Hugo Trotter

6.00 AM

Out I hop of my bed, shower and into my suit with a freshly ironed shirt to kick-start the week.

6.30 AM

My usual morning routine always consists of a coffee and a couple of Weetbix to give me the start I need before heading into work.

6.50 AM

On the drive in to work I barely see another vehicle on the road, makes the trip all the more enjoyable! Radio on, although this merely acts as a distraction as I’m pre-empting the sales information from the week prior!

7.00 AM

I arrive into the office, greeted by the ‘early birds’ in finance as I get to my desk. I can always tell by their expressions as to whether we had a good or indifferent performance! I spend the first 2 hours reviewing the sales and overall performance of last week for my respective category, ready to present to my boss at 9am.

9.00 AM

This is the most important hour of the week for me, presenting the analysis of last week to my boss. There are a few things I need to follow up and some of which I need to do further analysis to provide the detail that is required. It’s a crucial meeting in the context of the week ahead as it serves as a good benchmark to where we need to be and where the improvements can be made. Being accountable for your decisions is really important here as Coles invests a lot of trust in you.

11.00 AM

It’s only mid-morning yet it feels like so much has already been achieved and covered off! Nothing a coffee can’t fix however, so down I go to the local café and indulge in a medium flat white with a work colleague or two.

11.30 AM

Back to the office and some consolidation time; getting in touch with suppliers to review how last week went, making them aware of any margin queries or sales gaps/initiatives that we can perhaps lay on for the current week. Also a chance to review what the stores have been saying from the week prior; a great platform for feedback and we value what our stores have to say extremely highly.

1.00 PM

Lunch time and on a Monday my choice for food is the food court in the atrium. Normally it’s chicken parmigiana day so I opt for this with a side salad and small portion of chips.

2.00 PM

Typically I utilise this time for suppliers to meet me in the office. Normally one supplier meeting per Monday and it serves as a good opportunity to align on plans for the remainder of the period, ensuring we’re both on the same page, listening to one another’s ideas and getting the best out of both parties involved.

3.00 PM

For the next hour, I will be at my desk busy building our promotional slotting tool in preparation for a Wednesday build, plan, and review with the rest of the team. It’s important that we are organised, having clear visibility of our promotional plan each fortnight.

4.30 PM

A chance to wind down and review any unread emails that have come in during the day. Any ad hoc projects and actions that need to be completed can be acted on during this time too.

5.30 PM

Providing I’m comfortable with the work I’ve achieved in the day, I will finish up and head on home with a real sense of achievement and having learnt a great deal!