Linda Sutton owns Wendy’s outlets in two of Melbourne’s busiest shopping centres. Managing a combined staff of 28 – all girls – presents its own range of challenges.

For the last six and a half years Linda Sutton has toiled as a small business owner, operating Wendy’s franchises in two of Melbourne’s bustling suburban shopping centres – Westfield Fountain Gate and Centro Cranbourne. Having never worked in retail, the learning curve was steep.

“At first you do the hard times,” Linda recounts. “Everything’s a challenge, but it becomes a lot easier.”

One of the biggest challenges Linda faced was staffing. With a total of 28 staff across the two stores – all girls – managing them could be a full-time job in itself.

“They drive me nuts,” jokes Linda.

Positive Training offered a solution to this problem in the form of the accredited Certificate III in Retail. Taught onsite – both in the store and at the tables directly outside – the training developed the staff’s understanding of both customer service and the business more generally.

“The girls, when they’ve been trained, get a better understanding of how a business runs,” Linda says.

There were two driving factors behind Linda’s decision to offer the training.

“Number one, the girls are going to come out with a certificate,” Linda states. “Number two was the government incentive. Why wouldn’t you do it if they’re going to pay for your girls to get an accredited qualification.”

Prior to using Positive Training’s services Linda had engaged other training providers, though they invariably came with their own headaches.

“The other mob were continually cancelling and rescheduling,” Linda recalls. “They were more expensive and had restrictions on who was eligible for the program.”

For Linda, the key benefit of using Positive Training can be summed up in one word – flexibility.

“They organise everything,” Linda explains. “With Positive Training I don’t have to do anything. They organise all the paperwork and make the transition through the traineeship very easy for me.”

Positive Training assumes responsibility for all aspects of the training program – from managing the complex paperwork to liaising directly the staff, through to the payment of the government incentive.

“If I had to do it myself, I probably wouldn’t do it,” Linda says. “They contact the girls and follow-up with them for all the training. If the girls can’t make it they don’t ring me, they just ring Positive Training. I don’t have to be involved in that side of it.”

Since beginning the program, communication between Linda and the staff has improved and a mutual understanding has developed.

“We have one night for the girls to get together and talk about work issues,” Linda says. “They understand why I’m trying to better the business and grow it and why they need to go through the customer service routines.”