Iconic department store Robinsons recently announced that it will be closing its last two stores in Singapore at The Heeren and Raffles City Shopping Mall, marking the end of a remarkable 162-year run in Singapore.
The closure announcement ironically triggered a crowd surge at both stores comprising patrons looking to say goodbye, as well as bypassers looking for a good deal as the store conducts its final closing down sale.
We interviewed Annie (not her real name), a former Robinsons staff who spent over 30 years working for the company. Annie was included as part of a retrenchment exercise earlier in the year and spoke to us on the condition of anonymity.
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“The thing i remember most about my 30 plus years working in Robinsons was that the company was truly like a family.”
“A number of us stayed with the company for many years, through different ups and downs, because of this sense of togetherness and camaraderie that we had.”
Robinsons was renowned for its excellent customer service, and Annie recalled the rigourous service training the staff underwent.
“The training was quite intense! This helped ensure everyone had great product knowledge, no matter whichever department they were in.”
“It also bonded us together, we all became fast friends in the process.”
Another aspect of the familial culture of Robinsons was the connection staff had with the management team.
“One of the things i always remember is that when we had a well-performing sales period or event, the CEO and senior management would invite all of us into the boardroom for a tea session to celebrate. They would thank us personally and we were also given tokens of appreciation.”
The sense of belonging and of being valued were key reasons for the longevity of many of the staff members.
“It was a joy working for the company. There really was no reason to look for a job anywhere else.”
In 2006, OCBC sold its majority stake to the Lippo Group, and in 2008, Robinsons & Co. was purchased by the Al Futtaim Group.
“Things started to change after the sale(s) as management changed hands. We weren’t quite as tightly knit anymore, and certainly not as close to senior management as we used to.”
Apart from the shift in company culture, the team at Robinsons had to deal with a shift in consumer preferences towards e-commerce and specialty stores.
“The move to Heeren was intended to attract a more youthful, upmarket crowd.”
With the closure announcement, the strategy clearly didn’t quite pay off. Annie was let go earlier in April as part of a retrenchment exercise. Nevertheless, she doesn’t look back on her experience with any bitterness.
“It was a lot of fun, and at times even quite exciting!”
Annie explained further.
“In the earlier years, we often had syndicates of thieves coming into the store. When any of us realised this, the management would play the Hawaii Five O theme sound over the PA system so all the promoters would be on high alert.”
“Every time i hear that theme song, it brings a smile to my face.”
A big part of Annie’s fond memories of her time were the lunchtime outings with her colleague.
“Most of my years were spent working at the Centrepoint store, and there was plenty of good food there! I will always remember the delicious roti prata at (the now demolished) Hotel Phoenix. The Sanur Indonesian restaurant was also a big favourite.”
“Both are no longer there…times have changed. It is just the reality of life, and we have to move on.”
