Being a successful merchant means doing many small things better than everyone else. If success were the result of doing one or two things well, everyone would be successful. Success though comes from everyone pulling and working together. For an example of that teamwork, this was a typical day from my time in retail…
6:59 AM – The Store Manager arrives and unlocks the staff door. They turn on just enough lights to see and not trip over everything and check the store. In the winter, as the first to arrive, the Store Manager also shovels snow from the door and puts down salt to keep people from slipping. For the next 30 to 45 minutes, they check price tags, fix displays, make notes on merchandise to replace and get the store ready for the day.
7:15 AM – The owner is having a breakfast meeting in the city with a new supplier – a two-hour drive – having left at 5:00 am that morning. Other mornings they meet with media outlets and other suppliers. They attend supplier meetings in Asia and across North America.
7:30 AM – Some of the warehouse and delivery staff start to arrive. Even though they don’t start “officially” until 8:00 am, the drivers spend time checking their paperwork and loads. The crews tease each other about whose team won the game last night, but all are busy. The atmosphere is light and relaxed; these people are early because they like their jobs.
The Store Manager stops by and talks to the drivers and warehouse associates about issues, concerns, and joins in their conversations; it is obvious that they care about these associates. The warehouse associates know that if they are short staffed during the day, they can call and the manager will come and help.
Every Saturday morning, the warehouse associates have a 30-minute training session, often inspired by the comments and issues that the warehouse associates have brought up in their early-morning conversations.
7:50 AM – The balance of the warehouse and delivery staff are now in the building. A straggler will arrive a few minutes late and everyone will wonder how many more days it will be before they are cut loose. The regulars know how important it is to be reliable and on time.
8:05 AM – All four trucks have been checked out and the crews are leaving the yard. Each crew has about a dozen deliveries and won’t be back until later in the afternoon. The trucks usually head to the furthest delivery and then work their way back home. The trucks also check in every two hours and update their clients if they are running behind.
The remaining staff begin the receiving process: unloading, counting, matching stock to the manifest, tagging, and putting stock into bins. Throughout the day they also pick merchandise for delivery tomorrow, check and assemble products, and stage. Other duties include picking and unwrapping merchandise for display, in addition to repairing and rewrapping returns. All of the warehouse associates are cross-trained on as many functions as possible.
8:00-8:15 AM – The first shift of sales associates starts to arrive. They don’t start until 8:30am but just like the warehouse team, it is rare that the really good associates are not early. Many will finish their coffee and check on their outstanding orders. All will do a floor walk and take care of their assigned floor care duties throughout the day.
8:30-9:00 AM – There is the daily sales huddle. Usually conducted by the Store Manager or Sales Manager, this 30-minute meeting is a combination training meeting and update of sales/new items on the floor. Training is usually interactive and the person conducting the meeting tries to involve everyone.
8:45 AM – The office and customer service staff arrive. Like the sales team, their start times are staggered to cover the hours the store is open. Some will start now and work until 5:00 pm, some 11:00 am to 7:00 pm and finally 1:00 pm until 9:00 pm. All of the staff work a rotating schedule so everyone gets the good and bad shifts equally. The schedule works on an 8-week rotation, so everyone knows well In advance when they are working. As a retail operation, each associate works three or four Saturdays and two of four Sundays.
The office staff put out the float and clear the office messages; the same thing happens in the customer service department.
The accounting and marketing personnel arrive, as well as the owner.
8:55 AM – The sales huddle ends. Some will help turn on the lights and displays and others take their spots in the sales rotation.
9:00 AM – The store doors open and first customers arrive. If there are customers waiting outside, usually the manager will let them in earlier. In this store, the sales associate handles the entire selling process from the time the customer enters until the time they leave. Repeat customers are the lifeblood of this store. The sales team will clear messages and respond to new messages and calls throughout the day. The store has a goal of never having any customers calling wondering where their orders are, and the store prides itself on being proactive, providing the best possible customer service in the region.
9:00 AM to 9:00 PM – The store is open for customers: in-person, on the phone, and online. Customers are each associate’s priority and everyone is expected to help. The office, customer service, and delivery associates know their function is sales support with a “can-do” attitude; no one in the store hides behind “store policy.”
10:00 AM – Breaks happen, as time allows and the staff are allowed to manage them as long as coverage is available. Marketing and accounting staff help cover the phones along with everyone else. The organization try to answer every incoming call by the second ring.
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM – The Marketing team, calls on resources from all departments to plan and execute sales events, typically they will be working two or three events ahead. A “Changing Gears” document is reviewed prior to each new event for the sales teams in their daily huddles.
The accounting team: processes the daily receipts, accounts payable, accounts receiving, and has completed financial documents done by the 20th of the month following as a standing rule.
The buyers and re-buyers work to keep the flow of merchandise steady, with the best sellers always in stock. With more than 150 suppliers across the world, they are constantly checking with suppliers to keep delays to a minimum and work closely with the sales and accounting teams to ensure a smooth flow of products and information. The buyers try to keep a “good/better/best” floor lineup in place and use reports to adjust their floor plans quarterly.
The warehouse and delivery department handles dozens of deliveries per truck per day. The customers are all treated to “white glove” service, and any issues are taken care of by the drivers, with customers updated immediately. Deliveries are done by uniformed associates in properly maintained and clean trucks. Each delivery has two crew members and are matched to provide the best service possible.
Throughout the day, the sales teams complete e-learning, call and update their customers, and do floor care as time allows. The standard is that the store should look as good at the end of the day as it did for the very first customer. The sales team also assists with putting out price tags.
Once per week, people arrive to cut the grass and tend to the gardens. Flags are replaced as needed. The dozen billboards throughout the region are updated on a regular basis.
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM – The staff cycle through lunches, the sales team uses a “TURN” system to handle customers.
4:00 to 5:00 PM – The evening associates cycle through their suppers and delivery phone calls are completed. At 5:00 pm, the first shifts of associates begin to leave.
The trucks return and refuel. Any returns are processed; the trucks are cleaned and then reloaded with the next day’s deliveries. The warehouse crews are trained on best practices designed by the delivery teams. The warehouse and delivery associates know they are the last link in the sales process and appreciate just how important the work they do is to ensure the business continues to succeed.
The sales manager relieves the manager for this evening between 5:00 and 6:00 pm. The manager also ensures all of the trucks are back safely. In the winter, both managers monitor any delivery crew that is running late. The two managers alternate schedules so one of them is always on duty and are supplemented by other senior associates for the gaps in their schedule.
7:00 PM – The only sales associates now on duty are those earlier associates finishing up and the evening crew. With the exception of the marketing and accounting departments, all departments are still providing service: sales, office, customer service, and warehouse.
8:45 PM – The associates prepare for closing, although the associates will never force a customer to leave just because the store is closing.
9:00 PM – The store is closed and the doors are locked; any remaining customers will be allowed to stay and only when they are finished will the staff leave.
9:00 PM to 9:30 PM – The customers leave and the office staff balances the cash and prepares the float. The sales associates leave as they are finished with their customers and update their stats charts in the sales office. The customer service associates left at 9:00 pm, the warehouse associates only leave when the last customer departs. When the last customer leaves, the last sales and office associate leaves, and the Sales Manager locks up and turns on the alarm. Each associate is paid for the extra time that they have had to stay later than scheduled.
9:00 PM to 11:30 PM – Certain nights the cleaners come in to clean and vacuum the store.
9:00 PM to 7:00 AM – If the alarm goes off, one of the managers will come to meet the police department – this usually only happens on the snowiest or stormiest nights.
In the winter, the snow plowing company will come and clean the parking lot so that the staff and customers can access the parking lot.
Then another day begins …