Letty and Lucy Swim Out of The Soup

Laurie Karzen and Charlotte R. Morrill -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 1/1/2001

Last month, Letty and Lucy of Linens & Luxuries Ltd. landed in the soup. Their beautiful linen and gift store, located in a converted house in Ashley's Grove, had been running well. The staff had all been there for several years. Everyone knew where the paper clips were kept and how to take a monogramming order. Things were a little hectic at times, but the loyal staffers were fond of Letty and Lucy. They made allowances for the rare occasions when things at the store got a little confusing.

Then, just as the Christmas season started, several employees moved to other towns or returned to school. Lucy was away for several weeks. Letty had to hire help, run the store, and cope. The store survived, but sales were lost. So were tempers. One of the new employees left. The last thing she said was, "There isn't even a store manual!"

Letty and Lucy had to confront the problem of writing a store manual.

"It gives me the shivers," said Lucy. Letty agreed, but she knew that the using a manual would increase sales and soothe tempers.

L and L each made a list of problems that employees might face in the store. They took their staffers out for pizza and gave each a sheet of questions about store procedure. The staff had a week to write down answers and suggestions. Then Letty and Lucy took two days off to write the first draft. They started by organizing all their notes under chapter headings.

The Preface

As a preface, L and L wrote a mission statement for the store. It said:

"Who We Are, What We Sell, and How We Sell It. Linens & Luxuries Ltd. is a small high-end linen store that sells linens and gifts for personal and home use. The linens are especially chosen from unique sources in the United States, Europe, and Asia. We do not sell well known brands that are available in large, impersonal chain stores. We sell creative, unexpected, and unique gifts.

"The owners and employees of Linens & Luxuries Ltd. are expected to learn about the products that they sell. We add value to merchandise by sharing with customers our extensive knowledge of linen storage, care, and use, and of monogramming techniques and protocols.

"We have created a homey, inviting store. The selling atmosphere should be friendly, informative, and efficient. We want it to be simple and fun to work and to buy at Linens & Luxuries Ltd."

Procedures

In this chapter, Letty and Lucy included a list of daily tasks, instructions on how to open and close the store, paperwork procedures, and instructions on housekeeping tasks. This was followed by a schedule of store events, including promotions and sales, and a note about the coordination of ads, mailings, and promotions. The location of the store calendar was included. Letty and Lucy promised that ads and mailings would be posted so that every employee would be aware of the current marketing emphasis.

This chapter ended with a list of staff positions and job descriptions. (It was very simple, since L and L hadn't fallen into the trap of burdening their small store with employee titles.) Letty noted which employee handled the bank deposits, which specialized in laundry, and which organized the stockroom.

Policies

This chapter started with a simple statement about proprietary sources: "The owners of Linens & Luxuries Ltd. have worked hard to develop sources and procedures unique to their store and unknown to their competitors. This is valuable, private information. We request that employees not share sources or procedures with those who do not work for Linens & Luxuries Ltd."

The rest of the chapter listed policies for handling returns, special orders, wish lists, and gift certificates.

Systems and Operations

For this chapter, Letty and Lucy wrote explanations of all their systems. They included basic information on computer operation, location of manuals, and the phone number of the computer consultant. They also explained how to operate the cash register, alarm system, and fire extinguishers, and how to mark in and price merchandise, sort mail, and take messages.

Lastly, the chapter contained specifications and rules about giftwrapping, when it should be used, and how much should be charged for it. A photograph of a wrapped package was included.

Employees

The dress code was listed here, along with the expectations for grooming, nail care, and conduct. Lunches, coffee breaks, and vacation rules were specified. Employee phone usage was discussed. Letty and Lucy explained the store policy on employee purchases, wages, incentives, and employee evaluations. They put down everything they could think of that concerned the employees' working environment.

Displays

The store's display "look" was described, along with expectations of how the displays should be maintained and rules for changing them. There was a paragraph about what to do when a customer requests a display item when there is no backup in the storeroom.

Store Meetings

This chapter began: "Linens & Luxuries Ltd. has a store meeting from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. A picnic supper is provided. Every employee must attend at least ten store meetings a year. Each employee is asked to provide the agenda for one meeting a year."

This was followed by a list of topics usually discussed at meetings and a description of the new mentor program. In the future, each new employee would be assigned a staff member to act as her mentor for her first three months.

Sales and Training

This chapter started with a section on how to greet customers. Sales goals, retail tips, and selling technique were listed, as well as an article Letty had found that taught her a lot about selling.

Product Information

This was the magic chapter. It listed laundries that would accept luxury linens by post, as well as the best techniques for washing, starching, and ironing monogrammed linens. The location of and filing system for specific product information was noted.

After a week, L and L reread the manual. They discovered that Letty had a tendency to use abrupt wording, while Lucy was too long-winded. They presented a revised version of the manual at a staff meeting and asked for comments. The staff was a little overwhelmed, but they were fascinated, and made several excellent suggestions.

Lucy presented a copy of the final Linens & Luxuries Ltd. manual to each employee at the store meeting on the first Tuesday in April.

Letty and Lucy were out of the soup!

Laurie Karzen and Charlotte R. Morrill are the principals behind CRM & ME, a design, marketing, and consulting company.