Don't expect Curly Watts

"If you go in to see any good manager, it's not Curly Watts you'll meet," says Kyle Clifford with a twinkle in his eye, rising to a claim that the bungling soap character is a true representation of today's retail manager. Yes, he nods, the Curly Watts syndrome does exist in the minds of some people, but nothing could be further from the truth.

"It's very challenging and it's very hard work. You're not swanning around in a suit and tie all day. It's a team effort."

After graduating from UL with a degree in business studies with a modern language, Clifford started working with the Musgrave Group for six months on the shop floor of SuperValu in Killester, Dublin. He worked in the meat department, the delicatessen section and the fruitand-veg areas. He soaked up the sales strategies, store proceedures and incentives and the overall heave and swell of the selling game. As a regional manager trainee with the Musgrave Group, which owns the SuperValu and Centra franchising chains as well as a chain of cash-and-carry outlets, Clifford is enthusiastic and excited about his job. "I find I can't just walk into a supermarket," he says. "I'm watching for every new idea, I'm criticising, analysing."

On completion of the training programme he expects his knowledge of the retail trade to be wide-ranging and detailed. For the past year he has worked in many of Musgrave's departments, including purchasing, store design and engineering, accounting, finance and marketing.

During this time he carried out research and implemented various projects as part of his preparation for the retail environment. Next year when his trainee's umbillical chord will be cut, he will work as a regional manager with SuperValu. By then, he says, his mind will have to be focussed on "going in and empathising with the retailer." He will be at the coalface of retailing, in the shops dealing with retailers throughout a region as well as dealing with departments in head office.

"I knew when I went to the University of Limerick that I would enjoy marketing. I didn't know then that I would work in retailing." Nor did he know that he would become addicted to the variety, challenge and excitment of the retail front. "It's particularly exciting just now with the UK multiples entering the market."

From Annacotty, Co Limerick, Clifford did the Leaving Cert in 1992 at St Clement's Redemptorist College. "I wanted to be in a people-oriented business," he recalls. He decided on business studies with a modern language degree at UL.

He majored in marketing and studied Spanish as his minor subject. One year of the degree programme includes working experience. He worked in a clinical research company in California and spent a further six months with Esso Ltd in Stillorgan, Co Dublin.

Studying Spanish at UL opened up that country's culture and business practices to him. This was particularly useful, since the Musgrave Group owns two Spanish cash-and-carry companies.

"The regional managers role is unique in that you interact with all the personnel from management and head office and you are on the road, meeting all the retailers as well," says Clifford. "If you're an out-going ambitious individual who enjoys meeting people and dealing with issues, being on your feet, being out and about, interacting with different people and different personalities and if you like being in an environment that is fast moving and changing, then the retail environment is for you, then you would suit retailing. You have to be open-minded and be able to work on a range of issues."