Student Living Cost Crisis as Love2shop Report Finds More Being Driven into Poverty

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A shocking new report by Love2shop has found that the cost of living crisis is driving students into financial difficulty – and universities may soon pay the price.

You can download the full report for free here, but our research1 found that 57% of students – 1.6 million2 – were considering dropping-out of university as a result of rising living costs. If only 50% of those students go ahead and leave, universities will be facing lost revenue of around £40bn.

And it has already started. We polled 2,000 students across the UK and 68% said they knew someone who had already left university because of the cost of living.

“If this continues, we could see fewer students graduating and even more choosing not to continue into higher education,” said Love2shop Director of Business Development, Frank Creighton.

“The result could be a shortfall in critical areas like the NHS, where we may see fewer nurses qualify, and we could also see a brain drain in important sectors like advanced engineering, where students decide to study outside of the UK.”

The report also found that a further 55% – representing around 1.5 million students – responded to say they had used a food bank as they couldn’t afford to eat.

The figures are stark – 87% of students have skipped meals to save on food costs. And experts say the issue may even get worse, after recent research from economic consultancy London Economics found student loan reforms unveiled by government last year will only benefit the country’s best-paid graduates3.

The changes to the maintenance loan system mean graduates entering into lower and middle income jobs, such as nursing and teaching, face an increase in their total lifetime repayments of more than £30,000, according to the analysis.

Meanwhile, higher income graduates earning in excess of £51,000 a year will see their total repayments plunge by around £25,000, say London Economics’ experts, who have labelled the reforms as “deeply regressive”.

“It’s really worrying to see how many students are considering dropping out or have already left because of the devastating financial impact of the increased cost of living,” said Frank. “This should be a huge concern for universities.

“For many students this is their first time living independently away from home. They should be able to focus on their studies, not worry about skipping meals in order to pay their bills. This is also a potential problem for universities. Fewer students – or poor results due to the pressures students are under – will have a significant impact on university finances.

“It’s time to start looking at practical solutions across the board to help all students deal with these challenges.”

Despite all this, 64% of students responded to the survey saying they received no cost of living support from their university and only one-in-five (20%) say have been offered a financial incentive specifically linked to continuing their course.

Just 14% of students say they have received cost of living support from their university in the form of a voucher or gift card, yet 49% think universities could improve their support by doing so.

Love2shop already works with a number of universities to provide gift cards or contactless digital gift cards to offer students.

While the range of Love2shop physical and digital gift cards can be redeemed in more than one hundred high-street and online retailers, universities can limit the number available to ensure cost of living payments are only used with retail partners that specialise in essential items.

“This data indicates that while there is some support for students, they are still facing some severe challenges and difficult choices,” said Frank. “We need to consider a different way to support them that makes a real difference to students and is cost effective and secure for universities.

“Gift cards offer a practical solution. They allow academic institutions to support their students through these difficult times and ensure financial aid provided is spent on the intended necessities, be that food, clothing or textbooks. Our survey data shows students themselves would welcome this more secure, consistent approach to support.”

Download the full report now at business.love2shop.co.uk/love2shop-uk-student-cost-of-living-report-2023 or contact us on 0330 333 1201 to see how we can help your institution deliver a more effective emergency support programme.

ENDS

Footnotes

1: Survey of 2,000 UK students conducted by Censuswide

2: Based on most recent Higher Education Statistics Agency data: in 2020/21 the UK had 2,862,620 students enrolled in university.

3: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/may/13/nurses-teachers-student-loan-reforms-biggest-squeeze

Love2shop sponsors this year’s Everton in the Community’s Breakthrough Awards

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This year, Love2shop proudly sponsors Everton in the Community’s inaugural Breakthrough Awards – recognising how members of the local community have positively impacted their area. As one of the UK’s leading sports charities, Everton in the Community encourages sports development in underprivileged communities since 1988.

It’s also Everton Football Club’s official charity, and is considered one of the Premier League’s top community schemes. There are over 50 schemes in total targeting social issues, including employability, anti-social behaviour, crime, education, and poverty. 20,000 young people a year are supported by Everton in the Community’s programmes.

Love2shop believe in celebrating the moments that matter most. Thanks to our close ties with Everton in the Community, it was a natural choice to sponsor the charity’s Breakthrough Awards, which are all about championing people’s kindness, determination, and commitment. All of these things come together to create a positive impact.

Claire Jones, People and Integration Director at Love2shop, says “as a judge on the panel of the Breakthrough Awards, I was amazed by the quality of the nominations. I came away feeling truly inspired by the commitment, tenacity and progress demonstrated by the nominees across all of the various categories.

On behalf of the whole community and of course, Everton in the Community, we salute and celebrate our winners for all they have done – and thank you. Everyone at Love2shop sends their congratulations – and well done!”

The Breakthrough Awards were held at Everton’s stadium Goodison, in the Aled Jones Suite – hosted by Sarah Halpin. Members of the community came together to celebrate the inspiring work of the nominees, and also the hard work Everton in the Community does in general. A video showcasing the incredible work the charity conducts kick-started the ceremony, with many of the nominees featured in the footage. There were 13 awards, each representing one of the charity’s initiatives including NCS, Social Action, Home Is Where The Heart Is and the Love2shop Award for winner Mia’s bravery in sharing her own story to help others in the community.

Hearing about a group of young people who visited Qatar during the World Cup was a particular highlight. In conjunction with Street Child United, 10 participants from Everton in the Community represented Team UK in a seven-a-side tournament against others teams from around the world.

Michael, awarded the CEO Award during the ceremony, was one of the players involved in the charity game. When asked what Everton in the Community meant to him, he encapsulated his feelings in one word – “everything”. Others commented on how it was enlightening to experience different cultures, and how despite language barriers, everyone came together to acknowledge how football has the power to unite people from all walks of life.

Wholesalers can gain a competitive edge with loyalty schemes

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Wholesalers can gain a competitive edge with loyalty schemes

Consumers often see businesses and brands as single entities but behind them is a whole eco-system of companies that depend on each other.

Supply chains are a critical part of the UK economy, even down to local business level. The B2B sector is huge and much of it is driven by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – those who employ 250 people or fewer.

SMEs, which includes independent local businesses, make up more than 99% of the 5.5m private businesses in the UK and provide 61% of jobs in the economy. All the biggest companies and brands depend on SMEs for their parts, raw materials and services, while many communities count on the goods and services provided by independent businesses.

For example, major manufacturers in the £67bn UK automotive sector, such as Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota, Nissan and Stellantis, would quickly grind to a halt if their network of SME suppliers disappeared overnight.

SMEs are under pressure

These are tough times for SMEs. Rising interest rates and inflation compounded by soaring energy costs are squeezing revenues and margins in a way not seen for a generation.

Added to that they are facing increased competition from offshore suppliers and ecommerce giants such as Amazon, with their ultra-efficient fulfilment processes and use of digital technology.

This means SME wholesalers and distributors need to raise their game when it comes to both winning new customers and retaining those they already have.

Research from Bain & Company and Harvard Business School reports that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can boost margins by between 25% and 95%.

This is backed up by academics Paul W Farris, Neil Bendle, Phillip Pfeifer, David Reibstein in their best-selling marketing guide, Marketing Metrics. They report the probability of selling to an existing customer is up to 14 times higher than the probability of selling to a new one.

The benefit of rewarding loyalty

Customer loyalty and reward programmes can be a powerful ally when it comes to customer retention and increased sales.

For example, suppliers in the automotive parts industry incentivise small independent garages for tyre sales, brakes and other parts. Food and retail wholesalers typically reward loyalty through enhanced member discounts and benefits.

Johan Lundgren, the chief executive of low-cost airline easyJet, recently made summed it up very succinctly: “People gravitate towards value.”

It’s a simple message – and it’s true. Businesses can demonstrate value in a number of ways. Wholesalers and distributors need to get the basics right – logistics and fulfilment. Swift turnaround from order to delivery is now critical.

Once you have those processes in place however, how do you add extra value to enhance your relationships with your customers?

Don’t take customers for granted

Love2shop (ABS) is home to a team of customer loyalty and rewards experts. It has helped more than 150,000 businesses, across multiple sectors deliver cost-effective loyalty and reward programmes for both staff and customers.

Recently ABS worked with a major UK builder’s merchant and achieved remarkable results by utilising its Love2shop Engagement Platform to build loyalty among its existing customer base.

Customers – mostly sole tradespeople and SMEs – registered for the rewards programme increased their annual spend by more than 45%. During a 12-month period, there was an unprecedented increase in sales by dormant customers with a rise of 91.4%. Analysis of previously dormant customers revealed an impressive 23% had reactivated their accounts.

Where a distributor is working with a single brand, loyalty programmes can support the sale of that brand into the local market. The manufacturer may even offer to help with, or meet, the cost of the loyalty programme if they can be persuaded of the value.

If you are a wholesaler or distributor operating in a specific locality, that ‘local knowledge’ alongside a well-designed loyalty programme is a powerful combination. It could offer the vital edge over your competitors in serving SME’s and independent local businesses.

Implementing a digital customer loyalty strategy creates an opportunity to use rewards to improve the quality of the customer data you capture to support channel partners in their sales activity.

Make loyalty matter

So which rewards have been shown to work best?

In a major survey carried out by Love2shop, 13,000 people were asked about what they thought were the most desirable rewards. The results were no surprise. They revealed people love the choice that gift cards offer.

It ran two polls across two months asking people to pick their ideal loyalty prize, and their ideal sign-up gift from a selection of popular rewards. Both showed a significant preference for multi-retailer gift cards and discounts, with the former by far the most popular.

Love2shop is one of the leading gifting and reward brands in the UK. Available as a physical voucher, gift card, email or smartphone voucher, its products are accepted by over 140 retailers across the country.

These include well-known brands such as Marks & Spencer, Wilko, Iceland, Matalan, Argos, Costa, Foot Locker and many, many more.

Through ABS, Love2shop can be used as an attractive incentive to new customers, to reward existing customers for their loyalty and as an incentive for referrals that are converted into new customers.

From an initial inquiry, our team of experts can work with your business to have a bespoke, easy to administer, data driven customer loyalty and rewards programme up and running in weeks via the Love2shop Engagement Platform.

A survey by international market intelligence specialist Aberdeen Group, found 80% of wholesale distributors were concerned about the impact of giants such as Amazon muscling in on their sector.

And 87% admitted they were “facing more challenging and complex fulfilment processes”.

Putting robust and efficient processes in place is obviously critical to a successful business model. Adding on an effective loyalty and rewards programme could be the key ingredient that keeps your business ahead of the game.

Get in touch with our team to see how you can implement a successful loyalty strategy.

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Ramadan Mubarak! How to recognise the Islamic Holy month in the workplace

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The Holy month of Ramadan is one of the most important times of year in the Islamic calendar – so if we’re not Muslim ourselves, how can we respect and celebrate this period of time with our Muslim colleagues?

This year’s Ramadan starts on Thursday 23rd March. During this time most Muslims will fast between dawn and sunset every day for a month. Employers offering flexibility during this period will, in turn, be extending their understanding of what Ramadan means to Muslims.

Our sister brand Park Christmas Savings has produced a brilliant introduction to Ramadan and gifting on their blog, which you can read here.

Consider adjusting working patterns

According to leading HR magazine, Personnel Today, one of the most helpful things an employer can do for Muslim employees during Ramadan is providing flexibility to adjust work patterns. Offering fasting colleagues, the opportunity to start and finish work earlier will be gratefully received.

Remember, employees may be waking up earlier, or staying up later in order to eat. It is very likely people won’t enjoy being around food during the day when they are fasting – well, who would find that easy, let’s face it. This has prompted many organisations to issue polite requests to all colleagues to be mindful about eating at desks as colleagues commit to fasting times. Respecting the challenges of fasting might mean showing your own support by snacking on the elevensies in the canteen or outside maybe?

Another easy change is to allow people to change their lunch break times to avoid times when others are eating.

Allowing hybrid working is another way employers can support Muslim employees, as it reduces their commute and allows people to spend more time with their loved ones during this important time.

Be mindful of employees taking annual leave during Ramadan

Employers should strive to accommodate Muslim employees needing to take time off during Ramadan. Balancing fasting and working is hard and some employees may decide the fairest thing for both them and the business is to take a short break. Being sensitive to that will have a positive effect on employees’ wellbeing and show that you care about more than their daily output.

Know the best times to schedule meetings

If you do have Muslim colleagues, think carefully about the meetings you schedule. Be considerate and avoid arranging lunchtime meetings. Also try to schedule meetings in the morning – when those who have eaten before sunrise are more likely to feel their best.

Providing areas for prayer

Some workplaces already provide dedicated prayer spaces for anyone whose faith requires regular prayer, such as Salat – the five daily prayers of Islam. These take place every day, not just during Ramadan, and usually last around five to 10 minutes. If you have no designated area, employers can allocate a quiet, private room for prayers. When possible, you should allow colleagues to leave the workplace and pray at their local mosque.

Resource bank

Below are some resources for extra reading:

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Love2shop helps make customer loyalty incentives sustainable with digital and biodegradable options 

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Environmental impact and sustainability have never been more important to business – and the UK’s leader in gifting and rewards Love2shop continues to strive to make customer loyalty even more eco-friendly.

Gifting – primarily through gift vouchers or cards – has long been an effective way to incentivise and reward customer loyalty. To mark Global Recycling Day, we’re looking at how Love2shop can make rewards more environmentally friendly.

Love2shop already offered a no-waste option through its contactless e-Gift Cards. But many businesses still want physical products to send to customers while reducing plastic use and contributing to pollution through distribution. The solution was a ‘board card’ made from 100% virgin fibres. It is biodegradable and can be recycled up to eight times, but works exactly the same as a traditional plastic gift card.

“Our biggest challenge was sourcing a fully biodegradable product that didn’t compromise on the ease of use, nor the quality of finish without also placing a financial burden upon the customer,” said Frank Creighton, Director of Business Development at Love2shop Business.

“The sorts of materials that all companies deploy in gifting, engagement and incentive programmes will inevitably change over time so we wanted to be ahead of the curve.”

Love2shop worked with suppliers to create a recyclable board card that met those goals while offering the same simple yet effective incentives that businesses needed.

The product was initially tested in partnership with SunLife, the UK’s most popular provider of life insurance plans for the over-50s. With over 800,000 customers, SunLife has distributed a high volume of Love2shop Gift Cards to customers as a ‘thank you’ since becoming a partner in 2018. It was keen to find a more sustainable solution.

Jon Moore, Head of Operations, SunLife said: “As we continue to integrate new measures to develop SunLife’s approach to sustainability, our decision to use biodegradable gift cards is another positive step in introducing environmentally friendly materials into our business.”

The change has received positive feedback from customers and SunLife has now fully integrated the compostable cards into their welcome gift offering to customers.

Love2shop are the UK’s leading reward, incentive and engagement experts for business. They provide a variety of Love2shop gift cards, as well as reward platform technology to thank, retain and motivate employees and customers.

“We were delighted when we were approached by SunLife to help develop their work on sustainability,” said Frank. “We’ve enjoyed providing Love2shop customer reward gifting products to SunLife since 2018 – an ‘all-rounder’ gift that appeals to everyone – so this was a great opportunity to develop that relationship.

“The success of this product with SunLife reflects the broader business appetite for developing knowledge and expertise in the gifting sector to accommodate greater sustainability. Helping SunLife to create a more environmentally-friendly future has been an incredible achievement.

The biodegradable Love2shop Gift Cards are supplied by Swedish paper and board manufacturer Oppboga, with a metallic foil element supplied by British foil specialists Foilco.

Foilco’s metal coating technology allows for the card to carry metallic motifs and designs without affecting biodegradability or the recycling process of the Oppboga card.

The board card Love2shop Gift Cards can be recycled without separating the foil component, and will biodegrade in 12 months after use. Find out more about Love2shop at businessl2s.wpengine.com.

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#IWD2023: Hayley Bromley, Treasury Manager

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As the UK’s leading gift voucher, corporate rewards and Christmas Savings business, we want to turn our attention to recognising the incredible women in our company to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023.

International Women’s Day has said its focus lies with embracing equity – creating a fairer society by adapting services and policies to people’s diverse lived experiences. As a company, we also believe that equity is not just a nice-to-have – it is a must-have.

To celebrate a world where difference is valued and celebrated, we have invited five especially inspiring women from our company to talk about their experiences of work during their careers. Here is Hayley’s story.

Hayley Bromley is the living embodiment of ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’.

Now firmly on dry land as the Treasury Manager at Love2shop, Hayley started her career sailing the high seas on a huge aircraft carrier.

Growing up in Coventry, the teenage Hayley decided she wanted to join the Royal Navy after leaving school. It was a big step to take and there was a point when she had a wobble about what lay ahead.

“When I was about to set off to do my basic training I remember crying at the station, saying goodbye to my mum and dad. My dad even called the base to find out if I was ok,” she explained.

“I was only 18 and it was terrifying.”

As you would expect in the military, Hayley found herself in a male-dominated environment. She said: “I have always got on with everyone, so it didn’t phase me going into the Navy with the majority being boys.

“I think that, out of my intake there were around five girls and 20-plus lads. The training was amazing. It didn’t matter if you were a lad or a girl, you just got on with it.

“However, I was a little quiet on the ship and sometimes there would be the odd comment such as, ‘Oh I don’t want her on our team’. Little things like that bothered me, but not too much.

“I joined as a medical assistant and I absolutely hated that role so I switched to being an operator mechanic on the radar and on the guns.”

Hayley spent three years in the Navy. It was there she met her husband and when she became pregnant with their first child, it prompted Hayley to make another big decision to leave the service at the age of 21.

“Me and my husband were going to be on different ships, so I didn’t think the baby only seeing one of us at a time was the best for either of us,” she said.

Just six months after the baby was born, Hayley returned to the workplace. While she was waiting to join the Navy, she had worked two days a week in the finance department at her dad’s work which  gave her an early taste of accounting.

“I went back to work about six months after the baby was born,” she said. “I was an accounts payable assistant at a vehicle hire company for about a year before I left to have my second child.

“Then it was all change. My husband came out of the Navy and became a full-time dad and, again, I returned to work after about six month at a utilities company.”

Hayley worked in two more finance jobs before securing a role as a manager in a finance department. And, after several happy years, she found herself at the centre of a drama that matched anything she experienced at sea.

Her employer was Thomas Cook Airlines, a subsidiary of the Thomas Cook travel empire that spectacularly imploded in September 2019 after a £200m black hole opened up in its balance sheet. Although the airline itself was profitable, it was dragged down by its parent.

Hayley said: “I was really pleased when I got the job with Thomas Cook Airlines because I love anything to do with travel. I was there for six years and that was where I got most of my accounting experience.

“We were doing ok. It was the tour operator that was struggling. We knew something was going on because I was getting calls constantly from suppliers wanting payment without an invoice. It was totally full-on.

“I didn’t sleep. I just sat up flicking between new channels. The next morning my team messaged me asking what we should do and I said we should go into work. Even though the group collapsed in September we had to carry on working until November.

“There were lots of things that needed to be sorted out. There were bouncers on the doors to stop other people taking stuff. It was an awful time for everyone. Some people had been there for 20 years and they loved it.”

Hayley secured a temporary role with Love2shop but left when a permanent position came up elsewhere. However, she loved her short time with the business so much that she jumped at the chance to return, which she did two years ago.

“Being the Treasury Manager involves being in control of all the money, making sure the accounts are topped up with the correct amounts, protecting the money of our Christmas savers.”

Hayley is being supported to advance her career by taking accountancy qualifications. She is happy working in a business where she feels encouraged to grow in her job.

“I think it was more difficult as a woman years ago,” she added. “Now we have hybrid working and it is much easier to juggle things such as kids and nurseries. Back then, it was much more rigid if you were a mum.

“There is so much more flexibility in the workplace now. It was like when the Navy was going to put me and my husband on different ships – that was a real old-fashioned way of thinking. I now feel like I am in a very open and inclusive atmosphere.

“My line manager Lynn is brilliant. She is so knowledgeable and confident. I am training to be a treasury accountant; I don’t want to keep changing jobs. I want to make a career in a place that I like.”

What have you discovered about yourself during your career?

That I am more capable than I thought I was.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you were younger?

That you can always make a positive out of a negative situation.

Best advice from a mentor?

Focus on what you want to be rather than what others think you should be.

What would you do differently if you had to do it again?

I really wouldn’t change anything.

Biggest lesson learned?

That you are never too old to start again or learn something new.

What would you say to someone starting out?

It is your own journey and never compare yourself to anyone else.

#IWD2023: Alex Speed, Head of New Business

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As the UK’s leading gift voucher, corporate rewards and Christmas Savings business, we want to turn our attention to recognising the incredible women in our company to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023.

International Women’s Day has said its focus lies with embracing equity – creating a fairer society by adapting services and policies to people’s diverse lived experiences. As a company, we also believe that equity is not just a nice-to-have – it is a must-have.

To celebrate a world where difference is valued and celebrated, we have invited five especially inspiring women from our company to talk about their experiences of work during their careers. Here is Alex’s story.

When your typical working day involves dealing with people falling off hotel balconies and having motorcycle accidents it pretty much prepares you for anything.

That was Alex Speed’s life as a Club 18-30 holiday rep early in her working life. And it was an experience that gave Alex a lifelong liking for jobs that have the capacity to offer the unexpected.

In her current role as Head of New Business Development for Love2Shop the daily events aren’t quite as dramatic – but it still offers enough variety to keep Alex motivated.

“I always say working for Club 18-30 set me up for life. Yes, there were crazy parties and staying up late. But most of the job was dealing with absolutely barmy people. You couldn’t imagine what it was like. But I loved it.”

Alex was recruited to Love2shop to manage the team responsible for ‘onboarding’ new clients. Onboarding is the process of bringing a new client to the business and finding out exactly what they need.

“On average, we will onboard around 1,200 new clients a year. When we bring a new client in, it could be anything from someone ordering £500 or £5m a year of Love2shop vouchers or cards codes.

“The team and I will delve a bit further. We go well beyond just the basic transaction, asking them to ‘tell us a little bit more about what you are looking to do’.

“It could be for employer rewards, could be for a big customer acquisition, loyalty campaigns. It is really just about understanding the client’s needs.”

Alex’s eight-strong team works proactively to bring in new business. She added: “If we are working with a client in a particular sector, it’s likely we will then go after their competitors and look to secure them as clients as well.

“I have always done new business. New business is a challenge. It’s exciting – something different every day. I have worked in the industry for 25 years and I still love it.”

Change is important to Alex and she has seen a huge shift in workplace culture during her working life. It wasn’t so long ago that she was still having to navigate the culture of the ‘boys’ club’.

Brought up in Wirral, she spent several years in the travel sector working for the likes of Airtours and Cosmos straight after school She lived and worked across Europe, India, Africa and the US, as well as London.

She has no regrets about 18-30 but added: “In the end you can only do that for so long. It was a six-day week and the hours were so long. You were on the clock the whole time.

“In the travel industry there was often no work during the winter so when I was in my mid-20s I walked into a recruitment office to look for temporary work. They said ‘have you ever thought about working in recruitment?

“I did that for about two years. Then a job came up with one of my clients and they invited me to apply. It was a sales and incentives role.”

She found herself in a very male-dominated environment. In one job, despite working in an executive role, Alex’s sales director treated her as his PA.

“You were treated very differently just because you were a woman,” she said.

“When I went to visit clients, I would be sat in reception and they would come out and they would be looking around for Alex ‘the man’. As soon as you said, ‘Hi, I’m Alex’ they were clearly surprised.

“I like to think I took advantage of that. Internally, in that particular business it was probably a barrier to progression because there is no doubt it was a boys’ club. It was the incentive I needed to move on.”

Alex joined Love2shop 15 years ago and says she has seen huge changes.

“The culture in this business has changed so much since I joined that it’s like working for a different company. It used to have a very old-fashioned 1980’s feel. The physical office we worked in made it feel even more like that.

“Now we are a much more open and inclusive environment. Things had to change. We worked in a different world. And I think key to that shift in culture was the change in the senior leadership team.

“What is so wonderful now is the complete transformation in workplace culture. Nowadays, if someone said or did something inappropriate you know you don’t have to tolerate it.

“Now you have confidence that if you go to your manager, or to HR, something will be done. Stuff that happened in the past is much less likely to happen now.”

What have you discovered about yourself during your career?

I really enjoy a challenge and I embrace change and not knowing what each new day will bring. It is exciting.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you were younger?

Enjoy your job. You spend most of your week there. If you don’t enjoy it, move on.

Best advice from a mentor?

Stop worrying about the things you cannot change or influence yourself.

What would you do differently if you had to do it again?

I wouldn’t change a thing. I accidentally fell into this career and I have loved every second.

Biggest lesson learned?

To always stand up for yourself. We are just as capable as men.

What would you say to someone starting out?

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Find your own way of doing things that works for you.

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#IWD2023: Janine Murphy, Fulfilment Manager

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As the UK’s leading gift voucher, corporate rewards and Christmas Savings business, we want to turn our attention to recognising the incredible women in our company to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023.

International Women’s Day has said its focus lies with embracing equity – creating a fairer society by adapting services and policies to people’s diverse lived experiences. As a company, we also believe that equity is not just a nice-to-have – it is a must-have.

To celebrate a world where difference is valued and celebrated, we have invited five especially inspiring women from our company to talk about their experiences of work during their careers. Here is Janine’s story.

“Same place, different world,” sums up Janine Murphy’s experience of the transformation she has seen during 27 years with Love2shop.

First joining as a teenager in the late 1990s, Janine walked into what she described as a “man’s world” where you simply put your head down and got on with the job.

Today, she confidently leads a team of people, which in the run-up to Christmas can be as many as 50 people. She is also free to implement her own ideas on how her part of the business should run.

“Some people don’t like change. They think, ‘Well, this is the way it has always been, and this is the way it should stay’. But that’s not necessarily the best way to do things,” said Janine.

Janine is the company’s Fulfilment Manager. Based in Wirral, she runs a permanent team of eight people packing and dispatching letters, statements, catalogues and vouchers.

“We send out Love2shop products and third-party products. We have our own Love2shop card and Love2shop voucher. We also sell third-party products such as Marks & Spencer gift cards.

“We make sure customer orders are packaged and fulfilled to the customer’s requirements. Making sure things are sent out on time.

“For a few months of the year I am in charge of 40-50 temporary staff that come in to help us fulfil the Christmas savings customers’ orders.”

Janine was just 18 when she walked into the Valley Road site for the first time. She was taken on as a temporary Christmas worker. She was asked to return soon after and worked for the company on a temporary basis for two years.

“When a full-time job for an assistant came up in the office I was approached and that’s when I joined the business permanently. I have been here ever since.

“When I first walked in it was very much a man’s world in those days. Very old-fashioned. But you just put your head down, did what you were told to do and got on with it.

“Back in my day, you would never see a female director or any women among the management.

“Around 15 years ago, I started to see signs of changes. New staff came into the office. I worked with the first female director, Denise Porter.

“She was involved in the Love2shop vouchers and marketing, and she brought in new ideas and offered a fresh perspective.

Janine began to really enjoy the ways in which the business was changing, as female peers and senior managers became more visible.

However, it was more recent events that allowed Janine to realise her full potential. When a manager became unexpectedly absent during the COVID pandemic, it prompted her to step up to the plate.

“Initially it was panic stations,” she said. “There were suddenly so many things I didn’t know. It was a real challenge and in some ways I really enjoyed it. I learned so much during that period.

“The past year had been the first time the fulfilment operation had properly come under my control. I was finally running it the way I imagined it and for me that was a real achievement!”

It is during the few months leading up to Christmas, when there is a big influx of temporary staff, that Janine really had to demonstrate her fast-developing managerial flair.

She explained: “When temporary staff come in you are suddenly dealing with a range of diverse people – different ages, temperaments, attitudes. You have some loud people, some quiet people, and a big part of my job at that point is managing all those different personalities.

“I am very much a listener. I listen a lot to what is going on around me. That, I think, is how you learn.

“As a manager you have to listen to people. I don’t think you can be a good manager if you are not listening to what your team is saying.”

What have you discovered about yourself during your career?

I have learned to trust my own instincts.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you were younger?

I wish I had the confidence back then to know what I was really capable of.

Best advice from a mentor?

Believe in myself – I can do it.

What would you do differently if you had to do it again?

Speak up more.

Biggest lesson learned?

Just because something has always been done a certain way it doesn’t mean it is the right way.

What would you say to someone starting out?

Never be afraid to ask questions.

#IWD2023: Brenda Mills, Head of Services and Experience Operations

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As the UK’s leading gift voucher, corporate rewards and Christmas Savings business, we want to turn our attention to recognising the incredible women in our company to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023.

International Women’s Day has said its focus lies with embracing equity – creating a fairer society by adapting services and policies to people’s diverse lived experiences. As a company, we also believe that equity is not just a nice-to-have – it is a must-have.

To celebrate a world where difference is valued and celebrated, we have invited five especially inspiring women from our company to talk about their experiences of work during their careers. Here is Brenda’s story.

Early on in Brenda Mills’ corporate career she often found herself as “the only woman in a room of 10 men”.

“I have never been intimidated by that – but I would think ‘but where are all the women?’” said Brenda. “Over the years I have had to develop a tough skin.

“I am quite tough anyway and if I think morally or ethically something is wrong, I will not be afraid to say so – I will dig my heels in.

Brenda joined Love2shop (then Park Group) in 2002. She had never worked in an office in her life before and initially felt like a fish out of water. But having left her home in the Dingle in Liverpool to work overseas aged just 17, she is nothing if not adaptable.

Two decades on and Brenda plays a pivotal role in the Love2shop operation. She is Head of Services and Experience Operations, overseeing the customer care centre with three teams – Park Christmas savings, High Street Vouchers and card services – employing 33 people.

She is also head of the team that supports the Love2shop sales force. This is as well as overseeing the travel department and the warehouse and redemption site in Birkenhead and a small team in Newcastle MBL. The fraud risk and change managers both report to Brenda.

Back in her teenage years, Brenda’s career path looked very different. She trained in dance at Liverpool Theatre School and at 17-years-old, she was offered a place on a dance show tour of Spain.

Her dad told her, “You are not going anywhere!” But, in the end he gave in.  She added: “I had worked in multiple countries before I was 21, including Spain, Greece, Egypt, Croatia (then Yugoslavia) and Oman. I was in Cairo for a year which was amazing.”

Brenda settled in Bahrain where she established a ballet centre. Teaching children from 3 – 16 years old. Working with children from all over the world was a privilege.

“But I was also a bit of a Del Boy! I was the only person on the island to have two bouncy castles, which I rented out! And my friend and I provided magazines for the ex-pat clubs; that’s where I learned about sales and putting catalogues together.

“Travel has shaped my life enormously, especially from a people perspective. My husband was a money broker so we would mix with expats who were experts in their field from all over the world. You could have a top surgeon and advisors to kings at a dinner party. And there is me, a little scouser, in the middle of it all.

“That period was probably one of my steepest learning curves. I met a real mixture of people, from all cultures and works of life. It made me look at people differently and understand that everyone has the same fears and that we are not that different.”

Brenda lived in Bahrain for 13 years before returning to the UK in the early 2000s with “a husband, a daughter, a cat and a 40-foot container”. She then joined Love2shop.

“I think I have been quite fortunate in the way I started at the bottom in this business. Before working for Love2shop I had never worked in an office in my life, or even in the UK,” she explained.

“I would think, ‘Oh my God, I don’t know what I’m doing’. “If someone would have said to me back then that I would eventually be training and developing people myself I would never have believed them.”

However, within a year, Brenda had found her feet and started to move up the management ladder.

She said: “I am from a big and very hard-working family. My dad, who I lost quite young, was such a hard worker and he instilled that into us. We don’t expect anything for free and my whole family is pretty much like that. He also taught us never to take ourselves too serious.”

She took another leap of faith and moved into the corporate side of the business. Last year, the departure of her manager gave Brenda the opportunity to step up into her current role.

Reflecting on her work and philosophy, as well as the changing role for women in the business, she added: “Things have changed so much over the years.

“It is really important to bring my guys along with me. I have some amazing people in my team and I love watching people develop. In the last 10 years I’ve seen a shift. There are now a lot more women in important and senior positions – which I hope inspires the young generation.

“The culture here is so good now. I am very approachable and as managers, we have a responsibility to be approachable and to really listen to the people in our teams. You have to bring everyone along.

“Two of the team leaders on my previous team were apprentices. In the last year or so, there has been a big move in internal recruitment and that has shown people what they can aspire to.

“We cannot become complacent. If things change, be on-board and listen [to others]. It is about me listening to people and understanding that not everyone’s needs are the same. Fairness is a big thing for me.”

And does Brenda still like to dance? “Only on the dancefloor on a night out- or when no one is looking.”

What have you discovered about yourself during your career?

I am resilient and I am not afraid to face my fears.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you were younger?

Things will be ok and spend less time worrying

Best advice from a mentor?

Always keep the customer at the forefront and maintain a balance between the business and the people. Work smarter not harder.

What would you do differently if you had to do it again?

Not disregard what I have learned from awful things that may have happened. Always pocket the learnings.

Biggest lesson learned?

Invest in your team, listen and communicate.

What would you say to someone starting out?

Build internal relationships, knowledge is key, don’t be afraid to speak out and always know you are in control of your own path.

Read our previous blogs…

What is customer acquisition

What is Customer Acquisition?

50 Employee Perks

50 Employee Perks to Offer Staff

What is customer acquisition

Customer Acquisition Strategy

#IWD2023: Suzanne Haycock, Head of Service Management (Technology)

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As the UK’s leading gift voucher, corporate rewards and Christmas Savings business, we want to turn our attention to recognising the incredible women in our company to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023.

International Women’s Day has said its focus lies with embracing equity – creating a fairer society by adapting services and policies to people’s diverse lived experiences. As a company, we also believe that equity is not just a nice-to-have – it is a must-have.

To celebrate a world where difference is valued and celebrated, we have invited five especially inspiring women from our company to talk about their experiences of work during their careers. Here is Suzanne’s story.

Suzanne Haycock loves working in tech and relishes the challenges posed by its relentless pace of change.

However, it wasn’t her first choice. And it was only thanks to a disappointing set of A Level results that she found the path to what has become a very successful and rewarding career.

“I wasn’t that happy with my A Level results and I didn’t get what I wanted to study at university … I went to Teeside Polytechnic [now Teeside University] to study for an HND in Business Information Technology. I did that for a couple of years … I liked solving problems.”

More than two decades and several jobs later, Suzanne is now one of Love2shop’s newest recruits joining as Head of Service Management (Technology).

She and her six-strong team play a critical role in the smooth-running of a business that has undergone significant technological transformation.

“We are the single point of contact for all ‘business as usual’ technology, making sure the existing services we offer are running smoothly.

“My team will log incidents or issues around the services we provide. This could range from user access to loss of a business critical service. We need to react appropriately depending on impact and urgency. We also need to ensure any change that is being introduced into the business carries minimal risk.”

After completing her HND, Suzanne joined Liverpool City Council as a field engineer for about four years.

“Afterwards, I did some training on databases learning SQL+ and then joined another business as a system network technician for 20 years.

“However, I didn’t want to be crawling under desks for the rest of my career! I wanted to do other things. I wanted to utilise my SQL+ knowledge so I sought a role in management information and for that, I needed to do a degree.

“Shortly after putting myself forward for a Masters, I found out I was pregnant with my first child but carried on with the degree. At the end of the first academic year, I took one of my exams – the next day I gave birth!

“I returned to work a few months later and continued with my Masters. I took on a business analyst/project management role and I used a project that I worked on as my dissertation.”

Among work sectors, tech in particular has a reputation for being very male-dominated. Despite starting her career more than two decades ago, Suzanne says she was fortunate in her early roles.

“At Liverpool City Council, I had a manager who was actually quite progressive for the time,” she said. “He believed there should not be any barriers to women in tech.

“And I didn’t necessarily find that for a long time. I think it was more a case of opinions outside of work.

“People might say, ‘Oh, you work in an office so you must be a secretary’ but when I told them it was IT they would ask ‘What does that mean?’ and they may then ask you to fix their printer.

“There are more opportunities for women in senior roles now. The culture of having more men at the higher level is less apparent than before. Personal attitudes have changed. I think women are less likely to say: ‘I don’t think I can step into that role’.

However, Suzanne believes that too few girls are drawn to STEM subjects (science, engineering, technology and mathematics) at entry level.

“Unfortunately, tech still doesn’t attract enough women,” she added. “I don’t understand why as it is so flexible and adaptable. You can often work from anywhere in IT.

“There are always new challenges in IT. There is never a case where something cannot be improved. It is constantly changing because you have to take notice of changes. You need to take on the opportunities to learn anything new you can.”

Now a mother-of-two, Suzanne is impressed with what she has experienced at Love2shop since joining the business.

“There is a lot going on at the moment,” she said. “This is a very, very forward-thinking business. Even though there are a lot of people who have worked here a long time, I haven’t come across anybody who isn’t willing to try something new.

“Everyone is very open to change. There is no-one who has said ‘Oh we did that years ago, let’s not bother’.

“I think the culture here is very collaborative. I can’t think of anybody I couldn’t just go to and have a chat with to ask them for their thoughts about something. People are very supportive of each other.”

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you were younger?

That it is ok to say ‘no’. That you can be adaptable without being a doormat.

Best advice from a mentor?

To have confidence in my abilities. If I don’t know something straight away, I am able to figure it out.

What would you do differently if you had to do it again?

Take on more challenges or tasks that were outside of my comfort zone.

Biggest lesson learned?

Everything can be improved upon – don’t wait for things to be 100%.

What would you say to someone starting out?

Vary your learning opportunities. Before you specialise and find your niche, explore other things.

Read our previous blogs…

What is customer acquisition

What is Customer Acquisition?

50 Employee Perks

50 Employee Perks to Offer Staff

What is customer acquisition

Customer Acquisition Strategy