18/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 18/07/2024 18:22
Here's something to think about: success isn't necessarily a result of one bold step or huge event. Success is a product of small actions (like the items in our retail store daily checklist below) that you repeatedly do overtime. Most of these actions can be considered small or just basic best practices-but if you do them consistently, those actions compound and lead to better outcomes down the road.
As James Clear, the author of the book Atomic Habitswrote:
All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger.
So, what does this all have to do with retail?
In the same way that good personal habits lead to a better and happier life, forming good habits in your retail store will lead to a stronger and more profitable business.
There are a number of things you should perform in your store daily to keep it humming and on track.
That's why we've put together a retail store daily checklist of tasks that you should be doing. Have a look and see if you can incorporate them into your retail habits.
Retailers need to look to the future, stay ahead of trends and adopt the digital strategies that have kept industry leaders selling through unprecedented challenges. Read our guide to learn how to help your business thrive in the new era of commerce.
The following are some of the tasks that retailers should perform at the beginning of their workday. While most of these items are for store managers, a lot of them can be completed by sales associates and cashiers.
Setting up your store for success starts with opening it properly. Don't forget to take the following steps before opening your doors to the public.
Do a security inspection.Inspect the building for signs of anything that may have gone wrong while your store was closed. Conduct the following steps:
Perform daily housekeeping. See to it that your store is nice and presentable when people start coming in.
Turn on electronics and other appliances. You can choose to do this until right before you're officially open for the day. Make sure you switch on the following before shoppers start coming in:
Once you're done with the initial inspection, you can move on to your point of sale system.
Turn on POS equipment.Switch on your POS hardwareand make sure they're working properly. You could also use this as an opportunity to do a POS security check by inspecting your equipment for signs of tampering.
Launch your POS software.Turn on your POS softwareand ensure it's working properly.
Enter your daily cash float.Place your cash float into the register and enter the amount into your POS.
Next up, let's look at your merchandising. The products and displays you have on the sales floor directly influence your sales, so it's essential that you go over your merchandising daily.
Check that all displays are in order. Examine all the displays you have in-store and see to it that they're up to snuff. Ask the following questions:
Restock shelves if necessary. If there are items that are missing from your displays, be sure to restock your shelves before opening time.
Physically count your products if necessary. Depending on your inventory management practices, it may be necessary to do a quick inventory count.Daily stock-taking typically comes in the form of cycle counting, a method that involves counting a small amount of merchandise every day.
Ensure that promotional and directional signage are set up properly.Retail signs can also influence the customer experience, so make sure that your signs are in order. The following questions may help:
Ensure that product tags are in order.Tags are a small but significant detail that can greatly help (or hinder) the sales experience of your customers. So, don't forget to inspect the following:
Round up your team and do a daily staff huddle to motivate everyone and give them the information they need to do their jobs well for the day.
Review shifts and duties.Iron out who's in charge and what. What are everyone's roles? Where should they station themselves in the store?
Review sales targets.Keeping sales top of mind will help drive your team's performance. In this regard, you should talk about:
Review your team's and store's performance. Your staff huddle also provides a great opportunity to discuss how you and your team can improve overall. You may want to:
Review the promotions that you have going on. Finally, if you're running any in-store initiatives, now is the time to talk about them.
Review your store policies.Remind employees about the rules, guidelines, and policies that need to be enforced in your store. This is particularly important if you have new employees on board or if you're dealing with a situation that's rapidly changing (such as a global pandemic).
Retail success starts with strong habits performed by managers, associates, and cashiers. Hopefully, the points above inspired you to implement better daily practices in your shop. Lightspeed can help you stay on top of your daily retail tasks. Watch a demo to learn more!