The Olive Branch
The
Olive Branch was established in 1998 with the aim of creating a shop with
something a bit unusual and different, to suit everyone's purse and taste,
but most importantly to return to good old fashioned customer service.
Some nine years later a browse round the shop brings to light interior accessories and furniture from the most elegant to the most rustic, gifts for weddings, christening, new baby and special occasions including a range of albums and keepsake box files all of which can be “personalised” in house. Furthermore one can sometimes find limited editions and one off pieces.
The fact that the shop is now well established on the High Street can be taken as an indication of the quality of the goods sold and the level of customer satisfaction. Owners Tracey Holden and Tina Joyce believe that good service is important to their customers and make every effort to ensure they are satisfied. On one occasion not only did they offer home delivery but delivered their customer to her home as well. Every sale and every customer is important.
Tracy and Tina are good friends and met when their children started nursery school several years ago. Tina has lived in Billericay for 20 years and began her career in secretarial work in the City giving up work to have her children Nicholas and Claire. Tracey has lived in Hutton for 17 years, has three children Chris, Libby and Catherine and owned her own hairdressing salon before becoming involved with the Olive Branch.
Although the idea of opening an interior based gift shop was conceived at Easter 1998 it wasn’t until Thursday 1 December 1998 that the Olive Branch opened at 4 The Walk, Tina and Tracey worked night and day to achieve this date since they were determined to open on the day that Waitrose was to commence trading. From the first day business for the Olive Branch was brisk even though the opening of the shop had not been advertised and by weekend nearly all the stock had been sold which meant a quick drive to London to buy more goodies. The going was tough for the first year, especially on the families, but after three years they felt the need to move to the High Street and now Lady Luck smiled on them because they found out that Granada Television was to close and they quickly managed to secure the property. Once again it was one mad rush to move the stock from one building to the other but it was done and the Olive Branch was open for trading at Christmas 2002.
The
service that customers can expect from the staff at the Olive Branch is that
of days gone by, for example one lady made the journey from Grays specially
to buy two cards which, unfortunately, were out of stock. No problem. A
quick phone call to the supplier, the cards were received three days later
and posted to the lady. On a more humorous note Tracey was discussing her
Christmas turkey with a customer and found herself ordering, collecting and
delivering another turkey for the customer.
What of the future? The business will be promoted through the website – www.theolivebranchbillericay.co.uk where it is hoped to offer on-line shopping on selected items such as personalised special occasion gifts with the same standard of customer service of course.