We are delighted to announce that the keynote speaker at the Service Dealer Conference on 17 November will be John Timpson, Chairman of Timpson, the family owned, fiercely independent and proudly maverick high street retailer.

The conference theme is 'The Customer is King!' and John will talk about what good customer service looks like.

For nearly 140 years, the company has made, sold or repaired shoes. Today it offers cobbling, key cutting, engraving and watch repairs through its 850 stores. John is renowned for his Upside Down Management philosophy that pushes as much control as possible to the guys running the shops. He has championed a culture in which store managers set prices, order the stock, and have huge scope to provide excellent customer service.

A best-selling author, Daily Telegraph columnist and sought after speaker, John is a no nonsense man, his insights rooted in many years at the sharp end of retailing.

John talks with great insight and humour about leadership, achieving and sustaining service excellence and how to create a level of employee engagement which has made Timpsons officially one of the best companies to work for again and again – placed in top ten of Sunday Times Great Place to Work awards every year they have entered.

John is a renowned philanthropist and has aligned the business’s drive for profitability and excellence with its social mission. One of his recent innovations is a training scheme inside Liverpool Prison.

During the past week, John has been the featured guest on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and a panellist on Any Questions.