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.

An important but often overlooked aspect of the sales process, add-on’s are seen by most salespeople as a burden on the customer. In other cases, salespeople are either indifferent to or even scared of suggesting add-on’s because of the fear of losing the sale.

Contrary to that fear, the best time to suggest an add-on is right after the main sale is closed. The fact that the customer has already said yes indicates that s/he saw the value in your offering, chances of them changing their mind because of an add-on suggestion is slim.

Far from it. in fact, studies show that in most cases, provided that the add-on is designed and sold properly, the additional item has enriched the satisfaction they got out of their main purchase.

The benefit of add-on sales on store profitability is tremendous. That is the reason some retail experts suggest that UPT (units per transaction) should be a prime measurement of store productivity.

We don’t want to get into a lengthy KPI discussion here, but everything else is being equal, you can make a huge difference in your profitability and overall success by increasing your UPT. Most of the increase usually comes from successful add-on sales.

To recap:

1. Contrary to popular belief, immediately after the sale is the best time to sell add-on’s.

2. Increases profitability dramatically.

3.Extends the satisfaction value of the purchase.

4. Your customer will appreciate you for it.

So, make it an agenda item in your next sales meeting and discuss the add-on products, the sales process, the expectations from each staff and count those extra profit dollars pouring in.

All the Success!

DMSRetail

PS. Fastest and the easiest way to increase your sales – Retail Selling Skills & Customer Service Fundamentals YourTime Study Course – Give it a try!

Knowing how much a customer is worth to you over the long-term is the best way to convince yourself and your staff to become more committed and determined to treating your customers right and keeping them happy.

Calculating the lifetime value of a customer is reasonably simple. Take the example of your local grocery store. A typical family of four will spend approximately $175 each week on groceries. Given that they are on vacation for two weeks a year, and say they are away for other reasons for another 2 weeks, that means they will shop at their grocery store for 48 weeks each year.

Over the course of a year, this single family will spend approximately (48 x175) = $8,400 at that grocery store. Now, let’s assume that the average family stays in their community for 15 years. Without taking into account inflation or the time value of money, that one family is worth $126,000 ($8,400 per year times 15 years) to that grocery store.

Now imagine the quality of service — be it speed, friendliness or special treatment – that family would get the next time they bought groceries if the cashier knew they were worth $126,000 to the store (not just the $175 they were spending that day). It would probably be much better, wouldn’t it?

Suddenly, when you and your staff realize the lifetime value of customers to your business over the long-term, making decisions to benefit them (and not just your short-term interests or profits) become much easier. Take the time to figure out the lifetime value of YOUR customers. You might be surprised.

All the Success

DMSRetail

PS. Checkout the website for additional insights, tools and resources:

More articles like this: http://www.dmsretail.com/ViewPoint.htm

Courses:   http://www.dmsretail.com/retailmanagementcourses.htm

Success Guides: http://www.dmsretail.com/retail-success-guides.htm

Ultimate Resource:

http://www.retailmanagementportal.com/retailsuccesscollection.html

If there is one lesson to be learned from Target’s massive failure in Canada, it’s the fact that solid management and leadership ability are still the most important ingredients for success.

We must also understand that not every manager who is running a retail business is equipped with the innovative ideas and tools…or, even the fundamental and necessary ideas and tools… to make sure their operation becomes or remains successful.

A lot of retail managers keep doing the same things, over and over again, expecting different results. By the way, this previous sentence is widely recognized as the definition of insanity.

A lot of retail managers are running around talking about, and seeking information on, the latest and greatest technology, when their very foundation of infrastructure type systems are not correctly in place and may, in fact, be crumbling.

And there seems to be a malaise that affects most retail managers causing them to avoid the study of better and more effective strategies, tips and tactics. It may even be a degree of arrogance among retail managers … everyone thinks they know everything already.

How do you break this vicious cycle?

You need to inject different ideas.

What kind of ideas?

Ideas that have been time tested and proven. Yes, apply the proven ideas first just to be on the safe side. There will be plenty of time for innovative ideas once the solid foundation is built.

Where do you get these ideas?

From people who have been there and done it successfully. They may, or may not, have gotten the T-shirt.

We are those people. But, we don’t expect you take our word for it. You can check out hundreds of testimonials on our website.

So, if you want to get some sharp ideas that will actually MAKE a DIFFERENCE, join us for the

Retail Success Tips & Strategies webinar this Wednesday, January 21, 2015.

If you register and then find that you are unable to attend, for whatever reason, we’ll send you the recording.

Admittedly, it is not free, it is not even cheap, but that’s how life is.

Good things are usually not cheap. But, one thing I can guarantee is that you will recover your investment 100 times over if you implement even one strategy from this webinar.

All the Success!

DMSRetail

PS: Don’t procrastinate…sign up now. Go here to sign up.

So, by all accounts a really good retailer in the USA, Target is a bust in Canada!

Who would have thought that Target would have to close up shop, literally, and leave the country? As all the reports say, Target’s missteps into the Canadian market will become case studies for many future students of retail management.

And, rightfully so. However, while many are busy listing the reasons why Target Canada failed and are suggesting various solutions that would have saved them there is really only one thing that went wrong and it is critical that the  case studies focus on this or nothing will be learned.

Target Canada was a victim of bad management. Everything else stems from that fact.

Yes, the supply chain was an issue, and they didn’t do a good job managing expectations regarding pricing and they didn’t have a web presence, and some of their Zellers locations were duds (and better management would have realized which ones they were and steered clear of them for a while) but none of these things would have happened if Target Canada was managed by someone with better skills.

It’s really that simple. The things that went wrong were not natural disasters, nor were they things that   were impossible to foresee. The fact that they were not foreseen means someone (or everyone) was asleep at the wheel…or the switch, or whatever you want to call it.

I have seen no end of reports written – and sometimes pictures -about the empty shelves and the missing Canadian Target website. I even saw one report that said Canadians simply haven’t taken to one stop shopping yet. Excuse me? In the great, white north where cold winters are long and harsh…Canadians would rather run all over town getting in and out of their cars to shop in several different places? I think not.

And, even if it were so, then it would follow that Wal Mart is leaving Canada also, right? No?

That’s what I thought.

There are the reports that Target couldn’t compete with Wal Mart and Costco. And, in the USA these competitors do not exist?

Oh, and according to some…they couldn’t compete with Sears Canada and Giant Tiger. Seriously?

When Target first announced that it was coming to Canada, Canadians were thrilled with the prospect. Many of us have done lots of shopping in the USA and are no strangers to Target.

Naturally, expectations were high…we knew what to expect of Target based on our experiences in their stores south of the border. So, when they showed up in the lousiest of old Zellers locations…with empty shelves and higher prices, it was disappointing.

Quite a big let down, actually.

So, what is it? Are they just lucky in the USA? Why do they do well there and tank here in Canada? And, no one should settle for a list of all of the ‘things’ that went wrong being the answer to that question. It’s, at the same time, more straight forward and much more complicated than that.

Some more important questions: Who made the decision on who would be in charge of the move into Canada? And, what was that critical decision based on? There are some who say it was arrogance – that Target USA saw the move into Canada as a slam dunk…or like taking candy from a baby. Either way, bad management is still the issue.

The big questions have to be answered by people at the highest levels of Target. It would be a huge mistake for them to list the reasons why things went wrong, clean up the mess, take their financial lumps or write offs, and leave it at that.  If they do, they’ll be none the wiser in future and this multi-billion dollar lesson will be wasted.

The case studies that are developed must not only focus on the ‘things’ that went wrong. They must focus, first and foremost, on the quality of management and how the lack of high caliber management was, in fact, responsible for the disaster that was Target Canada.

I can hear it already. Some people will quote Murphy’s Law and others will say “stuff happens… you can’t put all the blame on management”. Well…why not? Is it not reasonable to expect the management of a company to know what they face when undertaking something as important, and expensive, as a launch in a new market that just happens to be in another country?

Should they not have examined the supply chain situation just a bit closer seeing as so much would be riding on it? Should they not have sought out better intel from knowledgeable resources, about Canadian shopping habits; about the importance of a Canadian web presence; about locations that are dead or dying? And, so on?

It’s understood that hindsight is 20/20. And, if a couple of things were overlooked and then identified as problems and corrected quickly enough to save the day, then we might just be able to say that management did its job. After all, no one is perfect.

But, that is not the case here.

Do not be tempted to make excuses for poor management. We must insist that management be accountable. Always. Everything else being equal, caliber of management makes the difference between the success or failure of a company. This is where the case studies need to focus.

Too many retailers and, in fact, companies in general just do not pay enough attention to who they give the keys to. Or, the major projects… the tough but exciting jobs.

I had major surgery once. Do you think I chose the Doctor by asking who had been around the longest? How do you suppose that moon landing teams are chosen? Seniority? I seriously doubt that. Just about any serious endeavor requires good people…some would say the best people. Never the ones that happen to have been here the longest with that being their only qualification or claim to fame. And, certainly, never the ones that just happen to be willing to relocate.

A major project with a lot of shareholder money riding on it is serious business. Target executives, I’m pretty sure, are aware of this. So, how could they fall into this trap?

It does seem that retailers, in particular, tend to promote, and keep promoting, the employees who have seniority – whether they’re any good or not. Sometimes, the only reason they have been around so long is because they aren’t really that great and they know it. Of course, they stay. Usually, these individuals are serious ‘yes’ people because to be anything else would be detrimental to their long term career plan. Often, they do not have the knowledge to be anything other than ‘yes’ people, either. Remember, I did say sometimes.

There is no doubt that experience counts. If a long term employee has proven him/herself to be a great leader and has the other attributes that make him/her a good choice for the big project – like taking your business to a new country – then that person may be the perfect choice. If the person was the perfect choice, or even just the right choice, then the team s/he chose would also have been, at bare minimum, competent and in all likelihood strong players and we would not be talking about Target Canada in these terms today.

It appears that key management players who were involved in this unmitigated failure were (some still are) long term Target employees. Whatever the case, someone who should have known better, wasn’t thinking all that clearly when they put Team Target Canada together.

All the Success!

DMSRetail Team

PS:  The Retail Operations Management Workshop and the Retail Category Management Workshop take place in Miami in February. Click the links for Dates, Program Outlines, Fees, etc. Register soon to avoid disappointment.

PPS:  We’ve just completed our 6 month Schedule of Workshops. Send an email to training@dmsretail.com to request a copy.

If you’re anything like us, you get too many emails that are not relevant to your business, or not relevant to your business at the moment. So, you spend a lot of time pressing the delete key.

But, every so often you get an email that gives you food for thought, or a little piece of advice that really hits home with you; helps you with something you’ve been struggling with for a while.

This is the time of year when many retailers are taking a long, hard look at their business results for the previous year and start making plans to ensure this year is better. Regardless of what the previous year looked like, you’ve got to do better this year, right? That’s the way to grow our businesses…keep doing better in comparable stores; maybe add some new stores, or even some new revenue streams.

The idea is to go forward, in any case.

It’s tough to keep the forward momentum going, year after year, without getting some new ideas, advice, practical tips and how-to’s. Things are always changing and we need to be on our toes all the time to stop us from rolling backwards or, even, from maintaining the status quo.

We want to help you with that forward momentum. We have a wealth of information you can use, right now, to ensure your business is flying and not dying!

For instance, you would be a rare retailer if you don’t have at least a few problem employees. You may already understand that you have them because your hiring practices aren’t as sharp as they might be. Perhaps a lot of canned questions are being asked during interviews which, of course, leads to canned answers and you and/or your management people aren’t getting at what you really need to know about the applicant making it impossible to predict what they’re going to do for your organization.

Here are a few Questions and Tell Me’s designed to get right to the heart of the matter. Ask these and you will learn a lot. If the candidate gives really short answers…you’ll have lots of information to use to drill down. Any retail candidate should have no problem with these. If they do, head’s up.

Customer Service Orientation

What basics do you think the customer has the right to expect when in your store?

Tell me a few things about telephone etiquette.

What are the elements of a positive shopping experience?

Ability to Sell, or Coach Others on Selling Skills

What are the steps in the selling process?

Elaborate on those steps as much as you can.

Do you consider yourself a good salesperson and, if so, what indications do you have that support

your answer?

And, of course, it’s always a good idea to hand the candidate your pen or notebook or other object and have them sell it to you.

Attitude

How important was your personal contribution to the goals and objectives of the business unit

you last worked in?

Can you give me an example of a company procedure or policy that did not make sense to you?

How do you communicate your agreement/disagreement with company initiatives?

Relationships and Team Building

Tell me about your past relationships with your subordinates/peers.

Tell me about your past relationships with your superiors.

What type of Manager would bring out the best in you?

We hope you found this helpful in some way. You’ll find these interview tips and questions along with the expected and acceptable applicant responses and much, much more in our Ultimate Retail Success Collection and you can check it out here.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s installment.

All the Success!
DMSRetail Team

PS: The Retail Operations Management Workshop and the Retail Category Management Workshop take place in Miami in February. Click the links for Dates, Program Outlines, Fees, etc. Register soon to avoid disappointment.

PPS: We’ve just completed our 6 month Schedule of Workshops. Send an email to training@dmsretail.com to request a copy.