Empowering Metro Bulgaria with store planning excellence

As part of our commitment to delivering impactful, lasting change for our partners, Shopworks recently had the pleasure of running a Store Planning training session for the Metro team in Bulgaria.

Our goal was simple: to equip Metro with the tools and knowledge they need to optimise their store layouts, drive operational efficiency, and create a better customer experience — not just today, but for the long term.

Recognising that training is most powerful when it is truly embedded within an organization, we adopted a “train the trainer” model. This approach ensures that the skills and insights shared during the session can be cascaded through Metro’s teams over time, creating sustainable impact well beyond the initial training day.

Given the critical importance of clear communication – particularly in highly technical subjects like store planning – we knew this training had to be delivered in person and in the local language. That’s why we entrusted the session to our expert trainer, Pavlina Rozova. Her ability to deliver content fluently in Bulgarian (as well as English, French, German, and Dutch) ensured that every nuance was fully understood and that participants could engage confidently, ask questions freely, and discuss real-world application scenarios without barriers.

The day was filled with lively discussion, practical exercises, and real-world examples tailored specifically to the Metro Bulgaria context. The team left the session energized, equipped with actionable strategies, and ready to apply their new skills to ongoing and future projects.

By building internal capability through a “train the trainer” model – and ensuring language and cultural alignment – we’ve set Metro Bulgaria up for success as they continue to evolve and optimise their store formats. We look forward to continuing to support their journey toward even greater retail excellence.