Conversation with… Ian Hunt, director of customer services and procurement at Liberty
In this latest instalment of our Conversations series, we speak with Ian Hunt, director of customer services and procurement at Liberty, one of the UK’s most iconic retailers. We explore his impressive career to date, why Liberty has such a loyal customer base, his advice for aspiring retail leaders, and the lessons learned along the way.
How did you start your career in retail?
I began my retail career at Comet when I was 16 – it was just a Saturday job at first. The guy who hired me is still a close friend of mine, which is quite special. It just kind of grew from there.
I worked firstly at the Bexleyheath and Bromley branches, then moved around a lot of East London.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Eventually, I went into a field management role, then transitioned to head office. That’s where I got involved with online retail – back when it wasn’t really a “thing”.
We ran a couple of white-label sites that no one had ever heard of. There were about six of us – people who knew the Comet business, who knew how to sell washing machines – but we didn’t know much about the internet at the time. We learned as we went along.
After Comet entered administration, I spent some time working in ecommerce at Mothercare. Then my former boss from Comet, who had moved to Liberty, asked if I’d be interested in a role there. In the end, four of us from Comet joined Liberty around the same time.
The business I came from had a real family feel, and that atmosphere stayed with us. Even now, we still get together for little reunions. It’s amazing to still have that sense of connection. A lot of the old Comet team is now at WH Smith – there’s always a bit of overlap somewhere.
You now head up customer services at Liberty, as well as procurement. Can you tell us more about your role?
When I joined the business, I’d never actually worked in customer service before. I originally came in as head of ecommerce operations to help launch the online business.
But when the head of customer service left, I was young and eager, so I said, “Do you want me to hold the fort while you find someone?” The response was, “Congratulations, you’re it.”
I’ve been working on the customer service side since 2018, and I now lead a team spread across three locations: in-store customer services for walk-ins, a call centre, and our outsourced partner in Cape Town.
We cover everything including emails, phone calls, live chat, click and collect, lost property, and, of course, the occasional complaint (though thankfully, we don’t get many of those).
When I started, the team was in a very different place. Staff were joining and leaving almost immediately, which led to some dissatisfied customers and high recruitment costs. One of the first things I did was talk to someone who was working their notice. It wasn’t a formal exit interview – just a genuine conversation. She told me her induction lasted a single day: basic health and safety, a quick store tour, then the next day she was shadowing someone and taking customer calls. There was no real support or structure.
So, we asked, “How can we make this better?” We didn’t have a formal learning and development function – we’re not a huge business – but we identified someone in the team with a passion for training. We supported her through her CIPD qualification, and together we built a three-week induction programme. We also documented our processes and developed a formal training environment.
Customer service at Liberty is unique. A fabric salesperson can be an expert in fabrics and never need to know about skincare or furniture. But when a customer contacts my team, we need to know a little bit about everything. It’s like being a GP versus a specialist. We wanted our people to feel confident and prepared – what I called “plug-and-play.”
Now we have a well-established training and quality team, we run our own inductions, and we maintain a consistent onboarding process. That structure builds confidence. And when people know what they’re doing, they’re happier and more successful.
We have an average tenure of over four years in our frontline customer service team, which is almost unheard of in the customer service industry.
As for procurement, I have a fantastic manager who oversees that area. It covers everything from carry bags and packaging to tea bags and toilet rolls – all the behind-the-scenes essentials. Joanna is phenomenal. She’s been here longer than I have and is basically self-sufficient.
What’s the best part of your job?
Meeting people who have such a deep connection to the brand. For example, we recently held a launch event for our 150th anniversary exhibition. I was chatting with a couple of long-time customers – one woman in her 80s has been shopping here since she was a teenager.
I also love meeting people who used to work here. I’ve met former employees who were here during the war. I think the oldest ex-staff member I’ve spoken to started in the 1920s. One woman even told me she once served Elizabeth Taylor.
There are a lot of generational connections, too. When I hired our current head of customer services, she told me her mum used to bring her here as a little girl. You hear stories like that all the time.
Why do you think Liberty has built such a loyal customer base?
Our chief executive often says we’re quite unique. Yes, we’re a retailer – but we’re also a hugely successful wholesale business and a brand in our own right.
Our fabrics business sells globally through a network of sales agents in places like Japan, the US, Australia, Europe, and South America.
Our fabrics are sold to both shops and brands – buyers either resell them or use them in their own garments. It’s an entire world behind the scenes that many people don’t see.
In terms of customer loyalty, what I’ve learned is that true luxury in service isn’t about gold-plating. It’s about being quick, helpful, and human.
A few years back, we reviewed customer satisfaction data and saw the same complaints: we took too long, didn’t answer the question, etc. So, we flipped it. Be quick. Answer the question. Do it with a smile. Use the customer’s name. Wish them a good day. None of that is exclusive to Liberty – you should expect that in your local corner shop.
And how do you handle feedback now?
Our satisfaction surveys are sent after every interaction. If a customer gives a poor rating, that feedback goes straight into the inboxes of me and my leadership team. These days, that kind of feedback is rare.
When we receive great feedback, we make sure to share it – it goes into team chats and across different areas of the business. It really lifts morale.
How did the pandemic affect the talent pool?
In 2020, we suddenly needed more people. We ended up hiring performers from the West End – theatres had shut down. We had dancers, cruise ship entertainers, even a comedian. But they were outgoing, engaging, and had great people skills. We taught them the technical stuff like how to track an order, how to log a case. But they already had the human connection part nailed. That blend has been a real secret to our success.
What advice would you give someone starting out who wants to become a leader in the industry? What are the key lessons you’ve learned?
I think retail workers are some of the most entrepreneurial people you’ll meet.
As much as I dislike the show The Apprentice, whenever there’s someone from retail on it, I think, “They’ll do alright.” Because they’re used to having everything thrown at them – moving a pallet of stock, serving customers, fixing the till, or even being a counsellor to someone who’s just had a terrible day. You don’t see that kind of adaptability in many other industries.
My advice? Find something you’re passionate about. If you’re a finance manager, be passionate about being a finance manager at Liberty. That’s just as important as being passionate about the brand. Trying to force a role just because you like the company doesn’t always work. But if you bring passion into the role, that’s when you can really thrive.
Are there any new initiatives at Liberty you can share?
We’re on a bit of an AI journey now – at least in my area. There’s someone on my team whose sole job is to understand every feature we’re paying for and ensure we’re making the most of it.
We’ve introduced a couple of bots: one called Libby and another called Bertie. Together, they’re “Liberty.” It’s funny how many people don’t realise that until we point it out. They now handle live chat with customers and do so with a high degree of success.
We’ve come a long way. When I joined, we had a switchboard, a couple of phones, and a shared Outlook inbox. That was it – no live chat, no WhatsApp support, no online forms, and no help centre.
We’ve now built all of that from the ground up, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved.
