Mandeep’s no stranger to the cut and thrust of retail. She used to work in the catering industry, before moving on to ParcelForce and Royal Mail. Spending time with these retail giants taught her the importance of stellar service and – crucially – the difference small, personal touches can make.

It’s something she brought to her Post Office and Premier convenience store when she acquired it with her husband in December 2018. “My business is the heart of the local community,” she proclaimed, proudly. “We’ve been featured in the local newspaper as well as Talking Shop magazine [Premier’s in-house magazine]. There’s been a lot of press around it. We’re all about promoting that community feel.”

Previous experience

The store in sleepy Barton Green isn’t Mandeep’s first. She previously ran the main store in Melton Mowbray with her husband. An experience which proved valuable when setting up their most recent venture. Mandeep explained: “As this isn’t our first [Post Office], we know how everything works. I think we’ll always have a Post Office.”

She has seen how important a thriving community store is to the locals. “People are very happy with the service we provide,” she said. “In a big estate, we educate our customers and help them. They know they can carry out all their banking errands here and we can support them, which makes a big difference.”

Mandeep has learnt that there’s no shortcuts to acquiring the depth of knowledge her customers have come to expect. “This business is very competitive. It’s all about knowledge – keeping up to date with the business, knowing your services and products inside out. It looks so much more professional if your customer asks a question and you can give a really detailed, comprehensive answer.”

But what’s her other secret to success? Enjoyment, pure and simple. “The more you enjoy it, the better you will do. I enjoy it a lot, and my husband loves the banking side of it. We live in a very big area that only has one bank. So people used to have go to another local town. Now, they don’t have to travel.”

Sales increase

That infectious enjoyment and enthusiasm has paid dividends for the business, Mandeep noted. “There’s definitely been an increase in retail sales. If a customer comes to do a return or post a package, they’re more likely to buy from the shop too. I’d say there’s likely been a 40 per cent increase in sales. People are really grateful. We get lots of thanks for providing these services.”

But she would never have had such success without Post Office’s support. “[Post Office] will always be an attractive business partner because they’re really helpful and there to support you. You get your own personal trainer; they always leave a phone number and you can call with any problem or question.”

And her top tip? “My main message would be, just keep supporting people.”