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Read an interview with the manager of a retail cooperative. Match the interview ...
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Read an interview with the manager of a retail cooperative. Match the interview questions (A–E) with the paragraphs (1–5).
The Bicycle Cooperative Saul Bryant interviews Tania Stevenson about how cooperation has helped the UK’s independent bicycle shops. 1We’re a retail cooperative, which means our members own independent bicycle shops across the country. In a workers’ cooperative, a company’s employees are members of the cooperative, so they have a say in the running of the company. They can decide their own conditions of employment, choose the directors, and set company policies. While some of our members are workers’ cooperatives, they don’t have to be. Instead, our role is to give more power to bike-shop owners who might otherwise struggle to compete with bigger companies. Our members are retailers who know bicycles inside and out, and our mission is to help them fulfil their potential in a very competitive market. 2The story started in the 1980s with two bike-shop owners from the southwest of England. They both had long-established bicycle shops in the same city, but when a large bicycle superstore opened, they both found it hard to compete. Although they could offer a better service, they couldn’t match the superstore’s prices. Finding themselves on the edge of bankruptcy, they decided to form an alliance. They found that by working together, they could negotiate better prices from manufacturers and share their knowledge of the local market. At that point, it was just a simple collaboration in order to help their shops survive. However, when other shop owners were invited to join them, the cooperative became a much more professional organisation. 3 They’re experts in recommending the most suitable bikes to their customers and helping to maintain them. They’re far more knowledgeable than the average salesperson in a bicycle superstore and they offer a service you don’t get if you buy a bike online. They know which bikes are the best value for money and which parts are the most reliable. One of the advantages of joining our cooperative is that independent retailers can also share that knowledge with each other. There are regular online workshops given by our members on topics like bike maintenance and our annual conference brings members together to discuss the latest developments in bicycle technology. 4 One of the main benefits, which I’ve already mentioned, is that we can negotiate better prices for bicycles and parts from wholesalers. Traditionally, this is what has given the competitive edge to the bigger retailers. However, the sheer size of our cooperative means our members have a better chance of competing with them. Similarly, we offer a range of business services, which help our members improve their efficiency. One example is marketing. It’s so essential to the success of a business, but it can be costly, so shop owners try to manage it themselves. Yet, due to a lack of expertise, their marketing campaigns are frequently ineffective. The cooperative has solved this problem by having a professional marketing department, which does the work for them. We’ve carried out many successful campaigns which have led to increased sales for our members. 5 The most important thing we do is help local businesses be profitable and competitive. Over the last few decades, towns and cities have seen local shops closing down at a rapid rate. However, we believe they have a key role to play in the local economy because they create jobs and income for local people. Not only that, but they draw customers into the area, which helps other businesses. Apart from that, we have forged partnerships with several not-for-profit cycling organisations involved in improving health and the environment. Many of our members are passionate about both of those things, and, through our network of stores, we’ve helped these organisations raise awareness of events and campaigns to get people onto bikes.