Richard Paine, our new general manager, is as passionate about the retail experience for our customers as he is about his motorbikes.
He’s owned up to 25 motorbikes since taking to the road on his first moped 45 years ago. And he’s been on his journey in the retail industry for the same length of time.
His wealth of experience is coming to the fore as he helps us move the business forward to make the customer experience even better.
Richard has joined us after 40 years in retail management, selling various products in multiple retail environments.
He’s been a friend of directors Dave Willis and Rob Walters for a long time and, since they took over Orwell Motorcycles, the business has frequently come up in their conversations.
Richard had always been happy in his work, thriving on the responsibility of running large businesses, but his outlook on life changed with the arrival of Covid and then turning 60.
“That changed my perspective on the world. I was running a big business but it was getting tedious. I re-evaluated my life.
“I wanted to enjoy both life and work.”
So his love of motorbikes and making the shopping experience more enjoyable for customers come together at Orwell Motorcycles.
“What I can give this business is 45 years of retail experience.
“I love my motorbikes. I can’t leave my motorbikes alone,” he explained.
“With every one I’ve owned, I’ve always made it mine and customised it.
“Everywhere I’ve worked I’ve made a difference with environmental changes and turnover has gone up.
“I know motorcycles and the people who ride them because those people are me. I’m really just dealing with myself,” he said.
The business is very positive, and going from strength to strength, but now Richard is fine-tuning the retail experience for customers.
The showroom layout is being refreshed, along with the displays of motorbikes, clothing and accessories so people can see more products and have a better buying journey with even better retail and customer service.
Clothing is now grouped in men’s and women’s, types of garment, styles and sizes so everything is displayed logically and is easier to navigate.
The service and workshop space is being revamped to make it better for both customers and staff.
“It’s all about making it more user-friendly, increasing space for the brands, reorganising and creating new storage areas,” he added.
So, with Richard’s plans in full swing, it’s very much a case of watch this space!
Why not visit the showroom so you can see how well the changes work.