Support Functions
Human Resources
The HR function within Alshaya comprises recruitment, HR services, learning & development and compensation & benefits. The division plays a pivotal role in Alshaya's success by providing high quality recruitment of the best people in line with the company's planned expansion programmes. There is a strong emphasis on the personal development of employees to prepare them for growth within the organization. Close ties are maintained with the brands we represent and their managers ensuring that all employees are encouraged to reach their full potential.
Logistics
Logistics is at the very heart of Alshaya, managing the movement of goods between the Host brands and the stores that serve our customers. The supply of these goods to each market is controlled through a team of high calibre professionals, from our strong in-country leaders to the teams delivering the goods, the division is dedicated to providing a world class service, focusing on developing our state of the art facilities and utilizing industry proven methods to continuously improve performance and efficiency.
We've made multi-million dollar investments in automated hanging distribution centers in Kuwait, U.A.E, Bahrain, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. In addition, we have recently invested in a 70,000 sq. meter central distribution center in the Dubai Free Zone, which has a capacity to fulfill our growing requirement throughout the region.
Supply Chain
The Alshaya supply chain is made up of multiple operating models, each specifically set up to cater to the brand and partners' specific needs.
Some brands ship from China, while others air-freight from the UK. Some of our brands send products directly to the local market, while others direct their deliveries into our central DC in Jebel Ali, in the UAE.
The Alshaya supply chain coordinates all activities to get products from the market into the customers' shopping baskets, working with IT, logistics, shipping, store operations, host brand partners and the brand team in Kuwait. From time to time, you might also be expected to deal with service providers.
Loss Prevention
The Alshaya Loss Prevention department is accountable for devising, developing and implementing LP strategies to maximize profit and minimise loss. Working cross functionally, the department covers Safety, Security, Fraud, Malpractice, Business Continuity and Risk Management, providing a safe and secure place for all our customers and staff, whether visiting or working in an Alshaya store or office.
Customer Service
The Customer Service Department within Alshaya focuses on both internal and external customers and has the aim of enhancing customer experience in our stores.
Our Mystery Shopping Program measures Cleanliness & First Impressions, Service Quality, Till Experience, Product Knowledge, Selling Skills and Telephone Skills, the results of which provide a benchmark that is used to improve and enhance customer service within the company.
Our new Contact Center within the Customer Care Department acts as a focal point for internal and external customers to connect with the company. Through multiple touch-points such as in-store phones, email, and even SMS services, this will bring us much closer to our customers and turns their feedback into action plans to continually improve our service levels.
Property
The Property division covers all aspects of Alshaya's retail property. including market studies, brand expansion planning, budget approval, site leasing and acquisition, store design and project management. After handing over a completed store, the division continues to handle maintenance and facilities management.
Internally, the division interacts with brand teams, Operations, Finance, Logistics, IT and HR. Externally, the focus is on building long-term relationships with host brands, developers, suppliers and contactors.
The division regularly reviews store performance and drives store refurbishment and relocation to ensure meeting company and brand expectations in regard to quality and profitability.
Internal Audit
Internal Audit helps the company accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes.
Internal Audit provides Management Assurance services and strengthens internal controls in the business through audit reviews in the stores and the back office functions. It also contributes to delivery of best practice through checking compliance to key company policies and business processes. In addition, it contributes to Corporate Governance by reviewing various policies prior to their launch and acting as a reference point for the Levels of Authority.
Finance
The Retail Finance department within Alshaya is by its nature in the heart of the business. Structured, well organized and using state of the art tools and systems, it provides business support in terms of cash (collection), payments, accounting and management information.
Most functions have been centralized in Kuwait, with dedicated teams in the countries taking care of local every day requirements.
Accuracy and timely delivery are core competencies for the Finance team.
Business Development
Alshaya's Business Development division is responsible for generating strategic assessments of prospective retail expansion opportunities and delivering the resulting objectives.
Its primary mandate is to define the Retail Division's growth objectives, identifying parameters for considering new retail brands and businesses, prioritising brands to add to existing retail divisions, and analysing opportunities for new retail sectors, markets and business models.
Main focus areas include market segmentations, the identification of potential initiatives, strategic business valuations and the development of business deals resulting in franchise, joint venture, partnership or acquisition in order to significantly increase in the company's turnover and profitability.
Information Technology
The Information Technology or the (IT) department plays a crucial role within Alshaya. Being a franchise business model, it delivers brands in its original identity while maintaining high standards of service. The IT team is able to simplify these challenges and create an environment for each brand to succeed in its own way. Considering that Alshaya has in its portfolio over 40 brands within Fashion & Footwear, Health & Beauty, Pharmacy, Optics and Food & Beverage, it generates a number of challenges in bringing all the IT systems and processes together.
The IT department in Alshaya has imbibed certain principles in its day to day operation. These are global thinking and approach, where flexibility is key, responsiveness is paramount, speed is crucial, creative thinking is a must, and exposure of technology complexity to the business is undesirable.
Information Technology at Alshaya has three dimensional focuses, in order to support the business these are, the ‘eGroup', that focuses at the corporate level, the ‘regional IT', that looks at the regional operational level and ‘functional IT', that focuses on specific business level. The ‘eGroup', primary focus is standardization of Technical architecture, solution development and deployment, centralized system management and information processing, change management and service delivery. The ‘Regional IT', focuses on regional deployment and day to day operation, and finally ‘functional IT', focuses on ensuring IT solutions deployment to specific business area. Alshaya has a centralized operation which is robust, with daily sales from all 1500+ operating stores distributed over 16 countries which are polled and processed overnight, to enable timely management reporting and replenishment of stock to the stores the next day. Our operation has been certified recently for ISO 27001compliance.
Alshaya provides opportunities for the best talent in IT, in the areas of technical architecture and networks, technology R&D, software development, System management, change management and service delivery. We have a smart team of individuals that include professionals with doctorate, MBA, Master of Technology, Master of Science, Bachelor of engineering and technology who play an integral part in delivering results. Alshaya gives its employees a good platform to nurture their talents and a great environment to acquire new skills and thus contribute towards Alshaya success in being a giant retailer.