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A Day in the life of Alastair Boot ... The Branch Manager of Waitrose Beaconsfield
Alastair Boot grew up on a dairy farm in Shropshire, so food has always been a big part of his life from
growing it through to selling it. After moving down south with John Lewis he now lives near Hemel
Hempstead with his wife, Sarah and their children.
How long have you worked for Waitrose? I have been a Partner
for 12 years but I was also a Christmas temp in John Lewis Oxford
Street in 1986. That feels like a long time ago!
When does your usual day start? My hours in the shop vary
depending on whether I’m on an early or late shift. I leave home
either at 0630 or around 1000.
Describe your average day There’s no such thing. A lot depends
on who else is in the branch. There’s a three man branch
management team and if I’m on my own, my focus is on the shop
floor. If one of the other department managers is in, I have more
available time to choose how I spend my day.
What are your interests within Waitrose? I see running the
Beaconsfield shop as the bigger half of my job. The other half is
split between coaching Partners from other parts of the business
and leading Customer Service in our area of 20 branches.
What are your aspirations for Waitrose? I believe we deserve
our reputation for good food and for dealing fairly and carefully
with our suppliers. What I really want Waitrose to embrace is the
emotional element of service. I know that, for many, shopping
for food is a functional, transactional activity. But for others it’s
interactive, perhaps even emotional. A customer I met recently
had moved to Beaconsfield after losing her husband. With tears
in her eyes, she told me that the main reason she felt welcome in
Beaconsfield was how she was treated by my team in Waitrose,
particularly how she had been treated by the Welcome Desk
team. This sounds extreme and a lot of interactions are about
shared values and a shared passion for food, but I won’t be told
that supermarkets don’t have feelings.

What are your hobbies? When I can I indulge myself by cooking
for my family and gu \