BSS Industrial is celebrating the significant success of its Trade Counter Owner scheme.

With at least one 'owner' located at each branch, the distributor has been able to ensure consistent standards of merchandising and service, resulting in a notable improvement in customer experience and staff morale.

The success of the scheme follows an investment in training the team on various areas of responsibility, such as customer service, product knowledge, display merchandising, and trade counter layouts, while creating an online community to encourage the sharing of ideas and best practice.

In addition to improved merchandising across all locations, seven branches have recently begun to trial the use of television screens to communicate the latest promotions, new products, and services.

Chris Hufflett, managing director at BSS Industrial, said: "Giving dedicated staff members responsibility for their trade counter not only instils a sense of pride, but noticeably improves customer experience. This is backed by the footfall increases that we have seen in recent times.

"The Trade Counter Owners are ambassadors for BSS Industrial. Not only do we see consistency in general merchandising, but it even encourages staff to think of innovative ways to display product; which always gets the customers talking and hopefully allows them to discover new product solutions. The improvements even filter down to all teams wearing uniforms provided by work wear brand Scruffs; if we are selling these items, we should stand behind their quality.

"We're thrilled that customers are seeing the benefit and we've recently opened three new trade counters in Slough, Inverness and Luton to cater for expanding customer needs in those areas. We currently have plans for further openings throughout 2014, so I'm looking forward to seeing this level of success continue over the course of the year."