Question

POSITION TITLE: Retail Section Manger

REPORTS TO: Owner

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Retail Section Manger will plan and direct the day-to-day operations of the store. Develop strategies to improve customer service, drive store sales, increase profitability, and create store policies and marketing programs that will increase sales and grow the existing customer base. Also, Maintain high store standards and conditions and foster a positive environment.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Complete store operational requirements by scheduling and assigning employees; following up on work results

· Maintain store staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting and training employees

· Maintain store staff job results by coaching, counseling and disciplining employees; planning, monitoring and appraising job results

· Prepare annual budget; schedule expenditures; analyze variances; initiate corrective actions

· Identify current and future customer requirements by establishing rapport with potential and actual customers and other persons in a position to understand service requirements

· Ensure availability of merchandise and services by approving contracts; maintaining inventories

· Formulate pricing policies by reviewing merchandising activities; determining additional needed sales promotion; authorizing clearance sales; studying trends

· Market merchandise by studying advertising, sales promotion and display plans; analyzing operating and financial statements for profitability ratios

· Protect employees and customers by providing a safe and clean store environment

Maintain the stability and reputation of the store by complying with legal requirements

· Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed

PREREQUISITES:

· Strong management skills, ability to appropriately assign or delegate work and authority to others in the accomplishment of goals. And provide coaching, advice and assistance as required.

· A university degree or diploma in management or operations and with experience a min 3 to 4 years of experience as assistant manager.

· Experience in financial accounting, personnel supervision and problem resolutions is an added advantage.

· Excellent computer system skills.

· Customer Focus, Strong Client Relationship ability and excellent Verbal communication

Answer 1

Introduction

A retail manager’s leads the most important role to run the store successfully. Working on the floor, he is in constant contact with the customers and staff. He is responsible for ensuring that the staff give great customer service as well as monitoring the financial performance of the store. He is responsible for the smooth and effective functioning of the store.

Q. Develop strategies to improve customer service, drive store sales, increase profitability, and create store policies and marketing programs that will increase sales and grow the existing customer base. Also, maintain high store standards and conditions and foster a positive environment.

• Strategies to improve customer service

No matter the type of business, providing the best customer service is a must. Bringing in new customers by holding promotions is great, but the key to surviving retail business is customer service.

Following steps shall be taken to improve the customer service:

1. Have a clear return policy

Having and communicating a clear return policy is a foundational first step in offering top-notch customer service. A sound return policy should be fair for all parties involved, ensuring the business is not taking excessive returns while still giving customers enough flexibility to return items for legitimate reasons.

2. Handling Customer Complaints Pro Actively

If a retail business has a preferred method of handling customer support issues — say via a toll-free phone number or through email—that should be prominently communicated across all channels, just like with the return policy. Doing so will funnel the majority of customer service issues to the correct channel, but it certainly won't capture all of them.

Many customers will write complaints on Social Media Platforms. These sort of customer actions requires swift and immediate response because, unlike a private email or phone call, they are public-facing and anyone on the internet can see them. If a customer makes a public grievance, the business should make a public response so that anyone who comes across that review or post knows the business takes customer service seriously.

3. Clear communication

The Manager shall ensure that staff conveys to customers exactly what is meant. Customer shall not think he’s getting 50% off when he’s actually getting 50% more product. Further not all issues or questions can (or need to) be addressed immediately. Customers are generally understanding about this if they know company is working on it. Regular and timely communication can improve customer service perception by showing customers that company is still paying attention and working on the issue, even if they aren’t actively engaged.

• Strategies to drive store sales, increase profitability, Store policies and Marketing programs to increase sales and grow the existing customer base

For retail marketing strategies to work, it’s important to experiment and be creative in using or combining different tactics to make retail business grow in awareness, popularity and, ultimately, sales.

To increase customer base, it is necessary to stay in constant contact with potential and existing customers and the more value a business can offer, the more likely they will remain loyal.

Following steps shall be taken to improve the store sales, increase profitability and grow the existing customer base:

1. Leverage social media capabilities

Almost all businesses have some form of social media presence. When the whole world is on social media, the Company should fully leverage social media capabilities by investing in social media advertising which makes it easy to get in front of people likely to buy company’s products and convert them or send them into sales funnel. With the importance of social media to many people’s lives, one can start targeting customers who are specifically interested in the products and services one offers in retail business, online or offline.

2. Smart remarketing

One can increase customer retention rates through remarketing. Shoppers are usually distracted and can easily forget their positive shopper experience, whether at online stores or at brick and mortar stores. Customers shall be reminded of their positive experience by engaging previous shoppers either with promotions and/or discounts based on past purchases or current consumer trends.

3. Examine Pricing Strategy

While pricing products, one must be sure to consider the cost of goods and that the company is able to make a profit at that price point. Product price should be competitive, but still profitable. Ultimately, the right price is the price the customer is willing to pay for the product.

4. Designing Store for Sales

The Company shall take advantage of cross-merchandising strategies and impulse sale opportunities. Also the store shall use lighting techniques and creative displays to attract customers. Other ways are to play videos for product education, customer entertainment and any other upsell or promotional tie-in. Involve all of the senses in your visual merchandising.

5. Online Ordering

Offering online ordering makes it quick, simple and easy for customers to get the products on the go. Busy office workers, stressed parents and anyone who’s busy can use an integrated online order platform on the website or Facebook page to make orders from their computers or mobile devices. This will surely increase the customer base of the Company.

6. Customer Financing

Point-of-sale financing services shall be provided at the retail location and online. With instant financing, one can reach customers who don’t have the money upfront for expensive products or services and attract those who prefer to break up large purchases into smaller payments. Various customer financing service easily integrates with the store’s system. It will give revenue a boost with this popular payment option.

Strategies to maintain high store standards and conditions and foster a positive environment.

Customers are the core of every business and should always be your top priority.

Happy customers can help you build credibility and bring in more business - research shows that customers are likely to recommend a company to a friend if they have a positive experience.

Following steps shall be taken to maintain high store standards and conditions and foster a positive environment.

1. Speed Standards

Quick service means convenience for customers. Speed is a stable determinant for customer satisfaction.

First response time should be less. The average time until customers receive the first answer to an inquiry. The issue is not necessarily solved by then. It’s simply when customers know that someone has heard them.

The Company should implement responses via live chat and phone support.

2. Accuracy Standards

Quick is good but it’s not appreciated by customers if the answer is not correct. On the other hand, a slow but correct answer might earn some respect still. Hence, the staff shall be trained to provide the utmost accuracy in the information provided to the Customer.

3. Accessibility Standards

A customer who’s troubled with an issue should not be troubled further with figuring out how to get in touch. At best, accessibility is so advanced that it brushes proactivity. Accessibility to the store and customer support shall be made easy and smooth.

4. Friendliness Standards

Being nice is a fundamental implicitness in customer service. Hence, staff shall be trained to welcome customers with friendly smile and be helpful but not irritating.

5. Ambiance Standards

The store atmosphere leaves a distinct impression on customers. The Store environment shall help customer to improve mood and it can be done by maintaining cleaning, good lighting and having cheerful staff too.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the manager’s initiatives shouldn’t end after the aforesaid steps and just because the basics are set. For best results, the manager shall make learning and development a continuous effort in the business.