Boots to spend £2m on preparing for euro in Ireland
Boots
The Chemists is to spend over £2m on preparations for the euro at its
stores in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The chain has just 29 outlets in the Irish Republic
but it has been embracing the changeover to the new currency with enthusiasm.
By 1 January 2002, when the euro replaces the Irish punt, Boots will have
spent IR£2.7m training staff and adapting its tills to ensure a trouble-free
transition for customers.
The company began preparing for the euro in 1998.
The strategy has been to use the Irish experience as a dry run, in case
Britain eventually decides to join the euro.
Stuart Brown, who manages four Boots branches in
the large Dublin suburb of Tallaght, is currently operating as euro communications
and training manager, preparing staff across the Irish Republic for the
changeover. All items have been dual priced, showing the cost in both
punts and euros, and tills have been adjusted to provide receipts in both
currencies. Some suppliers are already including euro totals in their
invoices.
At the same time, 2,000 staff at the 60 Boots stores
in Northern Ireland (officially outside the euro zone) are also being
specially trained for the changeover.
"After 1 January, we will be operating a three currency
system on this island, involving euros, punts and sterling," says Mr Brown,
"and staff on both sides of the Irish border have to be trained in how
to cope with it.
"Inevitably, with so many people moving between
the two parts of the island on business, holiday or whatever, there will
be an overlap of currencies. We have to ensure that all our Irish staff
are able to handle that, and to meet customers' needs and queries. There
has been no opposition to euro training among our staff in Northern Ireland
— in fact, they all welcome it."
— Contributed.
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