Welcome to a politics free Weekly Retail Experience.
Remember the Isley Brothers song Shout? One of my favorite parts of that song is near the end when they're singing very quietly:
(Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit softer now
Replace the word "softer" with "better" and you have a formula for success.
Some of the best retailers I know have a knack for making things "a little bit better now." Years ago I worked for a manager who had this philosophy. No matter what you did or what you brought to him he would challenge you by asking, "How can you make it better?" Since you knew you'd be asked that you would try to figure out ways to improve whatever the situation was before you went to him. It was a brilliant way to keep making the store and the employees better.
You and your team can do the same thing. No matter what you're doing, ask yourself how you can make it a little bit better now. This applies to displays, customer experiences, signage, employee coaching, and just about anything else.
It's a good thing to do on slower days to engage the staff and improve the store. Look at a section of the store and ask, "How do we make this a little bit better now?" I like the now part because it helps us focus on improvements that have an immediate impact and are usually the least expensive to implement.
On busy days keep asking yourself, "How can I work with this customer a little bit better now?" You'll be amazed by how you'll be able to increase your sales and how much fun you'll have. The best part is that customers start feeling. . . you got it. . . a little bit better now. Then they go tell all of their friends and family about their fabulous experience and the buzz about the store experience gets. . . Hold on now. . . wait a minute. . . .that buzz gets a little bit louder now.
And that makes you wanna throw your hands in the air and SHOUT!
- Doug
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