Q&A: Argos' new boss John Walden

Retail Week: What attracted you to the Argos job?

John Walden: “There are a lot of great opportunities. Argos is a true multichannel retailer. I’m excited to be here and I’ll learn a lot. But I’m not naive about the kind of job we have ahead of us.”

What will be the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge will be to meet expectations for performing in the short term, like profits, while at the same time planning how to change the business for the future.

What is Argos’ unique selling point?

That is the ultimate question. What can we create for the customer to give Argos a point of difference? I think successful retailers understand customer needs and meet them better than their competitors. Customers have needs, and it’s our job to understand those.

What is your view of the UK retail market right now?

It is very challenging. So much of the Argos customer base is greatly affected by the economy.

How important is multichannel?

Multichannel is the core asset. Online is critical. There are lots of opportunities to serve customers better than we do today.

Many analysts have suggested closing a portion of Argos stores. What is your view?

I believe the stores can be very strategically helpful to us. We have to make sure the store experience is as good as it can be. We will be looking at that.

How does your experience help you in your job?

I spent most of my career in multichannel in the US. I have experience in the competitive US market, including Amazon turning up aggressively in the US. I also have experience in companies that have had to make big changes.