It's Almost Over!

Another Christmas season is almost over and I thought I would just give you a few quick thoughts. After forty season's I can honestly say one of the most rewarding days of the year is Christmas eve. In my stores where I had the authority to to it I made certain that we had an in store potluck lunch.

I would pay for the meat, and the remainder of the staff would normally bring in the rest of the goodies. There was a method for my madness. First it brought the team together, second the meal breaks were always difficult to get done and this way most everyone ate at the store. This way you keep more of the staff in the store to better handle the amount of business you are going to do that day. Now this is something the company has to condone, with issues of not paying in for lunch and breaks you have to do what is considered correct by your bosses. But if you have the option do it, this promotes good feelings from your team and when things become difficult your team knows you have done your best.

The Christmas season is always tough, and hectic and stressful, but as I have said in my last post it can be productive in ways that will improve your business in several ways. Remember make your notes and plans during and immediately after the season. You will be glad you did when the next season comes around. Take care of customer service, this is an ongoing part of retail, it is self rewarding in the sense that a good reputation brings continued business and it is virtually free! Pay attention to counter maintenance, if you can do well at this in this time period, there is no excuse for it not to be done the rest of the year. The best managers deal with the issues of the season because they are prepared for it.

When I left my store on Christmas Eve, knowing my team and myself did the best we could, it always made me proud. Retail managers are not necessarily made in college, they gain confidence in college, hopefully they learn to work with people, and learn many things that help with imagination. But actually working in the store they learn what really works on a sales floor, stockroom, or service counter, it is that experience that can really pay off in your career. Don't just go in and do the duty, make notes on all things, keep a record of what worked and what did not. Then follow your own plans, this is the key to success.

To all of you and your families I wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Ron

Are you sure you want the schedule!

If you are in retail you need to understand the schedule has its drawbacks. You are not going to work 9-5. The schedule for managers is normally more than 40 hours and and the nights and weekends go into the schedule. When someone calls in sick you will be responsible for getting someone to cover the shift. If you can't get someone else it may be you. What to do in these situations is sometimes difficult. Frustration is tough if you have to stay but you need to understand it has to be done. You see you can do your best to make the customer experience what it should be, or you can go home and enjoy, at the risk of losing customers for the future.

A former head of a company I worked at always said when he viewed customers, the satisfied ones had dollar signs on the foreheads, because they would be back. The dollar signs represented the value of each customer meant to your future sales. The manager is the key, he has to create the environment that promotes great customer service. Customer service is replacing the employee who called in, instead of letting the store be short of help. Unfortunately many managers would just think about saving payroll, that is not bad thinking on a short term basis, but if you do this all the time you need to be careful what happens when customers tell everyone your store is one you can't get waited on.

You need to think about the fact that retail stores are open many hours, they include nights and weekends. I will tell you now, I have found some companies look at the management teams and expect nothing less than 60 hours aweek, remember you will be salaried that means no overtime pay. These companies have come to expect young managers are going to do whatever it takes to get ahead. Not everyone wants to spend their whole life working long hours. If you are one of those young eager-beavers go for it. Just remember a new girlfriend or new bride may not have the same thoughts.  As a general manager I wanted my management team to get their time off, because I felt they would do a better job while they were in the store (and I expected it).

I am not sorry about all of the hours I put in, I was generally well rewarded with promotions, raises and bonus's. Their were things I missed with my daughter, but  I was able to attend most of them. It is important that you understand these demands because your success or failure could hinge on the attitude you have. Most of us will work many years and trust me when I say your company may appreciate you but the fact remains. "They hire you, pay you and at the end of the day they are not your family" I started with one of the largest retailers in country when I graduated from school, after 17 years, I left them and they paid me every thing I had coming. But I was replaced in a matter of days and they moved on. Work at a job you love! Don't waste your time if you can't endure the bad with the good.

I said before I worked in Retail Management for more than 40 years I not try to discourage you, I just want you to go in with your eye's open!

Simple Ideas for the Retail Manager!

Is your store meeting the goals set for you. Are you fighting fires instead of productively looking for new ways to improve your store? Do you spend your time doing things that don't lead to sales? Are you getting the productivity that should lead to increased profits?

Having spent more than 40 years in retail management I would like to help you find simple ways to improve your sales. Make your stores look better. Would you like to see your employee's take more interest, in their jobs, treat the customers better, and improve their own performance?

First of all it starts with you. In these modern days with the companies turning out cookie cutter stores, many times the performance of your store is dependent on you and your ability to make a difference. It is you that manages the store and is the key to the personality of the store. If you think of this logically you will understand that it is you that the people in the store look at for the leadership of the store on an everyday basis. It is not the company that the people turn to on a daily basis it is you.

Things continue to change in the retail world and you need to be able to keep you eyes and ears open to see those changes happening. Change is the one thing you can count on. The boss changes, the policy's change,
the employee's change, your management team changes and we all know the store layouts and assortments are changing all the time. Take it from a guy that started on a cash register that was manually operated and watched as they went electric, and then the computers came and we suddenly had inventory updated with each sale. It has been fun, interesting, frustrating and very rewarding.

I intend to give you some of my own ideas, opinions and things I have seen and done in those years that helped me to have a successful, interesting and rewarding career. I will honestly tell you the things that did not work as well as the things that did. I was not always my boss's favorite manager but in nearly all cases I was the manager that did the best with the cards he was dealt.

So this is a blog for those of you wanting the real experience of years on the sales floor. This is not a blog written by a PHD. So if you are looking for clinical text book style advise this is not where you want to be.
My promise to you is practical real experience and knowledge earned from being where it happens.