Focusing on providing customers with great products, good value for money, expert advice/assistance and great customer service, have all been key to the dramatic growth at Poole Farm Feed Centre, says Stephen Williams.

"We would love to know the exact formula of success ourselves," he told Pet Trade Xtra.

"But we embrace change and we're always honest with ourselves. Where product lines are not working we will knock them on the head.

"We're always thinking about what is next for the pet industry – for instance, are raw, grain free dog foods the next big thing?

"We also optimise sales by using different channels like in-store or online.

So how does Stephen and Jo keep customers loyal to Pool Farm?

"We offer quality products at value for money prices, expert advice and assistance, and great customer service," said Stephen.

"We want our customers to have a great shopping experience with us, to feel safe in the knowledge that we have the expertise to give appropriate and suitable advice and to feel that nothing is too much trouble. We continue to build this into our company philosophy every day.

"We offer to help all our customers out to their cars with their purchases, in the event that they are after a particular product we will endeavour to find out about it and source it from our suppliers.

"We go that extra mile. Whilst we do not offer a delivery service we have a policy of delivering to customers who have shopped with us for a long time but are now too old or frail to drive to us (at no extra charge). We feel this is a small reward for the loyalty they have shown us over the years.

"Where local customers struggle to administer worming tablets to their animals one staff member (in their own time) will visit the customers at their own homes to administer.

"We take all customer feedback, both good and bad very seriously. We now perform an annual prize draw in order to gain customer feedback (via questionnaire)."

Stephen added: "Being named Retailer of the Year feels fantastic and makes all the hard work to date worth it. It also confirms that we are doing something right.

"We do try to remain grounded though and never forget that if it wasn’t for our fantastic customers and the great support we get from our suppliers it certainly wouldn’t have been possible."

For more infromation visit www.poolefarm.co.uk