How Harrods is achieving new standards in safety, efficiency through advanced driver training solutions
Harrods is a world-renowned luxury department store, operating a fleet of delivery vehicles primarily in the London area. The nature of their operations requires specialised urban driver training to navigate complex city environments safely and efficiently. When the Harrods Transport Management team began exploring new ways to enhance driver training, their goal was clear: deliver high-quality urban driving education that helps their drivers better understand vulnerable road users — especially cyclists.
We asked Geoff Hooton, Transport Manager at Harrods, about his experience working with us.
“We originally thought about putting our drivers on bikes to give them first-hand experience. It made sense—get them to feel what it's like to be in the cyclist’s shoes. But the logistics quickly became a problem. Insurance costs, lack of suitable providers, and overall feasibility—it just didn’t add up.”
That’s when the team started exploring virtual reality as a more scalable,cost-effective alternative. “We were hoping there might be something morescalable. And there you were.” Fromour first conversation, the partnership was open and collaborative.
“You were happy to help, gave us a clear picture of what the solution could look like, and offered genuine insight into how it all worked. The content itself was spot on—exactly the kind of thing we wanted to offer our drivers.”
Naturally, introducing a new kind of training tool raised important questions: What hardware do we need? How do we run the sessions? How do we roll it out efficiently across the fleet?
“That’s where your support made all the difference. The help we got with sourcing the right headsets, picking the right mobile devices, and just being guided step by step through the entire setup—it really made the launch smooth.”
A key part of the delivery came down to the trainer — enter our long-time business partner James Tillyer. “He came down a few times to help us get things right on the ground. On one occasion, he even ran a Train the Trainer session, which was a great help. Honestly, it’s reassuring to know he’s always just a phone call away.”
Usability also mattered: “The course is easy to follow, as long as you put in the prep time. You’ve got to rehearse. But that’s what good training needs. And personally, I think the second version of the course is laid out even better than the first.”
Harrods has now put around 120 drivers' through the training—a real mix of people with different experiences and backgrounds.
“The feedback from our drivers has been really positive. It gave them something fresh—something different from the usual 7-hour session that can feel like a bit of a slog. The 360° videos got them talking, and the content felt relevant and varied. It made a difference.”
What’s encouraging is that the response has been consistently positive, regardless of experience. It doesn’t matter if someone has been driving for 30 years or just picked up their licence last month — the experience clicks with everyone. And the scope is already expanding: “The new version of the course is versatile enough to offer to our van drivers as a non-CPC course. That’s something we hope to roll out later this year.”
At its core, this project wasn’t just about introducing a VR course—it was about rethinking how professional training can be delivered at scale, in a modern and meaningful way.
Whether it's immersive learning through 360°video, capturing real-time decision-making with eye tracking, or digitising your existing training materials to make them more accessible and impactful, our work with Harrods reflects a broader shift towards smarter, integrated learning experiences.
We don’t just offer one solution—we help teams bring together the right mix of tools, insight, and support to fit their unique training goals.
Let’s talk about how we can help you deliver better training experiences — built around your people, your environment, and your standards.
👉 Contact Us to get started.
