Billy Rudnick’s Post

New Manager in Retail? Master the 3 Basics The excitement of becoming a manager is hard to beat, but that eagerness often comes with a feeling of needing to prove you’re the right person for the job. This often leads to ideas and initiatives that, while good, may not always be well-timed. If you want to succeed as a new manager in retail, focus on these three: • Floor Supervision – Motivate your team, and your customer service will be a 10/10. • Visuals on Point – Make it easy for customers to shop. • Organized Back of House – A well-organized stockroom means more money on the sales floor.

Managing piece-to-piece inventory for a retail store is one of the most mind-boggling tasks I have faced till date. Following a by-the-books method turns out to be unfruitful. For the past 4 years, I have faced enormous difficulties in trying to figure out if there is leakage in stock or they are just lying around somewhere. It becomes more difficult when each item is earlier barcoded but tags come off because they dont stick to the packaging or items are inserted into wrong packages. (most items are unbranded and need to be opened up to show the customers) Any physical stock check for really small items in huge quantities anyway turn out to be not 100% accurate. Each re-check results in a slightly different number. I've tried managing it by bifurcating sections within the store to keep individual section wise stock but the system is still a work-in-progress. 90% accuracy is achievable but matching it to the T is extremely challenging. Any ideas from someone who does it for a multi-product retail outlet?

👇🔻The 7 Ps In Perfect Store✅ 💕The "7Ps" in a perfect store refer to key elements that contribute to its excellence. Here are the 7Ps: 1.💕Product*: The right products, in the right quantities, at the right time. 2.🍅Place*: Convenient location, easy accessibility, and attractive store environment. 3.🎆Price*: Competitive pricing, clear pricing strategy, and effective price management. 4.🎁Promotion*: Effective marketing, advertising, and in-store promotions. 5.💫People*: Well-trained, knowledgeable, and friendly staff providing excellent customer service. 6.🎀Process*: Efficient store operations, effective inventory management, and streamlined processes. 7.💥Physical Evidence*: Attractive store displays, clear signage, and well-maintained store appearance. 8. *Productivity*: Maximizing sales and profitability while minimizing waste and costs. 🎋These Ps are interconnected and contribute to creating a perfect store that attracts and retains customers, drives sales, and ensures long-term success.

Have we lost our focus on the retail basics? I had the pleasure this week to see a maestro in action - an experienced store manager, leading his sales floor at peak hours and ensuring every customer walking over the threshold had the best possible experience. It was great to watch and extremely skilled..... Back in my department store days it was how we started out - team leaders or section managers taking care of the front end - working out deployment, shift patterns and breaks. At John Lewis we started every day with a Bridge Meeting and then later in my career in the first big out of town home stores we'd tannoy for 'huddles' of managers at busy times on the floor and always, I mean ALWAYS had one person who controlled the whole shebang. Nothing in this space has changed - in the bustling world of retail, mastering shop floor management is key to success. For a customer, it's the difference between stepping into chaos & not being seen or... Stepping into a calm, beautifully merchandised & recovered showroom where, even if the team are busy with other customers, you feel seen, welcomed and compelled to stay. This is why it's so important - it's all about creating a smooth shopping experience. The shop floor is where the action happens. It's where we interact with customers, show off our products, and try to seal the deal. Good sales floor management ensures that this interaction is positive and memorable but only for the right reasons. Its the heartbeat of what we do - it's a skill - don't just rely on instinct or assuming everyone knows what to do - make sure its part of your programmes and everyone in your showrooms know why its the baseline of your success! Time spent coaching and developing this skill is definitely time well spent! So don't forget how important the basics are - it could make all the difference. #retailmanagement #customerexperience #retailbasics

Negotiating for the Customer: The Buyer's Manifesto! As a buyer, one is constantly involved in numerous negotiations each day. Some proceed according to plan, while others do not. What should be the primary objective for a buyer? The most compelling response I've encountered comes from Claude Harris, Walmart's first buyer, quoted in Sam Walton's renowned book "Made in America," where he articulates: “There’s a difference between being tough and being obnoxious. But every buyer has to be tough. That’s the job. I always told the buyers: ‘You’re not negotiating for Wal-Mart, you’re negotiating for your customer. And your customer deserves the best price you can get. If that’s being hard-nosed, then we ought to be as hard-nosed as we can be. You have to be fair and upfront and honest, but you have to drive your bargain because you’re dealing for millions and millions of customers who expect the best price they can get. If you buy that thing for $1.25, you’ve just bought somebody else’s inefficiency. You can’t let them get by with anything because they are going to take care of themselves, and your job is to take care of the customer.” #Buyer #BuyingandMerchandising #category #categorymanagement #negotiations #samwalton #walmart #ModernTrade #Retail

📈‼️The success of *ANY* retail store, relies heavily on the preparation and optimization of its stockroom(s). It is the heart and motor of the store. Yet, somehow, for various reasons, it tends to often be looked over; made feel secondary. 👨🏽💻I've been in retail for over 15 years and I've often come across employees sharing this feeling. 💼"Back of House" Associates often feel like they are at the bottom of the totem pole. Honestly, I don't even like the term "Back of House team," it can feel degrading, in my opinion. Yet, they are the ones with the most crucial and important jobs. Perhaps calling them "backbone team" would be more ideal since, just a like a back bone, they keep the store on its feet. 📈Having the time to implement the right processes in the stockrooms is a luxury not all stores have. Big or small company, the right processes and SOP's will catapult your sales to the next level. However, how many processes are done simply because "we've always done it this way"? Yet, how do we find time to draft up and implement new ideas to change old habits. After all, we're always busy with floor sets, transfers, processing new arrivals, etc... ❓❓Questions I always ask myself: 1️⃣ Which processes are outdated? 2️⃣ What is working for the greater benefit of the store? Why? 3️⃣ What is not working for the greater benefit of the store? Why not? 4️⃣ How do I get the buy in from my team? 5️⃣ How can I help my team members find a purpose? 💬Questions get deeper as you get to know the team. Everyone comes with different experiences and from different backgrounds. The best teams I've managed are the ones where everyone has a stage to share ideas and help solve operational problems. So, how do we find time in the middle of floor sets, transfers, receiving new shipment, etc...? 💡The simple answer: make time for it. Your team will thank you, your team will feel heard, your team will make your job easier. It's a win-win-win situation. 🙌🏼In summary, it is up to you, the leader, to prepare your stockrooms in a way that goes beyond looking pretty for an executive walk-through. It is your responsibility to help your team come together to find out what works for them. A positive employee experience will always result in a positive customer experience. ...maybe one day I'll publish this Retail Operations book I've secretly been working on

Went into the #pgatourstore for my upcoming golf trip in Vegas yesterday. Pants on the course are rare due to the scorching heat, and I had a striking experience with the lack of communication from store employees. No words were exchanged, no assistance offered as I browsed, and even in the dressing room, no one checked in despite walking by multiple times. After 30 minutes, I finally had a pleasant encounter at the cash wrap. The man was friendly, engaging in small talk, a stark contrast to the rest of the visit. Retailers, if you're concerned about top-line sales, train your employees to take care of customers. It's not their fault if standards aren't set. Your employees want to be successful; provide them with tools and training to do so. I would have made more purchases if someone had helped me, talked to me, and shown a real interest. #consumerbonds #feelthevibe Remember, don't let your customers go in the dressing rooms without following up. It's the best place to engage and perhaps upsell, but it can also lead to #retailtheft. No one would have known if I had walked out with clothing in my purse, as there were no security tags on the clothing, making it easy. Good thing I am an honest person. So my final thoughts are: 🔷 Inspect what you expect 🔷 Take care of your employees. Train them well, follow up, set expectations and they will take care of your customers 🔷 Lead by example. Leadership starts from the top down, not the bottom up and remember, no one takes a job and wants to fail. Our employees want to be successful so, give them the tools to do so. #CustomerExperience #CommunicationMatters #RetailExperience #customerengagement #retail #retailers #training #TopRetailExpert International Retail Group, LLC

What matters MOST in retail? Spoiler: It’s not the fancy uniforms or the perfect shelf display. It’s KNOWLEDGE We measure everything in mystery shopping, from store layout to staff appearance. But when we asked customers what mattered most, they all said the same thing: product expertise. So, if your staff isn’t knowledgeable, nothing else matters. Focus there FIRST

There's this supermarket that manages to make me angry every time. Specifically, their employees get me angry. So it got me thinking.... People that hire sales attendants, how come you don't know what to teach them? #marketing #advertising #supermarket #retail #sales

Day-71 #HappyLearningWithPk What is retail management? Retail management is the big picture of running a retail store, from the everyday operations to the long-term strategy. It's about making sure the store runs smoothly and profitably, while also keeping customers happy. Here are some of the key things that retail management involves: Inventory management: This means ordering the right amount of stock, making sure it's priced correctly, and keeping track of what's selling. Customer service: This includes training staff to be helpful and friendly, as well as handling returns and complaints. Marketing and sales: This involves attracting customers to the store and getting them to buy things. It could include things like advertising, promotions, and visual merchandising (how the store is laid out). Staff management: This includes hiring, training, and scheduling staff, as well as making sure they're motivated and happy. Financial management: This means keeping track of the store's income and expenses, and making sure it's making a profit. Retail managers wear a lot of hats! They need to be good at planning and organization, as well as being able to deal with people and make quick decisions. #LearnWithPkshriwas #pkshriwas786 #retailmanagement #suppliermanagement #supplychain