Originally a butcher by trade, Matthew Rumsey has just left behind a 37-year career with Liquor Marketing Group (LMG) – making him the organisations longest-serving employee.
From store manager and merchandiser to business development manager, Rumsey’s journey began in 1988 when he was employed by Bottlemart LMG.
Reflecting on a career that spanned almost four decades, he told National Liquor News: “From where I was, putting up signs and doing point of sale, to now analysing people’s businesses and being an advisor to hoteliers and the retail sector, over 40 years I gained a lot of knowledge in everything LMG had to offer. The basics of retail don’t change, but as far as our involvement, I’ve had to continually evolve and grow with the direction of the company.
“When I first started, I never thought I’d be here 37 years later, but here I am. There’s a saying that if you spend your life working a job that you love, then you never regret going to work.”
Evolving with the times
In his time with LMG, Rumsey played an instrumental role in supporting the group’s members to drive foot traffic and enhance profitability. He says it’s imperative that retailers take every opportunity in front of them to position themselves ahead of their competitors.
“Retail is continually moving forward, and from rom a retailer’s perspective, you can’t put your head in the sand and not be aware of what everyone else is doing around you. You’ve got to have the total package and the total offer – that leads to incremental sales,” says Rumsey.
“A lot of people now shop online, so a real starter is to make sure that your store is online. Making sure that you’re a digital store, and that your marketing promotes your bottle shop through Facebook and Instagram. Make sure you’re utilising those tools.”
Not only does Rumsey highlight the need to stay ahead of your opposition, he also believes that evolving with the times benefits staff as much as it does consumers by ensuring an easier operational environment while driving footfall.
“It can be as simple as presentation, stock levels and ticketing. You’d be amazed how many places still have handwritten tickets, but those days are long gone. LMG is now in the process of installing electronic shelf labels in stores because it saves the retailer time putting out tickets and changing them with promotional dates, but it also looks a lot better, neater and tidier,” he explains.
“But it doesn’t stop there, the main thing is good execution in-store. It’s about the staff that you employ, having good stock, making sure everything is price-pointed, ticketed and faced up – make it a shoppable experience for the consumer.
“Consumers shop by price, but they’re still prepared to pay an extra two or three dollars for convenience, if you have the right offer. Stores need to be planogrammed, which simply makes it easier for the consumer,” Rumsey continued.
Shaping the industry
During his 37-year tenure, Rumsey contributed to some of LMG’s most impactful initiatives, and one of his greatest achievements was helping to roll out the retail store refresh program.
“Retail is a competitive market and there were quite a few stores that were outdated and needed taking to that next level, and in the 37 years that I’ve been there it was one of the biggest projects we undertook.
“My involvement there was liaising with store owners and presenting them with plans and proposals as to what we could do to enhance and grow their business.”
Designed to make liquor stores more presentable and more easily shoppable, the retail store refresh program addressed everything from cluttered shelves and shoppable cool rooms to introducing new shelving and counters, with the consumer perspective front of mind.
“We were always onsite during the process to ensure that everything flowed smoothly and went to plan, but when it came to seeing the end results, and then the growth that always came for a business at the end of that, was probably the one of my biggest highlights.
“It was rare that a store didn’t perform better once the refresh was complete. We’ve had stores where, once we’d done the refurbishment, they increased turnover by up to 15 per cent,” Rumsey explains.
“LMG is all about its members and providing the service and opportunity for those members to grow. Whether that’s through e-commerce, digital platforms, the loyalty program or online marketing, and the list goes on, LMG is always trying to do as much as it can for its retailers.”
Matthew Rumsey bids farewell
As he closes the chapter on his career with LMG, Rumsey hopes to be remembered as a trusted advisor to LMG’s members. After nearly four decades of dedicated service, he leaves with a few words of advice for those at the start of their liquor retail careers.
“Work hard, do your shifts and try to learn as much as you can because this industry can take you anywhere in the world. You can go from working as a casual employee in a bottle shop to a retail manager or running a hotel, it’s such a diverse job but you’ve got to have a crack.”
He also shares his wisdom with store managers, owners and operators.
“One of the biggest issues I found, especially in regional areas, is that it’s hard to get good staff. And when you do get good staff they can be enticed to go elsewhere. It’s important to make sure your staff understand that it’s not just serving bottles of wine, it can expand from there.
“Good staff can easily be retained if they’re given the right incentives and made to feel that they’re appreciated,” he concluded.