the communities in which we operate by supporting essential programs, services and projects at a grassroots level and over the coming weeks we will be looking to partner with a local charity to be a recipient of our Local Giving Program, which sees a percentage from each transaction donated back to local charities that make a difference right here and across Australia,” Anthony said.

The Good Guys North Lakes will offer customers an extensive range of products and the biggest brands including Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, LG, Bosch, SMEG, Miele, Electrolux, Westinghouse, Fisher and Paykel, Breville, Sunbeam, Nespresso, De’Longhi, Oliveri, Dyson, Fijitsu, Kenwood, Asus, Simpson, Philips, Chef, Hoover, Sharp, Dishlex, TCL, Hisense, Canon and Apple.

The Good Guys North Lakes is located at 111 North Lakes Drive.

Michael Ford, CEO of The Good Guys, says winning five years in a row and being only the third company to do so is an incredible achievement and extremely humbling.

“We are thrilled to be recognised by the people most important to us, our customers, for this award for a fifth straight year as it validates our approach of putting our customers first at all touch points.

Canstar Blue surveyed more than 1,600 shoppers across the country and found point of sale service to be the greatest driver of satisfaction at electronic stores (27 per cent), trumping value for money and price.

“Electronic retailing is experiencing an era of intense competition which many mistakenly believe to be all about price.

“While price is, and will always be, a key driver for consumers; it cannot succeed on its own. Consumers continue to place high value on factors such as in-store experience, range of product and point of sale support.

“We recognised a number of years ago the need to build a capability and culture at The Good Guys that puts the customer front and centre and, as such, we implemented a customer engagement model that focuses on building a relationship with the customer that extends far beyond the transaction,” said Mr Ford.

The Good Guys receive this accolade at a time when online retail spending has grown to $17.3 billion in the year to June 2015, equivalent to some 7.1% of traditional retail spending, according to National Australia Bank’s (NAB) Online Retail Sales Index. It has taken the overall year-on-year growth rate to 10%.

“While most of our customers start their shopping journey online, the majority are still coming into a store to make their purchase so delivering great customer service in-store remains paramount to customer satisfaction,” added Mr Ford.
Head of Canstar Blue, Megan Doyle, said consumers will vote with their feet if they don’t get great customer service in-store.

“Consumers still enjoy the benefits of face-to-face shopping, but store-front retailers need to be constantly on their toes, otherwise people will head to another store or go home to buy online, where competition is even fiercer. It’s never been more important for the retailers to get their customer service absolutely spot-on.”

“If they’re spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a new item, people want guidance from the experts and assurance that they’re making the best purchase decision for their needs. You can’t replicate that sort of customer service with a pop-up window on a website.”

“The Good Guys is clearly a firm favourite with Aussie consumers. Few brands have enjoyed the same consistent level of success, so it really is a fantastic achievement,” said Mrs Doyle.

The Good Guys was the only electronics retailer to receive a five star rating from Canstar Blue across the categories of value for money, price compared to others, point of sale service, product range, store layout and catalogue.

Taking The Good Guys’ ‘Doing Good’ initiative to a whole new level, The Good Guys Super Hero Academy aims to roll out close to 200 workshops across Australia in its first year, delivering the super hero experience to over 7,500 children.

The Good Guys Super Hero Academy has been created to teach positive lessons and character-building skills to children aged between 6 and 12 years, so that they can adopt them in their everyday lives and share them with their peers.

The Good Guys Foundation Chairman, Dale Roche stated, “The Good Guys is committed to ‘doing good’ in the local communities in which we operate, by helping to create healthier and happier communities – and what better way than by supporting the development of our younger generation.

"As a business, we started the journey of helping create happier and healthier communities when we partnered with Jamie Oliver to bring his Ministry of Food program to Australia in 2010 and the success of that program in contributing to healthier bodies has been far reaching and well documented” he said.

“Our partnership with Circus OZ to design and establish The Super Hero Academy is natural progression in our commitment to promoting good mental and physical health.

“This is part of a multi-year plan that will ultimately see The Good Guys Super Hero Academy visit every metropolitan and regional location around Australia where The Good Guys operates”, Dale concluded.

With the help of Circus Oz, The Good Guys Super Hero Academy uses circus as a forum to provide a fun, non-competitive and safe environment for children to explore their physical and personal capabilities, while developing their teamwork skills.

The workshops will take children through a specially designed course that will provide two hours of energetic, educational activities led by the Super Hero Academy Circus Oz trainers. Children will learn new skills such as mini-tramp and tumbling, acro-balance and human pyramids, as well as having a go at conquering the trapeze and aerial ring – like a true super hero!.

Each activity station will allow children to face different tasks and challenges such as overcoming anxiety and fear, accepting support from others, exercising patience and trust, as well as personal resilience. The workshops are designed to able to accommodate different levels of ability and experience.

Circus Oz Social Enterprise Director Del Robinson said, “When developing The Good Guys Super Hero Academy program, we wanted to create something that enabled each child to discover their inner super hero strengths and capabilities, allowing them to reach their goals and contribute to something extraordinary, while sharing in the joy of circus.

“The beauty of these workshops is that they are not solely focused on the physical capabilities. It is also how children participating in the workshops can learn about their inner qualities and support one another through each challenge. It is the first step in recognising what they are capable of and how they can draw on this experience in their everyday lives with their family and friends”, concluded Del.

The Super Hero Academy workshops are for children aged 6 to 12. Parents are encouraged to register their children early to secure a spot as all registrations must be complete prior to the workshop taking place. All locations and times are listed on The Good Guys Super Hero Academy website.

Whirlpool is the world’s leading global manufacturer of home appliances with 2014 sales exceeding $20 billion across its 170 operating countries. With Australia being a focus for growth over the forthcoming years, Whirlpool’s management team has acknowledged the benefits of partnering exclusively with Australia’s largest home appliance retailer.

From October 2015, The Good Guys will become the exclusive Australian stockist of Whirlpool’s kitchen, refrigeration and laundry appliances, while working closely with the brand to identify and develop new Australian-specific appliances relevant to consumer needs. The agreement does not include exclusivity for Whirlpool branded Crisp and Grill microwave products which will continue to be available in general retail distribution.

“Whirlpool recognises that in Australia The Good Guys is not only the number one home appliance retailer but also the awarded industry leader in customer engagement and customer service, so we are thrilled to be partnering with this iconic retail brand,” said Whirlpool General Manager Strategy, Marketing and Sales Australia, Harry van Dyk.

“We believe The Good Guys mirrors our values and goals of providing consumers with high-quality, state of the art technology and product, and this partnership will enable invaluable access to customer insights that will assist in further developing our Australian-specific product range and marketing propositions,” he said.

Both organisations view the strategic partnership as an opportunity to take the traditional supplier/retailer relationship to the next level, through a more collaborative approach to operational activities such as product selection and sourcing, assortment planning, forecasting, product road-mapping and service levels. However, it is the opportunity of a more focused customer product offering which has both brands committed to the new model.

“While brands are focused on influencing what shoppers buy, retailers are more interested in where they buy,” said The Good Guys Group General Manager Merchandise, Wayne Jennings. “It is when these two goals overlap that there is opportunity to collaborate and that is the spirit in which we are entering this partnership with Whirlpool.”

“We are acutely aware that success depends on gaining a deeper understanding of our consumers, well beyond what customers articulate or even recognise themselves,” said Mr Jennings.

“Working more closely with Whirlpool, in a meaningful partnership, to develop these insights from global experiences will not only translate into a competitive advantage for both businesses, but ultimately satisfy the needs of Australian consumers. The industry is at a point in its evolution where new business models and partnerships can and need to be created to provide greater efficiencies and long term viability.”

The Good Guys plans on developing more of these types of strategic alliances over the coming years.

The Australian Business Awards are a prestigious national awards program that identify and recognise Australia’s business, innovation and technology leaders from across all industries and sectors that demonstrate the core values of business excellence and commercial success.

The award for Service Excellence recognises organisations that have achieved outstanding results through initiatives that demonstrate leadership and commitment to service excellence. The Good Guys was selected for this award based on the successful implementation of their innovative customer engagement model.

People improvement is a new frontier of growth for The Good Guys which has a singular focus on customer service. As a result, The Good Guys has invested heavily in a customer-centric engagement model which is transforming the business from having transactional-based interactions to relationship-based interactions and has resulted in realising opportunities for increased customer satisfaction.

The award for Community Contribution recognises organisations that implement policies or execute projects that positively impact on the community and generate outcomes that have a long term benefit. The Good Guys was selected for this award based on its philanthropic leadership in establishing Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia.

‘Doing Good’ in the local community has always been part of The Good Guys’ DNA. In 2010, The Good Guys, together with The Good Foundation, established Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia because, as a business that sells one out of every three refrigerators in Australia, the company felt a sense of responsibility for what customers were putting in their fridges and wanted to make a positive impact on the growing issue of obesity in Australia.

The award for Employer of Choice recognises organisations that have developed leading workplaces that maximise the full potential of their workforce through practices that demonstrate effective employee recruitment, engagement and retention. The Good Guys was selected for this award based on the innovative programs implemented to foster employee engagement and create a remarkable workplace.

The Good Guys prides itself on its organisational culture and how the culture reflects in its interactions with customers, suppliers and business partners. The company counts on its team members to create a remarkable experience in all situations and as such has worked tirelessly to implement a performance management system and revitalise the company culture to ensure employees are passionately engaged and empowered to write themselves into The Good Guys’ story.

Viali is a good solution for Australian families looking to integrate stylish products or renovate on a budget, boasting modern style for less.

The Good Guys has purposely designed the Viali range to provide choice and long term consumer confidence in quality.

Geoff Reader, Chief Merchandise Officer at The Good Guys, said that Viali makes the ‘dream kitchen’ more attainable for everyday homes.

“Viali presents itself with the same high quality and professional image as the more premium brands we sell, but without the premium price tag.

“It really is the best of both worlds – well made, stylish appliances at a lower price point.

“Viali addresses a real gap in the appliance market, offering more choice to customers who are attracted to high-end cooking brands but cannot afford them or are more inclined to go for value over brand,” Reader said.

With dishwashers and built-in ovens in-store now, The Good Guys will be welcoming Viali cookware sets, range hoods and portable appliances in the back end of this year.

The Doing Good campaign will see all 99 The Good Guys stores accepting nominations for local community groups, families and individuals to receive a helping hand between Monday 24 August to Sunday 30 August 2015.

From the donation of a small appliance for a raffle to volunteerism by staff, The Good Guys is on the lookout for opportunities, big or small, to ‘do good’ during Doing Good Week.

The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, has long been involved in supporting local communities, and their gross roots programs, and has passed his passionate community centric values onto The Good Guys stores.

“Doing good and making a difference in the local community is an integral part of what it means to be a Good Guy. This is partly achieved through our Local Giving Program, which sees a percentage of every transaction in-store and online donated back to local community organisations,” said Mr Muir.

“But our community support goes far beyond just the Local Giving Program. We strongly believe in strengthening the communities in which we operate by supporting essential programs, services and projects at a grassroots level which is why many of our stores also support local sporting clubs, sponsor charity events and provide stock donations to schools and other local community groups throughout the year,” he said.

People across Australia are invited to nominate a local school, community group, charity, family or individual that they believe needs a helping hand and they could be selected to be a recipient of an act of doing good during The Good Guys Doing Good Week.

With seven nominations chosen to receive an act of doing good nationally, and an additional seven per store, The Good Guys is taking ‘Doing Good’ to a whole new level.

Nominations can be made in-store, at the admin counter, or via Facebook facebook.com/thegoodguysAU from Monday 13 July and Sunday 16 August 2015.

“We’re proud to have supported so many worthy charities and community organisations over the years and we are looking forward to further extending our support within the communities in which we operate during Doing Good Week,” Mr Muir said.

“We encourage all of our customers to come in or jump onto Facebook to help us celebrate this achievement and look forward to receiving some great nominations, big and small, in the lead up to Doing Good Week at the end of August.”

Groups are encouraged to work together and use their own social networks to work towards achieving an act of doing good for their organisation.

“Doing good is at the heart of everything we do at The Good Guys and we are committed to continuing our community support long into the future,” Mr Muir finished.

The new $20,000 threshold represents a significant increase on the now outdated $1,000 asset write off limit and will be available to all businesses with an annual turnover of under $2 million.

Michael Ford, CEO, The Good Guys said his business is expecting technology and appliances to be on the top of most small businesses pre-June 30 shopping lists in light of the Government’s announcement.

“Now more than ever, the benefits of small business operators upgrading or buying new items far outweigh the cost,” Mr Ford said.

“With a wealth of new technology recently hitting the market, we are anticipating increased sales in performance notebooks, Macs, multi-function printers, smart phones, monitors and 40” to 60” TVs as many small business owners seek to upgrade their connected home office.”

“In the lead-up to June 30, we also fully expect the traditional stocktake purchases to extend to reverse cycle air conditioners and equipment for office kitchens and tea rooms such as fully automated coffee machines, fridges, sandwich presses and microwaves,” said Mr Ford.

In his budget delivery, Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey encouraged small business operators to take advantage of the two year scheme stating “anything under $20,000 is immediately 100 percent tax deductible."

With the weakened Australia dollar and waning confidence in the economy, many small businesses have been running leaner and deferring purchases, or making do with old products in their workplace.

Mr Ford believes the 2015 Budget should alleviate a lot of the pent up demand for higher-end technology and appliances amongst small businesses.

“The Federal Government has laid the groundwork for small businesses to invest in themselves, so it’s a great time for them to ascertain what they can buy in this period to take full advantage of the tax benefit announced by the Federal Treasurer this week,” he said.

The Federal Government’s $1.75 billion small business scheme will run until 30 June, 2017.

The Good Guys started sponsoring The Block, Australia’s most successful home renovation reality television show, in February 2014 in an effort to drive awareness of The Good Guys Kitchens and lift its cooking profile

The Block sponsorship has not only helped The Good Guys to achieve double digit top line sales growth, increase market share and lift the average selling price of cooking appliances, but customer interest in kitchens has more than doubled.

Research conducted by The Good Guys during the latest series, Triple Threat, indicates that customers of cooking appliances who are aware of The Good Guys involvement with The Block are more favourable and loyal to The Good Guys brand.

Furthermore, a sponsorship effectiveness study conducted by Nine Lab has found:

• An increased awareness (more than 50%) by The Block viewers that The Good Guys provides brand new kitchens designed and built to order

• Approximately 40% of The Block viewers more likely to visit The Good Guys

• The Good Guys labelled in the top two sponsors of The Block for unprompted recall, surpassing some of the long-term sponsors

• The Good Guys labelled in the top two sponsors of The Block for unprompted recall, surpassing some of the long-term sponsors

• Over 30% of The Block viewers feel more positive about The Good Guys following its sponsorship of The Block

The Good Guys Chief Marketing Officer, Robert Ambler-Frazer said the successful partnership achieved the two main goals established at the beginning of the campaign - to increase brand awareness in a unique and engaging way and to educate consumers of The Good Guys’ kitchen design and installation offering.

“With the vast range of products available to promote, we wanted a property which allowed us to showcase as many products and services as possible in a way that was both functional and inspirational,” Robert Ambler-Frazer said.

“With its proven ratings success, The Block gave us the ability to promote our range of electrical appliances by showcasing suppliers’ brands in a creative and integrated way, that seemed natural and right at home to viewers,” Robert Ambler-Frazer continued.

“We worked closely with the Nine Network to deliver a series of bespoke branded properties that were assimilated into our marketing plan, creating a campaign that included innovative in-show integration to maximise contestant and audience engagement, supported by a national advertising, digital, social and PR program,” Robert Ambler-Frazer said.

During the most recent series of The Block, The Good Guys achieved another first working with the Nine Network to secure an exclusive segment that no sponsor of the show has done before - Kitchen Talk with Catriona Rowntree - which ran during The Block on Monday nights and was then amplified through digital and social channels.

A planned PR program ensured that The Good Guys expert tips also appeared online and in media publications to coincide with the relevant weekly room reveals.

“We worked with the show’s producers to establish tailored in-show segments including ‘The Bonus Room’ in The Block Fans vs. Faves followed by the ‘Jury Award’ in The Block Glasshouse and The Block Triple Threat, and from a commercial advertising perspective, Kitchen Talk, a 60 second spot that ran right out of the show airtime before any other commercials in the ad break.”

“These initiatives introduced by The Good Guys were a first for the show and have been well received by the Nine Network production team and contestants throughout each series,” Robert Ambler-Frazer said.

At the end of their third season, The Good Guys had consistent in-show branding exposure as well as verbal and visual references to supplier products featured in key rooms, kitchens and laundry and living spaces.

The title was received following a survey of more than 2,000 Australian consumers with The Good Guys customers recognising the retailer’s friendly staff who are “always on-hand to discuss product information, provide tips in an understandable manner and assist in the selection of the most appropriate products to suit individual needs and budget,” according to feedback.

The Good Guys Chief Executive Officer, Michael Ford, said it was a great honour to receive such positive recognition from the people who matter the most, the customers.

“Our customers are the driving force behind our operation and we remain focused on offering a premium level of customer service at all times,” Mr. Ford said.

“Our focus has been, and remains on, strengthening relationships with existing and potential customers, as well as continuing to invest in our team and our business to ensure the delivery of quality services and products at affordable prices, both in-store and online, every day,” Mr. Ford continued.

The Good Guys came out on top over other electrical appliance stores including Bing Lee, Betta Electrical, Dick Smith and Harvey Norman.

“Winning the inaugural Reader’s Digest Quality Service Award for Electrical Appliance Store means a great deal to our team,” Mr. Ford said, “Receiving this recognition strengthens our belief that our commitment to always deliver exceptional customer service is appreciated by customers.”

The 2015 Reader’s Digest Award continues the customer service accolades achieved by The Good Guys, having recently won the 2014 Asia Pacific Best of the Best Award, 2014 International Customer Service Professionals (ICSP) award, 2014 Canstar Blue Customer Service Award and, for the fourth year running, the 2014 Roy Morgan Award Customer Satisfaction Award.

The survey engages a sample of adults ranging from ages 18 and over with varying genders, regions and ages.

A passionate advocate for good food and nutrition The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, stated that the education system had been derelict in its duty and current education on nutrition was at best token.

“We must stop poor nutrition at the root cause. Importantly and urgently, we need to begin a completely new nutrition curriculum and standards in primary schools,” said Mr Muir. “It does cost money and it does take time and effort to run these types of programs, but the cost and strain on our health care system in the future, and the health of individuals in general, is of far greater importance.”

Over the next month, in the lead up to Food Revolution Day on 15 May, The Good Guys will place petitions in each of its 99 stores, with the aim of garnering the support of more than 200,000 Australians to put food education back on the school curriculum. Customers can also sign the petition by visiting www.change.org.

"Jamie’s petition is an important first step in getting the topic of food education seriously onto the agenda,” said Mr Muir. “As a country, we should want to be the best in the world at nutrition education and we need to make a stand and ‘inoculate’ future generations against diet-related disease.”

Instrumental in introducing Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food program to Australia in 2010, Muir believes that grass roots programs like Jamie’s Ministry of Food, Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Program and Jamie Oliver’s recently announced Learn Your Fruit and Veg program are good models because they help to empower and encourage positive lifelong change for better nutrition.

“These kinds of hands-on educations programs work and have proven to make a difference. This is a nation-wide issue and needs to be tackled head-on if we are going to achieve positive change.

“I call on all Australian businesses, communities and parents to get behind Jamie’s petition and show their support for compulsory food education as one united voice,” said Muir.

In March, The Good Guys celebrated five years as Founding Partner of Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia. Since its inception, Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia has taught over 19,000 people the health and happiness benefits of cooking from scratch.

As founding partner of Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia, The Good Guys is the key reason that today Australia has four Ministry of Food centres and two mobile kitchens inspiring and empowering Australians to get back into the kitchen and change the way they eat and think about food.

Since its inception in 2010, Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia has delivered classes to more than 20,000 people, teaching the health and happiness benefits of cooking from scratch.

The Good Guys has been a passionate advocate for food education and Chairman Andrew Muir says that grassroots programs such as Jamie’s Ministry are a good model.

“Grassroots programs like Jamie’s Ministry of Food not only empower and encourage individuals and communities to make positive changes but they also address the significant issue that new generations are having a shorter life expectancy than the previous – which is astounding,” he said.

“We wanted to bring Jamie’s Ministry of Food program to Australia because as a business that sells one out of every three refrigerators in Australia, we wanted to help customers make informed decisions about what they were putting in their fridge and wanted to make a positive impact on the growing issue of obesity in Australia.”

The long term health benefits of the program are now supported by scientific evidence in a Deakin University report released late last year which shows participants significantly increased their vegetable and fruit intake and their confidence to cook resulting in eating more meals at home and less takeaway.

“It is fantastic to see the impact that the program has already had in such a short period of time and I am really proud that The Good Guys has been able to be a part of this fight against obesity and help to build a happier and healthier Australia,” Mr Muir said.

However there is still a lot of work that needs to be done and The Good Guys acknowledges that while these are positive steps in addressing this growing issue at a local level, more grassroots nutrition education programs like Ministry of Food that actually work and make a difference are needed across the country.

“We have only just started this battle and we look forward to continuing working with the Jamie’s Ministry of Food team to expand the program into more areas over the coming years”, Mr Muir added.

The Good Guys strives to make a significant impact on the 98 communities in which it operates across Australia through its Local Giving Program which has seen more than $7 million donated to local charities and community organisations, like Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia, since 2006.

The Good Guys’ partnership with Miele is a strategic move by both companies to extend their reach and market share in the competitive Australian retail market.

The initial roll out in September 2014 involved ranging washing machines and dishwashers in 11 Victorian stores. This month, Miele’s presence in The Good Guys stores has increased to 26 stores across six states with further expansion across The Good Guys network planned in 2015.

“The Good Guys is Australia’s number one retailer for washing machines and dishwashers and Miele is one of the leading appliance manufacturers with high-end appeal, uncompromising quality and a loyal customer base,” says Wayne Jennings, Group General Manager Merchandise at The Good Guys.

“This partnership is important for both our businesses. For The Good Guys, it has allowed us to widen our range of premium brands and further grow our market share in laundry and dishwashers, which supports our growth strategy and customer offering,” Jennings continued.

The partnership between The Good Guys and Miele makes for a perfect alignment, with Miele’s brand promise of doing all that it can to be 'forever better' than its competitors and 'forever better' than it already is. This complements The Good Guys’ goal of providing customers with the best range and highest quality household electrical appliances at the most competitive prices while delivering the best possible service quality every day.

National Key Account Manager at Miele, Chris Roberts, says that Miele was looking for growth opportunities and partnering with The Good Guys presented as the ideal solution. “The Good Guys sells one in every three dishwashers and washing machines in Australia. For our brand to grow and expand in this market, a partnership with The Good Guys was the logical next step,” he said.

In the last calendar year, The Good Guys’ market share in washing machines and dishwashers grew more than the market proving the company’s market leadership and continued ability to excel in a tough economic environment.

The Good Guys received the title of ‘2014 Furniture/Electrical Store of the Year’ and is only one of five businesses to have won the award each year since its inception.

The Good Guys Chairman, Andrew Muir, accepted the award on behalf of the company and said he was very proud of the achievement.

“We know that we are only in business because of our customers so we make customer satisfaction our top priority and strive to deliver exceptional service every day both in-store and online.

“Over the past few years we have focused on implementing a customer engagement model that helps us create a deeper relationship-based shopping experience with our customers, and our team members have worked tirelessly and diligently to ensure that our customers get the best possible service every day.”

“Winning the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Award for a fourth consecutive year is a tremendous effort and validates the continued hard work of our store team members to deliver a consistently high level of customer service making The Good Guys the best electrical retailer in the country,” said Mr Muir.

The Good Guys beat competitors Harvey Norman, JB Hi Fi, Dick Smith, Retravision and Betta Electrical, as well as furniture retailers Ikea and Fantastic Furniture, to win the award.

The 2014 Roy Morgan Award continues the customer service accolades for the retailer, having recently won the 2014 Asia Pacific Best of the Best Award, the 2014 International Customer Service Professionals (ICSP) award and, for the fourth year running, the 2014 Canstar Blue Customer Service Award.

The Roy Morgan Awards have earned a reputation as the most accurate and reliable measure of customer satisfaction in the country. Judged by 50,000 consumers and 12,000 business decision makers, the Customer Satisfaction Awards are based on an aggregation of 12 months of responses from Roy Morgan’s Consumer and Business Single Source surveys, providing thorough and accurate way to identify and recognise Australia’s top businesses in Customer Satisfaction.

Mr Reader, who is currently Group General Manager Merchandise Planning & Inventory Management, will step up into the newly created position of Chief Merchant to oversee all areas of merchandising for The Good Guys including buying, merchandise planning, merchandise operations, inventory management, portfolio, pricing and private label, while Mr Quinnell, who currently holds the position of Group General Manager Operations & Capability, will now be responsible for the company’s supply chain, retail operations, business assurance, and store design and development.

These two new executive appointments follow the recent appointment of Jaimie Ehrhardt into the newly created position of Chief People Officer in October 2014.

The Good Guys CEO, Michael Ford, said the appointments were part of the company’s growth strategy and were designed promote better productivity and cross-functional working.

“Retailing is experiencing an era of intense competition. As one of the leading players in our industry, we believe that in order for us to maintain our competitive advantage it is imperative that we accommodate the rapidly changing needs of our consumers and changing industry standards by anticipating and leading change through a culture of constant innovation.

“Over the past few years we have implemented a number of operational changes to maintain our competitive advantage including overhauling our operations, inventory management and supply chain to improve productivity and efficiency.

“The appointment of a Chief Merchant and Chief Operating Officer is the next phase of our strategy to innovate through improved business processes and productivity. It’s an exciting phase in the evolution of our business”, he said.

Mr Ford said Mr Reader and Mr Quinnell both bring a wealth of expertise to their respective roles.
“Geoff and Sean both bring vast experience and expertise to their new roles. They both have over 20 years’ experience and demonstrated strengths in their areas of expertise plus a strong track record in business transformation and management leadership,” Mr Ford commented.

The company has also appointed Wayne Jennings as Group General Manager, Merchandise in a move to consolidate category management and drive the category strategy across all categories. Mr Jennings has held key leadership roles within the business for many years and in recent years has led the merchandise side of The Good Guys Home Appliances business.