DMSRetail

In a retail organization, whether you’re the business owner, a District or Regional Manager, a Head Office Manager, or a member of the Executive Team….you will be visiting stores.

The purpose of a store visit is to move the business forward in some way.
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Join us for the Webinar: How to Get the Highest ROI from Your Store Visits. It takes place on:
Thursday, June 4, 2015 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Eastern and the fee is just $20.
SIGN UP HERE
Our gift to you: All webinar attendees receive a link to download DMSRetail’s Store Visit Report Framework.
(We understand that business schedules change regularly so, if you sign up and then find you cannot attend, we’ll send you a copy of the recording.)
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If you do not have an impact – on sales, on employee morale, on customer service, on something that can positively affect your business – and you do not move the business forward, then it’s a waste of your time and really wasn’t necessary.

Here are 5 simple techniques to help you get at least 25% more out of every visit:

1) Plan the visit well in advance and inform the Store Manager of your intentions. Plan to meet for coffee prior to store opening. Surprise visits lead to bad time management on the part of the Store Manager, the store team and you. Prepare the visit plan before you arrive – do the analysis of the numbers and prepare questions for the Store Manager. You may have good reason to ask the Store Manager to schedule certain individuals to be in the store on the day of your visit. This is particularly helpful when you are reviewing the performance of those individuals and would like to observe them during your visit so you will be able to better understand, and probe, the Store Manager’s explanation regarding the individual’s performance.

2) Focus on the store you’re in! It is understood that you may be managing multiple units, or a whole chain and you may have to deal with the occasional crisis while you’re there. But, barring a crisis, be present in the store and really absorb everything that is going on in that particular store that you’re in or you will visit store after store and never have a positive impact…you’ll never get the ROI for your time.

3) Take the Store Manager out of the store when you are ready to summarize the visit, offer advice, provide some support, etc. Lunch is a good time for that. Two positives – you get one-on-one time with the Store Manager who will likely appreciate being taken out for lunch and getting some quality time with you and you use the lunch time productively.

4) Keep your cellular/mobile phone or other communication device in the backroom and plan times throughout the day for checking email and voice mail. If this is out of the question, at the very least you must keep it ‘quiet’ and respond after you have excused yourself from the Store Manager. It’s just common courtesy.

5) Make a point of leading by example on the sales floor – take a little time to sell to customers, if at all possible, to provide an example to the staff. You will see the rewards going forward because:

staff see that you are capable of doing their job and that you like to do it which is important to them you make sales for the store (obviously you don’t take sales from store staff) you gain credibility because they know you can do it

Or, you can help out with some visual merchandising, or at the cash desk – the point is to do something that the staff can relate to; something that shows them you are (a) human and (b) involved in the business and that you’re not just a distant manager who shows up every now and then. They need to see you in action in the store.

Of course, these are just a few tips…there is lots more to know. For more insights, wisdom, advice and ‘how-to’ on getting the very best ROI possible on store visits…. (and a bonus gift)

Join us for the Webinar: How to Get the Highest ROI from Your Store Visits. It takes place on Thursday, June 4, 2015 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Eastern and the fee is just $20.

SIGN UP HERE

Our gift to you: All webinar attendees receive a link to download DMSRetail’s Store Visit Report Framework.

(If you sign up and then find you cannot attend, we’ll send you a copy of the recording.)

Seats are limited so sign up soon.

All the Success!
DMSRetail Team

PS: If your Store Managers could use a little help, get them the Store Management for Maximum Success Study Course, in digital format, for only $197. Get your store performance solution today and start reaping the rewards immediately.