I'm not here to make any friends.
The process is not personal. It's business.
Lord Sugar is on the lookout for a brand-new business partner.
It is a very competitive situation.
I need to see who's got a good business brain.
Fighting it out for his funding...
..18 aspiring tycoons.
Not one of you geniuses ran this thing properly. I feel so angry.
You're coming across a bit thick.
At stake, £250,000...
..and a 50-50 deal with a business heavyweight.
Your best hope for 250 grand is to buy yourself a scratchcard.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go, go, go. Right, run, come on!
It's an investment worth fighting for.
Please stop talking. Please. For the love of God, stop talking.
We're meant to be grown-up women,
we're acting like little schoolgirls.
18 candidates...
I'm not getting angry. I'm just telling you my point,
cos you're not listening to my point.
- Boom. - Smashed it.
..12 testing weeks...
This is getting really, really childish now.
If I was the project manager, I'd be trying to motivate my team.
So, that's not cool. That's not cool.
..one life-changing opportunity.
You're fired.
You are a loose cannon. You're fired.
Previously on The Apprentice...
I want you to manufacture and sell your own range of sweets.
..cake baker Alana...
You need to be the project manager on this task.
..rose to the occasion...
- Do a bag, mix it. Do a bag, mix it. - No worries.
..making sweet stock...
- You want the pillows? Great. - How about two for six?
..despite some sour relations.
We can't all be selling at different prices.
I'm getting more, if anything.
Led by Oliver...
It's all a bit of a learning curve.
I know, but we don't have time for a learning curve.
..the other team faced a sticky situation...
If this goes badly wrong, I'm holding you personally responsible.
..when their salt and vinegar candy...
The aftertaste is a little bit off.
..sucked.
It's like dealing with children at some point.
With Oliver's team in meltdown...
- What is your point? - You was crap. - Oh, really?
..Alana tasted victory in the boardroom.
Mukai was accused of fudging the figures...
And I told you on several occasions not to give away money for no reason.
..Paul was pulled up on his sales...
Out of the £700-odd - Paul, zero.
..and both turned on Aleksandra.
You wanted your opportunity to sell.
"Even though I didn't make a sale, I'll blame it on it on Aleksandra."
But it was sausage-maker Oliver...
Lord Sugar, I have a business...
..who didn't cut the mustard.
Your future is looking about as bright as one of your pigs.
You're fired.
Now 15 remain to fight for the chance to become
Lord Sugar's business partner.
5:45am.
Hello?
'Good morning. Lord Sugar would like you to meet him
'at the Drapers' Guild.'
Drapers' Guild. 20 minutes.
What's a guild?
It couldn't be anything to do with drapes, could it?
No idea where it is.
Paul does my tie, you do my hair, what'll I do without you guys?
I'll miss it when you're gone.
- We really need to win this one. - Yeah, we absolutely do.
Now we really need to win. I'm not going to that cafe again.
I've been there three times.
I'm done with PM, I think, for a while. Does anyone else want a go?
If the brief fits my skill set,
I'm definitely going to put myself forward.
I'll PM all-day long.
I'm a natural born leader, so...
Have you put yourself forward as PM before?
- Yeah, of course I did. - Did you? - Did I?
In the heart of the Square Mile...
Drapers' Hall...
..home for almost 500 years to one of the City's oldest guilds.
- Good morning. - ALL: Good morning, Lord Sugar.
Well, welcome to this wonderful place.
This impressive building is home to the guild
of wool and cloth merchants.
In the 18th century, drapers changed the face of retail
by selling different types of products under the same roof,
helping to create the very first department stores.
Today, this sector is worth billions of pounds,
so for your next task, I'm sending you to one of the UK's most famous
department stores - Liberty of London.
Each team will choose the department to run
and introduce a new product line to promote and sell.
You'll also run a personal shopping service.
These clients each have a generous budget to spend.
But a word of warning - they expect excellent customer service.
The team that makes the most sales will win,
and in the losing team, as usual, at least one of you will be fired.
Claude will follow Nebula, and Karren will follow Titans.
Good luck. Off you go.
And I'll see you back in the boardroom in a few days' time.
Two days to turn premium stock into a pretty penny.
I would love to be project manager for this.
I have worked in department stores, including this one.
Nailing her colours to the mast, make-up artist Grainne.
I honestly believe Fran as sub-team leader,
because she has her own stores as well.
I think you guys really need to use me here
and put me in the right place
and make sure I can bring out the best in all of you guys.
So you want to lead, and then you sub-lead?
I will be happy to lead, yeah. Are we all in agreement, then?
You guys, I just have to say something. I...
I'm going to leave the process.
Sorry?
- So, I'm really sorry... - What?
- I just... - Why, what happened?
I'm just not... It's... I'm just not enjoying it. I'm not...
- Is this a joke? - No, it's not a joke.
Aleks, we're just starting a task,
- it's not exactly the ideal moment. - KARTHIK: - Stick with it.
I'm really sorry, but I'm not...
OK, well, I don't have time to...
- I'm going to go. - If you want to go, I'll leave you to get on with it.
- Good luck. - Sorry.
I'm so sorry.
OK, that's, em, a bit of a shock...to the system.
I actually thought it was a joke. It's obviously not. She's gone.
I don't want this to stop or bring us down, you know,
or dishearten us in any way.
I have found the process overwhelming and stressful
and really intense.
I just want to go home to my kids and my husband now.
Right now.
She obviously didn't feel she was strong enough to be in this,
but we need to keep our heads together now and get down to work.
- Frances, are you happy and content? - Absolutely content.
- Is there anything you want to ask me? - No, nothing.
Across the hall...
I would like to put myself, 100%, project manager.
..Sofiane sells himself.
So this is pretty much what I've been doing the last five years.
- So you've worked in a high-end department store? - Absolutely.
Are you happy with me to project-manage this task, yeah?
Yeah, definitely.
So who's strong here to, kind of, be my sub-team leader?
Who's got the most...?
I've worked in and helped manage a lot of high-end stores,
- so I believe it would be a good fit and I can help. - Brilliant.
I would like to maximise my creative input and also my knowledge
of the brands that this store sells. I think...
I don't think you're a very strong leader.
So, let's decide quickly. I've got Sammy as sub-team leader.
Project managers in place...
..next stop, the shop floor.
Sofiane finds it very hard to listen,
- even in everyday conversation. - And delegate.
My worry is that he's just going to try and make it a one-man band.
Yes, I thought that.
That could end up being an absolute car crash.
He always says to me, "Trust me."
Anyone that tells me to trust them, I don't trust them.
Simple as that, really. There's a reason for it.
9am.
A world-famous department store in the heart of London.
- My name is Samuel. Nice to meet you. - Sofiane, nice to meet you.
A treasure trove, selling everything from stationery and chocolate...
How do you not just eat all the chocolate all the time.
..to sought-after scarves...
This is one of our classics.
..and high-end handbags.
I could talk for hours on the beautiful brands you have.
- I used to work in leather goods and accessories. - Oh, brilliant.
First for both teams, a chance to size up stock.
What is your price range?
It starts from about £100 going up to the most expensive at 2.6K.
Great. Wow, really exciting stuff.
I do really believe that the leather goods and bags department
has the possibility to sell the highest ticket items.
I know the market quite well.
I think that's definitely an advantage for this task.
I kind of hope to share that experience
with the rest of the team.
Our scarves are world-famous.
We have one of the biggest scarf collections in the whole world.
How much do they tend to spend on a scarf?
Do they go more for the taste, or...?
They range from about £75 up to £1,200.
- Thank you. It's been lovely. - Thanks, bye.
Departments dissected...
Chocolate?
They've got an exit on to a very busy street.
Stationery is a very busy area...
But it's going to be £20 per customer.
..next, decide which one to represent tomorrow.
Liberty scarves are only available in Liberty.
It's, like, typical Liberty, those scarves.
People coming in there are going to see that straightaway.
As a team, altogether, where would you be comfortable?
- Scarves. - Scarves.
Scarves, yeah?
- Scarves, OK? - Good.
People are coming to Liberty mainly for scarves.
We're on a one-day sale.
I think we should go for the main product that is the staple product.
That should be the way that we approach it.
- Hold on, hold on. You're suggesting scarves as... - Number one.
My personal choice would be bags.
The opportunity on leather goods is quite significant.
Right, can I just stop here a wee second? Can you all give me each...?
I think we should go for scarves.
It will sell more than probably handbags. That's my input.
- Quickly. - Scarves.
I'm going to go for scarves.
The scarves is a good proposition.
I believe the bags, just because we'd have to sell 20 scarves
or 15 scarves to make one bag sale.
OK, first handbags, second scarves.
Lunchtime.
Tomorrow, teams must showcase one new product range
to try and drive up sales.
Hello, lovely to meet you. Hi, guys.
While half of Grainne's team look over luxury luggage...
- So they're all 100% leather or canvas, essentially? - Yes.
They're the two materials.
Aren't they beautiful inside as well?!
..the rest check out high-end handbags.
The brand is called HEIO.
It's actually the initials of the brand values.
H would stand for humble, E for eclectic,
I for identity, and then O for optimism.
I've got now two collections. One of them is called New York.
- New York, yeah. - Then another one is called Minorca.
This is, like, kind of, futuristic meets modern contemporary.
The same way, doesn't it?
For Sofiane's scarves and accessories squad...
These are our umbrellas,
they all change colour in the rain when they get wet.
..colour-changing brollies...
It's something different, it's quirky and it's fun.
Wow. That is so cool.
..and feline fabrics.
I notice you like cats.
We do love cats, but we also love jaguars, tigers...
An interesting twist on the pussy bow.
Yeah, exactly. I mean, at the end of the day, they're scarves,
so you can wear them in different ways.
I think it's amazing that you've used the cat in such a clever way.
When I first saw them, I immediately knew they'd be a good seller.
They just look so cool.
They could be worn by either sex, depending on how brave you are.
I think that's really cutting-edge.
5pm.
So they're £25 for the umbrellas.
'I just think they might be a little bit low-end for...'
Yeah, we agree.
Decision time.
'So basically the scarf designer creates these scarves that
'are in the shape of an illustration of a tiger or a jaguar, etc.
'We all loved them. Like, they were awesome.'
Literally, if you saw one of these scarves, you would just love it.
I think with this type of scarf, it would be an impulse buy.
Quickly, what sort of shape is it? Is it just cats?
- Again, yeah... - The paws are at the front.
'The paws are at the front and the head is shaped in the shape of
'a cat, but it's got a long body, like a scarf.'
I think we'll go with the scarves.
'Cool. Good choice, good choice.'
- 'Hi, Grainne.' - Hi, Frances, how did you get on?
On the other team...
It's a unisex brand, utilitarian,
'but I'm going to be honest, I'm not overly fussed.
'It's very, very minimal.'
..decide on a bag.
'OK, right, well, I'll give you a wee brief on what we've done.'
So her inspiration is through architecture, travel and colour.
- 'Right.' - Produced in the south of Spain.
Spain is so good for manufacturing, in terms of quality.
'Spain is actually exceptional in that.
'Grainne, you've sold it to me.'
- Great. - Frances, thank you. Thank you, thank you very much.
At the department store...
Nice to meet you all.
I look after the windows' team. Just a few top tips.
..for half of each team...
I think we need to entice people in.
I mean, theatre, everyone just loves a bit of theatre.
..a crash course in window dressing...
Some of our most successful brands have real people in the window.
..to showcase the team's chosen products.
You would usually see an uplift between 30 and 50%.
So we have the scarves,
so Jessica comes out and physically hangs cat scarves one by one.
It needs to be a message that creates curiosity.
- When they see it, they'll think... - Curiosity killed the cat.
Oh, my God! Yeah, I quite like that.
Cats are on trend, cats are cool. Cool for cats.
- Cool for cats. - OK, I like that.
No, but "Cool for cats" doesn't make sense.
It doesn't make sense.
It doesn't make any sense. What's cool for cats?
♪ Cool for cats... ♪
You're struggling to explain yourselves.
"Cool for cats," doesn't make sense.
It's from a famous song in the '80s.
♪ Cool...for...cats... ♪
On the other team...
I mean, I've got designs for, like, a three-tier podium thing.
You put the bags on there.
..Mukai sets out his vision.
One based on the urban New York environment and one based on
the south of Spain island resort-wear style.
If we wanted Rebecca, she would be the live mannequin, potentially.
You have her beckoning people to come over.
But we don't want to make it look as if we're...
It's tacky and inviting people...
Yeah, but I think there could be some interaction.
The question, Grainne, you have to answer is...
I know, you keep saying I have to answer,
but I'm trying to say to you, we're going to get the products in
and then we can try and incorporate Rebecca, if need be.
I think Mukai, for some reason,
he's trying to step up and push the live window.
As team leader, I'm not going to argue with him.
At the end of the day, we wanted to keep it as simple as possible.
Do you mind me asking your dress size at all?
Tomorrow, the teams must run a personal shopping service.
Have you got any favourite brands or designers?
Tonight, a chance to check in with their clients.
Can I ask you at all what your budget is for tomorrow?
Fishing for information, Frances.
Have you got any special occasions coming up at the moment or not?
'Yes, I've got a wedding.'
Have you got a particular style? Is it quite timeless,
classic, or do you like...?
'No, I quite like to look a bit weird.'
I like that. Do you know what I like about you, though, Dani,
you're just honest from the onset.
It just makes everything so much easier.
I really look forward to meeting you tomorrow, Dani,
have a lovely evening. Bye.
- 'Bye.' - Bye.
- Great. - Smashed it.
- Good information gatherage. - That went very well. That went well.
On the other team...
I just want to get a sort of gauge of what you're looking for,
if there's anything in particular you are looking for.
..Alana opts for a softer approach.
'I'm off on holiday at the end of the month, Alana.
'I want some trousers and some shirts.'
OK. John, is there anything else you're wanting tomorrow.
Is there any sort of housing stuff we can show you?
'You know, I've got a mission here...'
Yeah, of course. OK. Well, we won't stray from that mission, John.
We'll get you a holiday wardrobe sorted.
'Fabulous.'
Perfect. All right, then. Cheers, bye.
'Bye.'
- Happy? - Yeah, fine.
- Good, yeah. - Brilliant.
The most important thing about personal shopping
is to understand what the client wants,
what brands he likes, what brands he doesn't like,
and, more importantly, to get the budget.
They don't understand his style, they don't know his budget.
It's not a great start.
Do you think we should have asked their clothing size?
No, definitely not. I think it's a little bit intrusive on the phone.
10pm.
Front, front, back, back, back.
Oh, my God, so much work to do on this.
Ultimately, where is Rebecca going to be?
Maybe she's just, kind of, like, standing, I don't know.
I don't think she's going to fit into this theme, then.
The final window,
I'm still trying to get a clear direction from Grainne.
I think having any sort of movement in the window will make
people see that window and attract people towards our product.
No, a little bit back. No, no, no, no, back a little bit.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
7am.
So what are you going to do in the window, Rebecca?
Beautifully display the bag.
I won't, like, make it cheesy.
If I'm in a window, I'll be trying to pull a very straight face.
Let's wait and see what they've got planned.
Before trading begins...
Here we go.
..the big reveal
of both teams' windows.
The scarves are amazing.
I wasn't actually expecting them to be like this.
- It's amazing. - Really nice. - Bang-on, mate.
- She wants us to go in. - She wants us to go in and buy.
It's by far the best thing I've ever seen, I swear.
They've taken it to the next level. I couldn't ask for a better start.
It's all looking good. Hopefully we're going to win this task.
Oh, oh, it's coming.
This is a New York skyline on this side,
and then this side is more resort.
So this is all the resort collection.
OK, so if you're imagining having a person in there,
what are you imagining? Where and when and how?
- Well, we were potentially thinking this side. - Cos it's quite full.
We can move that green bag.
I don't get it.
How would I know that's a New York skyline?
How would I know that's Minorca?
How does that represent anything at all to me?
The bags are beautiful, but as far as the window display,
it's lost on me.
9am.
I'm going to swap teams. I'm going to move over to the shop floor.
This is what I do. Selling on the shop floor is what I've been doing.
One hour until teams start selling.
So, on the sales floor, we're going to have myself, Paul and Mukai.
I'm happy to be used wherever you need me.
OK. Frances, you and Karthik are going to go to personal shopping.
Karthik can be your runner.
Outside, if there's any products needed, he's then going to go
on to the shop floor, collect these products and bring them up to you.
Karthik, I think this is the best place for you.
You know, listen to Frances
and do everything that she needs to be done.
I was going to suggest Dillon to move to the personal shopping
because you're like a stylist.
I'd be quite confident helping someone to style and choose items.
Right, so, Dillon, you'll be the sub-team leader for the day.
Did they brief about a budget, or is that just open?
We spoke to them yesterday. Maybe we should have asked these things.
I don't think we got all of the information out of them
that we needed.
We hadn't established sizes, budget or personal style.
If I'd been calling clients directly,
I'd have been establishing their favourite designers,
the sizes they take, but I don't know why it wasn't done yesterday.
10am.
Doors open...
Are you looking for anything exciting today
- or just having a browse? - Just browsing.
..to some of London's most discerning shoppers.
This is a brand exclusive, just for today.
Heading up scarves...
It would be great if you could stand on that window.
Just ask them to come in.
..and taking a firm grip on his sales team...
When you sell a scarf, just say,
"What colour bag do you have to go with it?"
..project manager Sofiane.
I'm just saying, just get familiar with
a particular section that you're a little bit more expert in.
Like, he just spent the last ten minutes on one section.
He knows about the fabrics, the colours, the different types.
I'm a natural born leader, but this is mine. This is my task.
It's all about high-end retail. It's not rocket science.
We are going to win this.
I'm not saying change, you don't need to change,
- just your body language... - I understand what you're saying.
On the other half of the team...
Are they too thick, Dillon?
They're completely wrong.
..shortlisting clothes for their first personal shopping client...
Yeah, that's gorgeous.
It's very expensive, though.
..art director Dillon.
Well, we've got shorts, we've got two pairs of chinos,
we've got jeans.
Dillon's turned up to the personal shopping team
to add his expertise,
but he hasn't been given the budget, he hasn't been given the sizes,
and therefore he has very limited information
to go and select clothes the client might like.
And I think it could go disastrously wrong for them.
- Hi, John, nice to meet you. - I'm Dillon, how are you?
So Dillon is your personal stylist for the day.
A fellow silver fox, so...
Yeah, thank you, Dillon.
So what we've done is we've pulled some varying items in price point,
and what you can do is, you can direct us
in what way your budget is going.
I love a beige chino, it goes with everything.
And then a classic white shirt.
- They're not pyjamas, are they? - No, they're not pyjamas.
Across the hall...
So are you going for three or four looks for her, or...?
I think that's a strong possibility.
..fully briefed by their client...
Dress, shoes, headband, accessories, the whole...
Headband?!
..Frances and Karthik size up options.
I think that's really lovely.
- But wouldn't this make her waist look big? - No, I don't.
I think it's going to clinch in and it's going to sit quite high.
I think she's going to like it. I think it's something different,
I think it's quite comfortable and it's still on trend.
I'm really happy with myself at the moment.
I think that the personal shopping customer will be happy
with my selections. I've really listened to what she wants,
but I have added that special colour,
especially with the orange selection, just fresh for spring.
- Please, come in. - Thank you.
That's my associate, Frances, you spoke to yesterday.
- Hi, Frances. - How are you?
Welcome. It's very nice to see you today.
Hopefully you'll like a few pieces.
Am I allowed to say what I hate?
- Absolutely, because then I can... - That.
That colour on me is hideous. I don't like that at all.
OK, so no orange scarf either. OK.
I don't mind that, but it might make me look like a fat art teacher.
OK.
I've tried those before, they look absolutely hideous.
OK. OK.
That's fine.
Mid-morning.
While Jessica pulls in the punters for scarves...
- Please may I have that? - No problem at all.
Enjoy the rest of your time in London.
- Thank you. - Cheers, thank you. Bye-bye.
..handbags are left to sell themselves.
- How are you feeling? - It's good, it's just a little bit, um...
Obviously footfall is the...
But the same footfall for them as well, right?
I don't know.
It's a central hall, isn't it?
Do we not want to do the window?
It's starting to pick up a little bit in here anyway,
so hopefully somebody will come in and buy a load of bags.
- There's no point her sitting in a window. - No point, OK.
- If you want to... - You know, so... - Let's do it. - Perfect.
I'm a little bit upset that we don't have Rebecca in the window yet.
I think, you know, if we can't get her in,
I think it's going to be a challenge
to get people to come to the handbag section.
On the other half of the team...
- What do you think of that one, Dani? - This dress?
Yeah, what do you think of it?
I have three of this already. And it's a beautiful dress.
..IT consultant Karthik...
How do you feel when you wear it? What... What feelings...?
- It's very comfortable, actually. - Is it comfortable? - Yeah.
..turns on the charm.
It's good. It's beautiful. You know what I'd like to see on it?
- This is just my personal opinion... - A necklace? - Yes.
How did you guess?
Karthik has somehow become a little bit more confident,
and suddenly, he's a fashion guru.
And he's offering advice.
And believe it or not, the customer is accepting it from him,
and he's doing quite well.
The bag... I mean, what is money compared to happiness?
At the end of the day, happiness, as they say, is priceless.
It's a mere £1,030. That's all it is.
I think your choice is magnificent.
Let's take these down to the till area, and we'll get them wrapped up.
- OK. - Perfect.
Also in personal shopping...
- So are you happy with that one? - Yeah, for sure.
..pushing for their first sale...
- So take the three of them? - Yeah. - Awesome.
- They were all gorgeous on you, anyway. - Yeah, I really liked them.
Thanks. They're all yeses.
..Dylan and his half of the team.
So we've got these in, they're... A French artist designed them.
She's... She doesn't sell in Liberty normally,
and they're literally just here for one day.
So we thought we'd just bring them up to show you.
But they are quite different.
I don't really wear...scarves.
Stuff like that.
Oh, that's very classy.
It makes it a bit more wearable, and then when you go to a dinner,
- you can roll down the sleeve. - Yeah. - We happy with that look so far?
- Yeah, love it, absolutely. - OK, great. - Good.
- These are yours to take to the till. - Thank you.
Thank you so much, goodbye.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
Honestly, I think I was the one that led that whole situation
and made those sales. I mean,
there was a couple of shirts that the guys picked out, but ultimately,
I sold the shirts to the client through the rapport that we had.
Downstairs...
145, can I tempt you?
..freed from the window display...
So that's just £165 altogether.
..for Jessica, a rush of sales.
So that's 595 altogether.
Thank you.
Still searching for his first scarf sale...
How about...this one here?
..Sofiane.
See, what I really want is black.
- Yeah. We do have black. - No, I know.
There's one exactly similar to what you're wearing just over there.
Yeah. Yeah, I know. All right. That's fine.
- Pleasure. - Thank you. - No worries. You're welcome, ma'am.
How much was that last sale?
- It was £595. - Wow! - Yeah.
Are you thrilled?
To be fair, though, actually,
she did say that me being in the window enticed her to come in, so...
Sofi's put himself forward for project manager,
he's told everyone that he's really good at sales in this sort of, like,
high-end department store, but I don't think he's sold any yet.
And even worse, every time I make a sale,
he kept plonking me back in the window!
Hello?!
1pm.
For Grainne's team...
- Have a lovely day. - Yeah. - Thank you very much!
..a lunchtime boost in bag sales...
- 449.99, then. - Yeah, sold.
..including their debut product.
I like it because of the embossed...
It's embossed, as well. So we'll take this one.
For marketing executive Paul...
Total payment is 395.
..an opportunity to make more money.
- So, new bag? - Yeah. - What's your plans for the rest of the day?
Still shopping.
What about personal shopping, have you thought about that?
- If you'd like, we could introduce you to Fran? - Yeah. - Yeah? - Yeah.
Need to make a call to Fran, because the young lady may be interested
- in a personal shopping session. - Amazing. I'll do that for you.
Everyone is doing pretty well in terms of engaging with the clients
that have actually come through... Apart from Mukai.
He hasn't engaged well with everybody,
and after all, he's the one who's supposed to be the bag expert.
For Sofiane's team...
They are designed by a French lady.
But you can also wear it just hanging down.
..cat scarves at a standstill.
- I personally wouldn't wear anything with this sort of... - All right.
I think it's quite niche.
I think it's like a Marmite product, you either love it or you hate it.
We've got footfall, yes, but no, they're not really going.
- 'Hello?' - Quick summary. How are you getting on?
Time to talk tactics.
We have a female client coming into us now,
and I'd be interested in having Jessica on board for this one.
Yeah, I feel comfortable. I think me and you will work together
really, really well with the next client.
The only thing, Jess, and not to be disrespectful,
there's me and Alana here as well.
Who are you sending from your side?
Can we exchange JD for Jessica?
'She's done the most sales here, so...'
I don't understand what she's going to do that we can't do.
- If she's selling the best there... - She runs a clothing line,
that's the only reason I'm thinking about it.
- I think we've got this. That's what I'm saying. - OK.
We've got this under control.
- OK, that's fair enough. - 'All right.'
We'll stay as we are and we'll just focus, and we'll perform.
- Thanks. - 'All right?' - OK, thank you. Bye. - 'OK.'
I think Dillon bringing Jessica in, to me, was a completely crazy idea.
I feel like I have contributed a lot, into our team.
I didn't understand the logic behind that at all.
3pm.
I did pick out key things
that I think are really cool this season.
Next for Frances and Karthik...
- I think the colour isn't... - Yeah. - ..really great...
..trendy teenage girls.
- I don't really like anything neon. - OK.
Yeah, I don't really like sneaker thinks.
- I think they're ready to buy. - Oh, yeah...
You just need to give them the right kind of thing, you know.
- Exactly. - They're ready to buy, this could be a good...
- Yeah. It could be really good. - But we need to get it done.
- So, shall we? - Exactly. Let's go!
Indigo, skinny...
More dark navy jeans.
And I've got the high-rise skinny as well.
I believe that... You know,
the ability of a fish should not be judged on how well it can
climb a tree, you know? Monkeys climb trees, fish swim in the sea.
My skills are elsewhere. Maggie prefers loafers to shoes.
What are loafers?
OK, and swede, what is swede?
Suede.
I am not a handbag expert, I don't have retail shops.
I'm an IT project manager. But I did not give up.
I rolled my sleeves up and I got right in.
Cos that one has got a really nice weight to it as well.
- I don't know, it's probably a bit too smart. - That's fine.
- And did you want to try it on at all? - No. - No, I think we're fine.
No? OK.
So, does anything catch your eye immediately?
Probably wouldn't wear white.
Getting to grips with their next client...
This is a maybe, I think, cos I like the way that...
If I'm honest, I don't think it ties up.
..Dylan and his team.
Looks amazing, but I think they're not...
- They're not tying quite right. - Yeah.
But I think it just an indicator of the overall style.
Like, these...
I don't think these necessarily have to all go together.
But I think they look good.
With this personal shopping appointment,
Alana sort of butted in, and I think Dillon
got a little bit annoyed with her at times.
JD was a sort of waiter-cum-tidy-upper.
JD, did you find out about the tea?
I did. It's under control.
I'm not sure this client is going to be very impressed,
and won't spend the maximum amount of money.
Downstairs...
This... It's died down now. There's literally no-one here.
..a plan to drive up scarf sales.
Window display looks great. Go in there for a couple of minutes.
- Yeah, perfect. - Cheers, thanks, Jessica. - Cool.
- Sofi, she's selling the most here. - There's no-one to sell to.
So if she goes and charms them, brings them in, then we sell.
- You go, then. - I can't. You go. - No, I'm selling.
Yes, and I'm selling as well.
Just relax, yeah?
That's my... It's my decision, don't worry.
In handbags...
- I hope she enjoys the bag. - I'm sure she will.
..some sales...
There you go, sir.
..and the first for bag expert Mukai.
Fantastic. Have a great day.
Price point high...
- How much was your sale? - 795. - Perfect, amazing.
..footfall still low.
Are you not going to use the window at all, no?
Not going to bother with that?
There's no way I could put Rebecca in the window.
Stop saying we should use the window...
No, it's a factor. You don't need to get angry.
No, no, come on, come on. We've done really well...
- It's just not appropriate in a shop. - Yeah, exactly.
Stop pinpointing the one thing we...
Come on, guys. Come on.
- Come on. - OK.
Mukai's constantly, about six times, telling me, you know,
"We should have put her in the window, we should have put her in the window."
I have clearly stated to him and clearly explained,
I thought she was best placed on the shop floor.
At the end of the day, this is a sales task.
So if Mukai thinks that the failure of this task
is Rebecca not being in the window, that's fair enough with me.
5pm.
That's really, really different. 795.
For both teams...
I see you've found one of our cat scarves.
..a spike in rush hour sales.
195.
Just walk and talk.
- How you doing? - OK. I'm just running back up. It's just been...
Yeah, last few minutes, we're running along...
- Well, it doesn't sound like you're going to be able to fit this in. - Exactly. Bye.
£195. Would like to purchase that one?
I have no clue what I'm doing here, guys.
This is a bloody nightmare!
30 minutes left, Sof. One more sale each?
Oh, that's very classy.
So you want both of them, yeah?
So that'll be £125, please.
- 795. - Thank you very, very much.
- Happy? - Yeah, very happy with this.
Take care.
Six o'clock.
Trading over.
- Pulled that out of the bag, didn't you? - Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, I probably could have sold more, but there you go.
It's a different environment to what I'm used to before.
But I think most importantly, it's not about individuals.
I think this is a winning team.
Hey!
- How are you guys? - Yeah, good.
I am really confident in what we've done over the last two days.
You know, the team's worked really, really well together.
You know, I've been really, really positive throughout.
I'm feeling very confident.
Tonight, proceeds counted.
Tomorrow, the boardroom.
You can go to the boardroom now.
Good morning.
Good morning, Lord Sugar.
Well.
Those who are observant will realise
we are missing one of our candidates, Aleksandra.
And as I said when we first met a few weeks ago,
the process is very, very tough and if you can't hack it,
you know, get out.
And that's, I think, exactly what she did.
Anyway, on the positive front, I've saved myself a cab fare.
OK, so this task was all about you taking over a department
in a famous traditional British store.
And I needed to see from you the sales,
product selection, customer service, and also,
you had to take on the personal shopping offer to the clients.
I think I'm going to start with Titans.
Sofiane, you were the project manager, is that right?
It was an obvious choice for me, as I've got experience,
- I work in a very similar high-end retail store in London. - Mm-hm.
- So I put myself forward. - Yeah.
So, then you had to choose to take on one of the four departments.
Yeah. Our choice was the scarf department.
So then, in the afternoon,
we had a chance to go and meet designers.
We did end up bringing in something very different.
- I saw the scarves. Cat scarves, right? - That's correct.
So it was inspiration from this French lady,
it was 100%-silk scarves.
I'm used to dealing with fat cats, not flat cats, but...
- Didn't sell many of them, did you? - Not at all, no.
- I've probably got that wrong. - Hmm.
- This is your window display, right? - Yeah.
We came up with a few slogans that tied in with cats, tongue-in-cheek.
And this is Jessica in the window?
After speaking to the head of visual merchandising,
she told us that interactivity could potentially increase sales
from 30 to 40%. And we just thought that that might create a buzz.
And Jessica.
I heard you were in and out of the window and still selling, yeah?
When it was quiet, I was quite happy to go over to the window
to try and drag people in.
- Like a Punch and Judy show. - Pretty much, yes.
To be fair, from being in the window,
we managed to get the lady in who we sold the £580 scarf to.
Well, it didn't stand in your way,
- cos you were the highest salesperson on the team. - Thank you.
Good. Let's move on, now.
The personal shopping was handled by who?
I led the team.
We immediately set out to find out about our clients.
Did you know what his budget was?
See, I didn't get the budget...
You didn't? You didn't, at any point, ask him what his budget was?
Unfortunately, that had been done the day before.
And so, when I was switched over,
that information had not been collated.
Common sense would say to you, you need to know,
"What's your shoe size, what's your suit size...
- "And by the way, how much could you spend here today?" - Yeah.
It didn't start very well,
because I kind of felt like I was thrown into it,
having not been on it the day before.
You did sell John over £1,000-worth of merchandise.
- But his budget, had you have asked him... - Yeah.
- ..was 5,000. - OK.
Wow.
Basically, you lost a great opportunity.
And, Alana, you sat there speaking to the daughter, I think,
for quite a while, didn't you?
Um, in the end, she did buy some make-up.
After three hours of discussion, she bought a lipstick, didn't she?
She bought an eyeshadow and a powder, yeah.
And JD, no offence, but...
What was you doing?
Yeah, I certainly struggled to find a place where I was...
Well, needed.
Someone might have confused you for the store detective.
You did make a mean cup of tea.
Let's move on, now, to Nebula.
Grainne.
You were chosen as the project manager?
Yes, Lord Sugar.
You used to work in Liberty's, once, didn't you?
I worked full-time in another department store,
but they used to put me over there to cover holidays.
So one good reason for her to be the project manager.
Next, you got your department to run. So tell me about that.
Well, we decided to go with handbags.
- Handbags being the best-priced, ranging from 100 to... - £2,500, yeah.
So we thought there would be a good profit on that.
Well, I get annoyed paying 5p at Tesco's for a bag,
never mind 2,500.
Paul.
You felt that they should have gone for scarves, didn't you,
in the beginning?
I just felt that scarves would have been
the reason that most people go to the department store.
We thought, with my experience in the store,
- and Mukai's experience in handbags, the two combined... - Yes.
- ..could work well. - Your knowledge of handbags.
Where does that come from?
So I worked in Italy for two years in leather goods and accessories,
for a brand, and I've also worked in the UK and Japan.
So my knowledge is quite strong in that area.
So you know your Helmut Langs from your Vera Wangs,
so to speak.
- Those famous designers of handbags, yeah? - Yes, Lord Sugar. - OK.
This is your window display, is that right?
The concept was to split the window into two different categories,
New York versus Minorca.
Had it been explained correctly,
because that's where the designer came from,
that was her inspiration...
But nobody, who didn't know the designer, could possibly
- have guessed that that's what it represented. - Yeah.
- I think we took it a little bit too abstract. - Yeah. Yeah.
I mean, you might not win the task,
but you might win the Turner Prize.
Next, you had the personal shopping.
That was me and Karthik on the second...
- So just the two of you? - Yeah. - Yeah.
The night before, I called both of the clients,
gleaned a lot of information from them, budgets, etc. And...
- You did get the budget? - Yeah, I got the budgets.
- So you knew what they had to spend. - Yeah, dress sizes, shoe sizes.
I brought in various different accessories,
really, really connected with her by the end.
And eventually, she spent over double her budget.
So it's quite good salesmanship, if you like, there, because...
She nearly bought a £1,000 clutch bag as well, Lord Sugar.
She nearly did. It's one I picked out for her, but...
I nearly won the Lottery once.
Yeah.
OK, so, I think we need to get on to look at the money, now.
Because that's going to tell all.
Claude, if you wouldn't mind telling me...
The personal shopping achieved a net
£1,205.
The department sales,
they sold £3,172.99,
making total sales of £4377.99.
OK.
And Karren, same thing, then, please.
Titans' personal shopping sales,
£1264.38.
The scarf department sales,
£3,995.
Making a total of £5,259.38.
Well, there you are. Well done.
Now. You spent your time in a traditional English store.
And so I'm going to send you to a traditional English country house,
and you're going to be playing croquet
and enjoying drinks on the lawn.
Off you go, and I'll see you back on the next task.
Yes!
Oh, brilliant!
4,400...
plays 5,200...
Maybe one bag.
But that's how it is in business.
And that's how this process is.
Off you go.
Pressure's on!
ALL: Hooray!
No-one's here to make friends, I'm not here to make friends.
I think there's still a couple of weeks
until things get really, really competitive. At the moment,
it's just shaking the feathers, getting rid of the dead wood.
I feel very regal doing this.
And slightly glamorous.
- Wahey! - Yes!
I do feel like I was undervalued at the beginning of the task,
and I wish I could have been given the opportunity to bring more.
We still won, but we could have won bigger.
Come on!
ALL: Yes!
Everyone's so competitive today, it's insane.
There's no competition if you're already winning!
I know I can beat everyone in this competition.
Every week, I want a triple firing,
because it just makes my life easier.
One team, one dream!
Dream team!
The other team obviously did have somebody in their window,
and they did...that did translate into a sale.
Maybe in hindsight,
would it have driven one more sale?
It wasn't worth our while taking her off the shop floor
and wasting so much time getting her in...
Grainne made one of the key mistakes about the window display.
That affected our footfall,
and ultimately, we lost on one bag sale.
The decision of the handbag section, of what we chose,
could have been the failure.
I mean, just to defend myself, I'd say that, you know,
obviously I helped a lot, tried to support you on day one
with my knowledge and expertise in that area.
Whilst he's jumping on the bandwagon about what he contributed,
I was the one who actually said, "Let's go for scarves,"
and he was one of the people that said, "Let's go for the handbags."
You didn't say scarves, and it was the logical decision.
I nearly managed a £1,000 bag sale.
If maybe you had that faith, said, "OK, maybe Karthik will sell,"
imagine my productivity if I was on the shop floor.
The way he presents himself and how he sells, you know,
he's quite loud and abrupt.
I put the people in the right places.
I was organised, I sold the most, I kept the team together.
You know, I thought I done really, really well as project manager.
Could you send the candidates in, please?
So, Grainne, you actually worked in Liberty.
Do you not feel that the choice of handbags
was more of a risky strategy?
I think we went with the handbags because of the pricing range.
And with Mukai's experience as well, with handbags,
we thought we could combine them all.
I voted for scarves, and then we had a discussion
about the experience on the team.
- You're talking about Mukai. - Yeah. Um, he was...really confident.
I mean, what is this experience... You're not exactly Louis Vuitton,
- are you? I mean, what... - I'm not...
What is this big experience you're supposed to have?
I'm not a genius, but in terms of...
I know products in the handbag category.
We did take a conscious decision together.
Your personal preference was to go for handbags.
To use my knowledge.
I mean, I don't have knowledge...so much knowledge of scarves.
I was aware that scarves was a key selling point of the brand and I...
That's what the brand is actually known for,
and I did say that most people are going to come here for the scarves.
It just was a logical statement.
All the more strange you didn't go for scarves.
Exactly.
The other issue is this window display.
The store managers explained that you get 30 to 40% more footfall
if someone stands in the window.
Which is exactly what Jessica did.
Why didn't we do that?
We were going to look into getting Rebecca into the window,
but by the time lunch and all was over,
she was selling and she was approachable,
and so I thought it best...
Well, you could have gone in the window.
Anybody could have gone in the window.
And that would have at least then brought people in.
The other aspect of it was the personal shopping side of things.
Karthik, I heard you was replicating Basil Fawlty,
from what I heard?
Grovelling, virtually on the floor. Yeah.
More like Manuel, in the end, I think, yeah?
My assigned job for the second day was to be the runner.
- The runner? - The runner.
I felt like...
Because I've seen Karthik's selling techniques before,
I thought he might be a little bit...
forward and pushy on the shop floor, and loud.
If I had been put on the shop floor, I would have probably sold,
at worst, maybe the same amount as the others. But if some...
One of these had actually been with Frances,
then she would have had a second opinion on fashion.
I'm no good at picking clothes for 16 to 18-year-old girls.
In terms of you being upstairs,
it was because of your selling. And...
- I mean, I nearly sold a £1,000 bag. - I know, but you nearly...
- If I'd been on the floor, who knows... - I know, but this...
- ..how much more my productivity...? - I know, but I wasn't taking a risk
of you being on the shop floor and being too pushy.
So you're saying that she should have had another,
- a female assistant? - Female, or, you know,
maybe even Mukai or Paul, they're very good with fashion. So...
I did put myself forward to be in the personal shopping...
But you did also say that you are a master in handbags,
so why would I put you in shopping when you're claiming
you have so much knowledge in handbags?
Because I can do fashion, I've worked in fashion for...
I know, but you've based it on you being in handbags,
and this is why we went for handbags, so...
Please don't shift the decision of going on handbags just on me.
- I gave you the knowledge... - I know, I'm just saying...
- ..the fact that I do have experience in this.. - Mukai.
..saying, "This is the choice, this is why I'd go for handbags."
From my perspective, if I was going to call this myself,
I would look to the people that didn't sell the most.
- If it was down to sales, then you're talking about Rebecca. - Yep.
I sold two bags, but I obviously engaged with a lot of clients.
The two I engaged with did buy...
According to your CV, you spent four years
in the retail fashion industry, selling...
- bras, for example. - Yeah, so I...
Did you give much support to this task?
In terms of sales, I didn't want to do a hard sell,
so I was talking to the customers, I was engaging with them.
- I did make two sales... - It is a shop, it's not a museum.
- You know. I mean... - No, I know.
You're not standing there watching people observe things,
you can apply a little bit of sales pressure.
Yeah, I did. But it's a longer buying process to buy a bag.
People bought very expensive scarves.
So the decision process, you know, is virtually the same.
OK.
Grainne, I want to know which two people
you're bringing back into this boardroom with you.
I think in terms of the window,
we're going to have to do Mukai and...
I helped you throughout the two days. I was there to support you.
But if you want to bring me in, that's fine. Absolutely.
..and Karthik. I just didn't know where to place you.
Are you bringing me in because I did what you told me to do?
No, I just... I just find it difficult to place you in...
But I did give you my suggestion.
- Shall we debate this afterwards? - OK.
You're saying that you want to bring Karthik back in, and Mukai?
Is that what you're saying?
Um...
Actually, can I change it?
- Well, it's up to you, I mean... - Sorry, Rebecca.
Just cos it's the lowest sales, and it was a sales task.
I'm going to take Rebecca and...
- ..Karthik. - That's your final decision, is it?
I'm sorry. Um...
This is so difficult. I'm changing it again,
and it's Mukai and Karthik.
This is ridiculous.
Right. OK.
The other people, go back to the house.
I'm going to have a chat with Claude and Karren,
and I'll call you back in shortly.
One of you will be fired.
Well, Grainne... She's got a lot to answer to.
The big mistake, in my opinion, is the handbags.
Not recognising that the main footfall was where scarves were.
Absolutely.
Karthik was trying his best
to not be volatile any longer.
But then again, I've often said a leopard might not change his spots.
And then we've got Mukai.
I think he just hasn't shown a real commercial acumen.
He does act like a consultant.
And actually doesn't put anything into practice.
Could you send the three of them in, please?
Mukai, in three tasks you was in the final three in the boardroom.
Is there a reason for this?
I can only say that it's totally unfair
that I've been brought in today.
Grainne had me by her side all the way throughout the two-day task,
to give her the information that I could provide
using my understanding of the industry.
But it was the fact that he gave us full confidence round that table
that he was a bag expert...
I gave my expertise advice.
However, it's a decision to be made by the PM,
whether we go for quantity, ie scarves,
or whether we go for high-ticket price point per individual item...
So, Karthik, you listening to this?
Was you locked away in the cupboard somewhere
when all this was going on?
The people that went to see the scarves said, "We like scarves."
People that went to see the handbags, they wanted handbags.
At that point, it was a question of, "OK, who decides?"
So we have Mr Handbag over there,
we have somebody who's worked at Liberty over here.
So I said, "Fine. You are the subject-matter experts. You take the call."
- And they took the call to go with handbags. - Lord Sugar, if I may.
In terms of the department, it was very, very close
in terms of the sales of the two departments.
We lost it by the value of one bag, essentially.
I stand by the recommendations that I gave
in terms of the pros and cons of the department.
Mukai, what I don't think you appreciate, really,
is the influence you had on the group.
You said, "My personal choice is bags,"
and that, I think, led them down that track.
I... I agree on your point, Claude...
You were saying you're a bag expert.
When you were on the shop floor, you sold one bag.
The shop window seemed to have your hallmark on it, also.
On the second day,
I pestered her to the point where she said,
"Stop talking about the window,"
saying, "Why do we not have somebody in the window?"
And this was multiple, throughout the second day, I said...
I know what he's saying about the window.
He did make it very, very clear to me that
he was also very experienced in visual merchandising for windows.
So with his... With his expertise...
I've never worked as a visual merchandiser.
You told me, you did say that you were...
You were experienced in merchandising windows.
So with your experience in handbags and visual merchandising
in the window, I thought you knew what you were talking about,
so I did take a lot of advice.
A lot of mistakes were made,
but the biggest one was resource allocation. She allocated...
That's cos you're a loose cannon, we...
This is just my humble opinion.
If I had been on the sales floor, and I've shown that I can deal with
regular Liberty clients very nicely, they gave good feedback.
The lady left and she gave me hugs and kisses and...
- I just didn't think... - And the family loved me as well.
The family didn't love you. They didn't buy anything, did they?
They didn't buy stuff because
we were not able to show them what they wanted.
You say that you admit that you struggle working with people
that think differently to you.
Especially if they are in a position of power above me.
So, in other words,
if I give a suggestion and the team leader doesn't accept it...
But it's not that, Karthik, it's...
Everyone on each team that you're on are trying to calm you down.
So this is why I took the decision of not putting you on a high-end department store...
But the risk is greater, because I'm speaking to a regular customer...
- I'm not... I wasn't taking a risk... - You've taken a greater risk
by putting me with somebody who's a regular...
Well, I wasn't taking a risk for you to blow up and go nuts on
- the shop floor. - What?! - This is... I'm just saying your personality...
Did we not have a team chat?
Did I not put up a good show in the end anyway?
Wouldn't it have been better to put me on the shop floor?
Lord Sugar, I am a strong woman, I'm very confident.
I lead my team as best I could, and put them in the right positions.
- Karthik. - Yes, sir?
Why are you worthy to be in this process, still?
I mean, this process is designed to test...
And can we keep it so that we can get away tonight by ten o'clock?
OK, so, this process tests candidates in a variety of skills.
You see, I'm like water. You put water in a cup, it becomes a cup.
You put water in a bottle, it becomes a bottle.
My point is, I'm flexible, I'm, you know, I'm lean, I'm...
- Can you just tell me, in simple terms...? - OK.
I don't think I have had an opportunity to show you my...
My leadership skills.
And if you see me in a leadership position,
then you will see how the strategy comes out.
Because then I will be in a position where the team will listen to me.
Lord Sugar, I sincerely do not believe
I belong in this boardroom on this task.
I have started three companies myself in the past,
I have entrepreneurial spirit, and I believe that I have the motivation
and the strength to really kind of do some really good business.
OK. I've got to make a decision, it's a difficult decision to make.
And I have to judge this not only on this task,
but by some of the past performance.
Grainne, in this particular task, you were the project manager.
You put yourself forward as somebody that knows about retail.
The big mistake was that you went with these handbags,
and you was influenced by other people.
Karthik, you, like it or not, were shoved into a corner.
Because they don't trust you,
and couldn't allow the potential loose cannon in the store.
Mukai, you're well-travelled, you've been around the world,
you've lived in six continents.
I feel, when you talk to me, it's as if I'm listening to a consultant.
Dishing out advice but never actually doing anything themselves.
Karthik, you talk a good game,
but I don't see any end product there.
I mean, give me one chance to...
- I don't want to hear from you. - Sorry.
But the fault lies, here, with handbags.
Mukai, I do believe that you did influence Grainne, and
I don't think you have the potential of being my business partner.
Mukai,
you're fired.
I think you've got potential, Grainne,
and that's why you're going to remain in this process.
Thank you.
Karthik...
Let me make it very, very clear to you now
that I have my eyes on you. OK?
- Yes, sir. - Off you go back to the house.
Sorry, dude.
Sorry, man.
I think Lord Sugar made a mistake in firing me.
The failure of this task has to lie with the project manager.
I didn't feel I put a foot wrong, but ultimately,
it was Lord Sugar's decision.
Mukai can't dodge it too many times, right?
I mean, he's had a couple of lives.
He's been an unsuccessful PM,
he's been an unsuccessful sub-team leader,
and he's little bit arrogant.
So it's definitely Mukai who's gone, I reckon, or Karthik.
- Or Karthik. - Could be both. Double firing.
Fantastic!
Well done.
Personally, I want to say, that was intense.
- Who did you guys think was coming back? - You two.
Well, by the end of it, he said I'm staying because I have potential.
So, you know, it's really, really hotting up now.
Now...13 candidates remain.
The search for Lord Sugar's business partner continues.
Next time...
I want you to launch a crowdfunding campaign.
Pedalling bike products...
♪ Oh, no! ♪
- ..and seeking publicity... - Let's go.
♪ Pledge right now! ♪
- Coming in, coming in, coming in. - ..punctures team spirit.
I'm not having this conversation.
One second, one second, just cut it at the end there.
And in the boardroom...
You so-called bunch of intelligent people have left me speechless.
..the wheels come off.
Frankly, you created all the buzz of a dead bee.
You're fired.