With the rise of e-commerce, the general sentiment is that brick-and-mortar stores are becoming less important. However, this is false. The majority of consumers still prefer to shop in physical stores with 71% of shoppers spending more money in-store than online.
This is why effective retail store management is as important as ever, and if you’re a retail manager you cannot afford to drop the ball.
Looking for tips on how to successfully manage a retail store? Keep reading for five steps to success.
1. Embrace Industry-Specific Tech
Managing a retail store is no easy feat, but you can lighten the load by welcoming helpful technological tools. From retail inventory management to scheduling deliveries and tracking sales, there’s a tool for everything.
Mobile payment solutions and retail point-of-sale (POS) systems save time and provide valuable insights.
Lastly, contactless POP solutions will encourage customers to feel safe in your store during the COVID-19 pandemic and aftermath.
2. Invest in Employees
Your employees are the face of your business and the cogs in your well-oiled machine. You need enthusiastic, motivated, and well-trained people in your team, and especially on the sales floor.
Retain employees by standardizing your training process and introducing one-on-one coaching, too.
Motivate and encourage employees with recognition, acknowledgment, incentives, and rewards.
3. Pay Attention to Store Design
Opening a retail store and managing it effectively depends on attracting customers to the store. One way to do this is with attractive store design, fixtures, and visual merchandising.
You need to design the store in such a way that customers can engage with the products. It’s the reason why customers like to shop in physical stores, so take advantage of this.
Design an immersive shopping experience and make use of signage and displays to boost brand awareness. Your restrooms, fitting rooms, and cash counter should be customer-friendly and attractive, too. Make sure that the entire store fits the bill.
4. Depend on Data-Driven Decision Making
Adopting a data-driven mentality is one of the most powerful retail business tips. This extends to all parts of business operations, from employee productivity to instore sales, and establishing goals.
Depend on the store’s real-time data to make decisions, boost sales, and schedule shifts, for example. When you’re using data to direct your processes, you’re making smart assumptions that will deliver results.
5. Adopt a Customer-Centric Strategy
Your retail management system is nothing without your customers and they should always be the focus of your retail strategy. The trick is to stay engaged with customers and always think about how you can make the store experience better and more attractive for them.
Make an effort to gather important customer insights into your main customer demographic so that you can remain competitive.
Up Your Retail Store Management Game
While retail store management may not be a simple feat, with these five tips you’re armed with the knowledge you need to make your store a success. Remember to put the customers first and embrace technology to help you out.
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