Operations | Merchandising | Safety | Loss Prevention | Sensors
Covid-19 is possibly the greatest disruptor to retail many have ever seen. However, retailers have faced difficult times and disasters before. How do we get out of this mess? As the Harvard Business Review notes, the best response to a crisis is to start with the people. Reach out, empathise and collect information about your … Continue reading Case Study: How a National Franchisor is Helping Franchisees During Covid-19
We know you’re worried. In times of crisis, focus on what you can do. Here are 5 ways you can support employees and customers during COVID-19.
Retail always moves fast, but with the outbreak of COVID-19, businesses need to adjust their operations and health and safety policies daily (sometimes hourly). Management has a responsibility to quickly communicate policy changes and best practices across their stores. It’s crucial that employees who provide essential services are working with the most up to date … Continue reading How to Quickly Communicate Policy Changes to Employees
As a retailer, you have a lot to manage. It's easy to focus on your customer-facing initiatives (merchandising, experience, sales tactics, store operations). It's also important to keep an eye on your backend operations. Because your warehouses and distributions centers (literally) hold all the goods, you need to proactively manage warehouses with regular warehouse inspections. … Continue reading 5 Warehouse Inspections You Need to Conduct Regularly
COVID-19 is causing many retail stores to temporarily close their doors to the public. With the situation changing so quickly, it can be easy to overlook important details while you rush to respond. To help you make the closing process safe and orderly, here is a sample Temporary Store Closing Checklist to go through the … Continue reading Temporary Store Closing Checklist
After a temporary closure, there is a lot to do to get your stores up and running and ready to welcome your customers back. Use this sample Store Reopening Checklist to make certain you don’t miss essential details. Employees Confirm employee health and readiness to return to work. Communicate reopening schedule as soon as possible … Continue reading Store Reopening Checklist
Customer facing industries the world over are grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Implementing a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Checklist helps front-line associates have up to date information about COVID-19 and follow proper procedures to prevent the spread of the disease. IMPORTANT NOTE TO READERS: This checklist was compiled by non-medical personnel, to the best … Continue reading Coronavirus (COVID-19) Checklist for Retail and Hospitality
Whether shopping online, strolling through stores or browsing social media, it’s fair to say that the path to purchase is unlike what it used to be. So what shapes customer buying decisions? And more importantly, how can merchants better understand a customer's path to purchase so they can boost store sales? The Buying Decision Process … Continue reading 5 Realities Driving Customer Buying Decisions
Put yourself into the shoes of your customer for a minute. You’re walking past a store selling books in the mall. Suddenly your phone pings you with a notification for a personal discount for the book you’ve been looking at on the shop’s website. Along with the discount, they even send you a map showing … Continue reading 5 IoT Trends Retailers are Capitalizing On
With Q1 in full swing, retailers are putting processes in place to help them reach their 2020 sales goals. As we look ahead into 2020 and beyond, nothing stands out more than customer engagement, interaction, and care as a way to boost sales. Why? Because an engaged customer represents 23% more revenue than average. Companies … Continue reading How to Engage with Your Customers in 2020
The scientific community and members of the public are increasingly concerned about the future of the environment. More consumers are reflecting on the sustainability of their own lifestyles, and this is mirrored in the brands they support and their purchasing choices. As consumers give more thought to environmental responsibility, many retailers are adopting more responsible … Continue reading How to Market Your Sustainable Brand
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term that’s been around for a while. And though conversation around the buzzword fluctuates, it’s is already ingrained in most major retailers’ day-to-day operations. IoT is literally every device, tool, machine, and human that transfers data over an internet connection. IoT technology in retail is expected to reach … Continue reading How IoT is Transforming Retail and Food Service in 2020
Is your store bogged down by slow and inefficient processes? Are you always having to put out fires or correct mistakes? Or maybe you have customers who aren’t too happy with the in-store experience. If you can relate to any of the above, chances are your store can use a technology upgrade and it's time … Continue reading How to Implement New Technologies in Your Retail Business
Conducting store inspections (also called retail audits, store visits, or store walks) should be on every retailer’s agenda to protect store operations. Why? Store inspections promote higher overall compliance with brand standards, shrink the gap between stores and head office, and improve customer experience by ensuring merchandising, service, and safety standards are executed consistently. So … Continue reading 4 Types of Inspections that Protect Store Operations
Retailers are held to higher standards than ever before. The most successful brands are nimble, customer-first, culture-oriented, and efficient. That’s a tall order. And management staff are feeling the pressure. In fact, 72% of business managers are overwhelmed by their job. Retail automation empowers brands with better data, increased efficiency, and overall cost savings. It … Continue reading 4 Ways to Automate in Retail
Working as a retail district manager requires you to become a jack-of-all-trades. You oversee multiple stores in your region, handling their store-specific issues on a day-to-day basis. Concurrently, you’re tasked with ensuring that each store aligns with the company’s operational guidelines and longer-term strategic goals. To thrive in this fast-paced business environment, you need to … Continue reading 5 Manual Processes District Managers Should Automate in 2020
With the amount of competition out there, retailers are looking for new and better ways to stand out in the crowd. Most are looking at bigger and better ads, having a great online store, and a growing presence on Social Media. While all of these are good ideas, they usually take time to show results. … Continue reading 4 Ways Visual Merchandising Improves Customer Service and Engagement
If you’re in retail, we’re willing to bet that getting more visitors to your location is pretty high up on your wishlist. When you increase in-store traffic you also increase sales and revenue opportunities. This translates to a higher bottom line and a healthier retail business. That’s why it’s important to continuously cook up campaigns … Continue reading 5 Tips for Creating Campaigns That Increase In-Store Traffic
When was the last time you made an assumption about something? Or someone? The reality is, assumptions are often made instinctively – whether they are right or wrong. It’s human nature to react to situations, experiences and even people despite not knowing anything about these scenarios. It’s fair to say that first impressions matter – … Continue reading How Retailers can Create a Positive First Impression
It goes without saying that retailers should always strive to improve same-store sales. Increasing your revenue (along with maintaining a healthy profit margin, of course) will lead to a thriving and growing retail business. To that end, let’s look at some of the ways that you can boost your same-store sales.