Spotlight on Leadership: Rhod Thomas

Auror has launched in the UK and leading the way is Chief Customer Officer and resident Welshman Rhod Thomas. This will be Auror’s fourth major market, with its network growing rapidly in North America and already well-established in New Zealand and Australia.

We had a chat with Rhod now that Auror has launched in the UK to find out more about the achievements and challenges so far, the best thing about working with AP/LP partners, and the one thing that surprises people the most about him.

You’ve been with Auror for three years at this point - what have been some of your biggest learnings, challenges and achievements so far?

One of the best things about my job is that I learn new things each and every day. Working with such a great team and amazing retail and law enforcement partners across the world, I have learnt so much about the challenges within retail, retail loss prevention and law enforcement. One of my biggest learnings is that while everyone has their own priorities and challenges, all retailers are working towards the same goal of making their stores safer, reducing retail crime, and improving the customer and colleague experience.

When it comes to speedbumps, Covid has certainly required us to adapt how we work with our customers, especially how we implement without being face-to-face with retailers - and of course the massive challenges it has presented for retail frontline teams themselves. Despite the challenges, we’ve been able to successfully support and grow our network across ANZ and North America remotely, which is the beauty of Auror being a full SaaS. I am super excited to be able to return to in-person interactions again though!

Finally, my biggest achievements at Auror are two-fold. First, helping to grow our global community to over 12,500 retail stores and 1200 law enforcement agencies. Being able to work with such amazing individuals at these organisations and seeing them achieve incredible results through the use of the platform is one of the best things about my job.

Second, building a high-performing Customer Team that’s focused on delivering value to our partners has been incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Having a consistent Net Promoter Score of +70 shows the value this team and the platform brings to our customers. The company has grown from 30 to over 100 amazing individuals united behind a mission to reduce crime in our communities.

You obviously have such a passion for working with, and prioritizing the needs of, Auror partners. What do you love the most about your work?

I get most excited when a new partner is about to join the Auror movement. I love the phrase, “It takes a network to beat a network” and so the more partners that are on the platform, the stronger everyone is at dealing with retail crime.

Everyone we have partnered with has received such huge value from the relationship and I truly love helping each new customer on that journey.

What are you looking forward to the most in launching Auror in the UK?

There is a huge opportunity in the UK post-covid to address rising retail crime and aggression, so the prospect of being able to help with that is very exciting. The UK has some of the most innovative retailers, who strive to make a big difference for their customers and store colleagues - they are the people I look forward to working with!

Of course, being back home is going to be very special for me too, seeing friends, family and colleagues I haven’t seen in far too long.

What are the biggest AP/LP challenges in the UK and how will Auror help? 

From conversations I’ve had with retailers there, it seems like the problems they’re experiencing are consistent with what we’re seeing all over the world: more aggression towards staff and customers, increasing levels of Organized Retail Crime, more brazen offending, and more. I am looking forward to having more conversations with UK retailers and working with them to try and find solutions that work for them.

Our mission has always been to transform how retailers report, solve, and prevent crime. We have been 100% focused on that mission since Day One. We’ve seen the outstanding results achieved by retailers in New Zealand, Australia and North America, with some of our retail partners reducing loss by 20% or more, and I’m looking forward to bringing that magic to UK retailers too.

We hear helping retailers isn’t your only passion…

A lot of people are surprised to find out that I’m an avid sea fisherman. I don’t know if it’s because of my upbringing in the Welsh Valleys that this surprises people, but I love nothing more than to be out on a boat trying to pull in the “big one”. I am not sure if the Thames is going to yield the same bounty as Auckland harbour, but I look forward to trying it out!

So, it’s the Rugby World Cup final and Wales and New Zealand are in the final. Who are you supporting?

That’s a no-brainer - the blood will always run red, so it’s Wales all the way. However, I have grown a fondness for the Black Caps (New Zealand’s national cricketing team) and I’m looking forward to hosting a few partners at the NZ vs England test match later this year at Lord’s.