Retail is tough. But it’s not dead!

AUTHOR

Bruce Coudrey

Get Staff working

There are some basics that business owners often forget…

Has this ever happened to you?  You walk into an empty shop, and you find the attendant focussed on their phone or computer … and not working?

With everyone carrying their phone in their pocket these days, it’s easy for retail staff to check their messages and browse through social media as people come and go through their store. The above scenario is very common and does nothing for brand image. The unproductive staff are a complete waste of a shop owner’s money.

So, what should your staff be doing when there are no customers in your store?

First of all, image is everything. Despite being told not to “judge a book by its cover”, most people do just that: they judge based on first impressions.

With this in mind, your staff should ensure that when the store is empty they take the opportunity to organise the stock and keep the space clean. Floors should be swept or vacuumed, counters made tidy and kept uncluttered and products on shelves and displays neatly arranged. A tidy shop is always an inviting shop!

With the shop looking neat and tidy staff should turn to tasks such as stock replenishment or stock quality and price checks and inventory counts. The key is to instil in staff an attitude which focuses on the detail in the “look and feel” of the store. Then they will independently and without prompting, ensure that the store is kept tidy and in order at all times.

Building incentive schemes around this and recruiting staff with the right attitude are two ways of achieving this. Remember: staff are there to help you always provide the best customer experience possible in your store. This includes not just serving customers in the right manner, but also ensuring that your store has the right atmosphere to entice customers to come in and buy products from you.

Pay attention to the details, and watch your business grow.

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