Slow sales have allowed complacency in most retailers. More employees behind the counter. More dismissive expressions, “They’re just looking.” Don’t let your employees get away with being more comfortable with only one person, train now how to juggle many customers.
Looking to grow sales? Don’t allow your employees to cluster like somebody had racked them up. It builds a wall. And if you have a counter, it becomes a castle they can feel superior to customers behind.
“I get it,” is short-hand that discounts the need for further explanation as in a friend talking to another friend about being dumped, “I get it, you’re bitter, go on.” How often do you hear that in a film, on the TV or say it to your friends? I’ll bet a lot.
I have created some fairly [...]
The challenge for managers and store owners will be how to not stomp on their creativity and interest that they approach the world with. As to the assistant manager I realized it would have been better to teach all the employees the 10 Steps to Merchandising, rather than just one.
You want to compete in a global marketplace? Standout from a world that is overbuilt with power centers? Take money out of the business instead of put it in every month? Reach higher. Hire salespeople. Encourage them to reach higher with every sale.
Make the first sale of the day. Not greet the first customer but make the first sale.
You don’t have to do this for every trained action that is not 100%, but if it happens on key training or a couple times, you should say something.
I was on the Amtrak train from Hudson, near where I live in upstate New York bound for NYC yesterday afternoon. We’d left at 3:20 on time for a 5:55 arrival at Penn Station. At 4pm the conductor came back to Business Class and asked all of us to remove our earphones and bluetooth devices [...]
Training is the biggest opportunity we have to ensure an exceptional experience for our customers. It requires thought, systems that are easy, trainers who enjoy training and standards of presentation.
