Happy Staff = Happy Shoppers
Mary Liz Curtin -- Gifts and Dec, 3/31/2011 4:55:06 AM
MARY LIZ CURTIN
There are lots of articles, books and stories about the secrets to retail success. i know; i've read lots, talked about several and even written a few.
Most of them mention very important items:
• Good fiscal management is vital.
• Careful choice of location cannot be discounted.
• Keeping costs low and margins high is essential.
However, the two biggest, not-so-secret-secrets to be successful, should be obvious:
• You need terrific merchandise.
•You need a happy, well-trained staff.
If you have great stuff and a surly staff, you might still be able to stay afloat. Every shopper knows a few stores that have no sales help and rotten customer service, but relies on discount pricing or merchandise you simply cannot live without to survive.
A Not-so-secret-secret to retail success: you need both terrific merchandise and a happy, well trained staff.
I knew one independent retailer who was such a great buyer that, even though she was horrible to her customers, staff and even the UPS man, she stayed in business for 25 years. Regulars would call ahead to be sure she was out before they came to shop. Shocking, but true.
But that's not the smart way. Shopping is a social activity. When we search for gifts, home accessories and fashion items, the experience is a big part of the sale and the store's staff makes the experience magic.
Finding and Keeping a Happy Staff
First, hire carefully. Work the extra hours yourself if you must until you find the person you think will be perfect. Desperation hires rarely work out.
When you do hire someone, start with a 30-day trial and if he or she is not the right fit, let him/her go. An employee must not only be great with the customers but be part of the team and work well with the others. If you have an employee who performs well but makes everyone else unhappy, that emotional poison is a high price to pay and not worth it.
Once you have great employees, work hard to keep them.
Compensation is more than the wages we pay. At Leon & Lulu, we provide free parking, unlimited coffee and popcorn and an employee discount, as well as frequent treats and surprises.
But for several of our employees, flexible scheduling is the perk that means the most. We have several moms and one young woman taking care of her ailing father, all of whom need to be available for their families when they are needed. Not every business can provide that, but most of us can.
What Do You Offer?
Think not only the financial remuneration, but the little things that make a job pleasant. What more can you do? Everything from birthday celebrations to small gifts of sample products helps make jobs in your store desirable.
Give them responsibility for an area of the store or a department or some part of the business. Your employees feel a sense of pride and ownership in your store and this lets them know that they are important and needed. It can be hard for entrepreneurs to let go of anything, but we all need help and a little extra time is a rare and wonderful thing for a shopkeeper. What parts of the business can you share? Always supervise carefully, especially as you begin delegating.
Staff meetings are not just for big businesses. If you can get your employees together monthly (or more often) to discuss goals for the store, improve product knowledge and shop policies, not only will your sales improve but so will customer service and the atmosphere in the store.
Treasure your employees as your "brand Ambassadors," they are a big part of what makes your shop unique. Give them a surprise today ... and always remember to thank them.
Happy staff means happy customers and happy shoppers buy more than grumpy ones. As you can plainly see, when the workplace is pleasant, everybody wins!
Mary Liz Curtin and her husband own Leon & Lulu, a furniture, gift and accessory store. They employed 32 people this holiday season, only two of whom were related. Visit her at www.marylizcurtin.com.
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KEYS TO A HAPPY STAFF
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