Ros Gardner

Ros Gardner is a specialist in Customer Care Excellence. Twenty-seven years with Marks & Spencer has given her experience in both human resources and business management. For two years Rosalyn was Director of Operations for the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, responsible for the day to day running of the CAB's in England Wales and Northern Ireland. In addition Rosalyn spent two years seconded to the Cabinet Office as a Member of The Citizens Charter Complaints Task Force where she regularly reviewed the customer care of a variety of organisations in the public sector.

Graduating from Southampton University Rosalyn joined Marks & Spencer PLC undertaking a variety of appointments divisionally and at Head Office. Her work on the development and delivery of a wide range of corporate training programmes covered all areas of recruitment, management and communication.

As a Divisional Personnel Manager in the mid 1980's Rosalyn managed a large number of stores and warehouses. Responsible for 2,500 staff she helped lead a reorganisation programme that included the introduction of a 24hr working day and the outsourcing of services. Ros later went on to become Manager of the Customer Services Department of M&S, which included responsibility for a complaints department handling a quarter of a million customers per year.

Seconded from M&S Rosalyn spent two years as the Director of Field Services of National Association of Citizens Advice Bureau, with responsibility for the overall operation of Citizens Advice Bureaux throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In this role she was instrumental in co-ordinating the disparate cultural and political anomalies of this renowned public service.

Simultaneously Rosalyn also began her work in the Cabinet Office as a member of the Citizens Charter Complaints Task Force, helping to identify and implement best practice in customer care within the public sector. She continued this role when she returned to Marks & Spencer as Manager in Corporate Communications.

Rosalyn now works with companies such as London Transport, Automobile Association and Virgin where she continues to help businesses exploit the opportunities that customer care provides.