Andrew McMillan

Andrew McMillan’s Background

Andrew McMillan is now an advisor to both private and public sectors and is currently Chair of Customer Experience Committee at the British Council of Shopping Centres.

• Created the unique sales and service culture at the John Lewis Partnership,
• Was Chair of Customer Experience Committee at the British Council of Shopping Centres and
• Believes that great customer service starts with a great internal culture

Andrew offers a unique insight into one of the most distinctive customer service cultures in the world and shows you how to lead your organization towards this kind of behavioural change.

McMillan started his career as a management trainee in the Brent Cross branch of John Lewis.  He quickly moved up the ladder to head a department in the flagship Oxford Street store, before being promoted to the Intelligence Team. This acted as an internal service consultancy looking at strategy, product differentiation, demographics and customer analysis.

In 2000 he took the lead on customer service for the department store division a role which saw him develop the customer-driven culture that defines the John Lewis brand. During his time there John Lewis won awards for customer service from Which, Verdict and Retail Week and were frequently cited by the media as an example of best practice.

McMillan now has his own company, Engaging Service, which offers insights into customer service strategies. He is also Chair of the Customer Experience Committee at the British Council of Shopping Centres.

In presentations Andrew explains that good customer service can only come from the inside and that it cant be bolted on to an unhappy organisation. He believes that each business needs its own distinct and appealing personality which is delivered by employees who feel they are valued stakeholders. He argues that by treating employees as an asset rather than a cost, you can achieve long-lasting competitive advantage.

As an expert in his field, McMillan has advised many organizations on customer service and has spoken at conferences worldwide. He has consulted to the public sector working with local authorities and a number of NHS Trusts. Other clients include Bausch and Lomb, Ecclesiastical Insurance, The Met Office, Royal Bank of Scotland and the Henley Business School.