When is "late" actually late?

At a recent workshop I conducted for retail managers, I asked how many people had to deal with employees who were consistently late for their shifts. Hands shot up all around the room and I was met with groans and moans.

As we continued the conversation, I was struck by how FEW managers actually did anything about this behaviour when it occurred. Excuses ranged from, "I'm too busy" to "I'm short-staffed so I can't afford to lose them" to "I've got more pressing issues to deal with." Some people also said that being a few minutes late was no big deal, even though they did express their frustration.

My opinion is that late is late. It doesn't matter if it's five minutes or fifty-minutes. If an employee is scheduled for a specific time then he/she is expected to arrive and be on the floor ready to go at that time.

However, how you, the retail owner or manager, handles this makes the difference. If you accept tardiness, people will continue to be late. If you nip it the bud, it will seldom become an issue in your store. This starts with you clarifying your expectations and communicating these expectations to your team.

When I managed restaurants, I made it very clear when an employee was first hired that punctuality was a non-negotiable standard. While I certainly made occassional allowances for extenuating circumstance such as weather or unexpected traffic, everyone who worked in our store knew that lateness was not acceptable. And, employees also knew--some from personal experience--that we would take disciplinary action if they were late. As a result, this was seldom a problem we had to deal with.

Decide now what your policy is for lateness. Communicate it to your team. Lead by example. And take action when employees breach this standard. You will be surprised how quickly tardiness disappears.

**If you manage a chain of stores or have a large store with several managers AND you would like them to learn how to deal with employee performance, contact me at 905-633-7750 or by email and we can discuss a program that addresses your particular situation.

Cheers!

Are You Having Fun Yet?

Have you ever walked into a store and immediately felt a high level of energy in that business? How about tension so thick you could slice through it with a knife? What made the difference?

In most cases, it was the level of the fun the employees were having. Does this mean that they were goofing off and horsing around? Of course not. They were si ply having fun, enjoying what they were doing.

I used to work for a restaurant chain that encouraged its employees and managers to have fun during their shift. This is one of the things that made it different than its competition. However, many years later, everyone acts serious and that extreme energy is no longer is apparent.

We often forget that buying products is stressful for some people. This creates a strong physiological need that must be fulfilled. What to buy, where to buy, and of course, who to buy it from. Consider what your customers experience when they walk through the front door of your store.

- Are they greeted enthusiastically and with a genuine smile?
- Do they encounter employees who love what they do
- Do they deal with Sales Professionals who are passionate about the products they sell?

If you answered "yes" to these questions then you are on the right track. If you answered "no" then you need to consider how you and your team can have more fun at work. Loving what you do and demonstrating this enjoyment will lead to increased sales and success for your store.

Cheers!
Kelley

Customer Behaviour

My youngest daughter forwarded this link to me and I thought you would enjoy it.

It's a forum called "Customers Suck" and it presents some pretty funny stories about customer behaviour. As a retailer, I'm sure you will be able to relate to some of the scenarios--you may even have experienced some similar situations in your own store.

Enjoy!

Kelley