The Richer Way

The Richer Way

How to Get the Best Out of People

Summary

In 1978 Julian Richer, then aged just nineteen, opened his first shop near London Bridge. For over twenty years this shop has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the highest sales per square foot of any retail outlet in the world, and the company as a whole, with its fifty-three stores nationwide and huge online presence, has become Britain’s favourite retailer of TV and hi-fi equipment. What lies behind this extraordinary success?

For Julian, the answer is simple: throughout his career he has focussed relentlessly on putting people – both staff and customers – right at the centre of his business. And in The Richer Way, he offers a supremely practical guide to how others can follow suit. He explains how to motivate employees and measure their progress. He establishes how to balance company discipline with individual autonomy. He explores what ‘customer service’ should really involve. Above all, he points the way to creating an open, friendly and flexible culture that will not only attract the best people but also offer the greatest chance of business success.

Packed with straightforward, common-sense advice, The Richer Way will prove essential reading for all organisations, whatever their nature and size.

Reviews

  • If I had to hold up someone as a role model for other wannabe tycoons to follow, the founder of the Richer Sounds hi-fi chain would be that person … [The Richer Way is] one of the best business books in history.
    Independent

About the author

Julian Richer

Julian Richer established Richer Sounds in 1978. His business now turns over in excess of £200 million a year, and Richer Sounds has won the prestigious Which? Best Retailer award (2010, 2011 and 2015). In 2011 Richer Sounds was granted a Royal Warrant by HRH The Prince of Wales for the supply of consumer electronic products to the Royal Household. The first shop to be opened, near London Bridge, has for over 20 years been listed in Guinness World Records as achieving the highest sales per square foot of any retail outlet in the world. Fifteen per cent of the company’s profits are donated to charitable causes (over 400 of them in 2017). In addition to his commercial activities, Julian Richer is the founder and a trustee of Acts 435, set up to help those in need, and in 2013 he established ASB Help, which works with victims of anti-social behaviour. He lives in Yorkshire.
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