What needs to be fixed in your business?

What needs to be fixed in your business?

by George Whalin

Ever since I began working with retailers years ago, it’s always surprised me what precipitates a call to a consultant. I began Retail Management Consultants back in 1987, and over the years our clients have had a wide variety of reasons for requesting help.

For the most part, we have been hired to improve various aspects of people performance and store operations including marketing, merchandising, inventory management, and customer service. And most of the time it’s been fine-tuning issues. Fixing something that was really wrong or truly broken rarely was presented as a reason for the call.

However, in nearly every business I’ve worked with I have uncovered some very obvious things that needed to and could be fixed to make the business operate more effectively, efficiently, and profitably.

I’m sure you’re like most retailers and constantly evaluate and work to improve policies, procedures, and operational functions of your business. As an example, you may have established procedures for handling special orders for your customers. Over time you’ve needed to fine-tune these procedures due to improved technology, changes instigated by vendors, or maybe even problems with customer complaints.

Fine-tuning and updating are always important, but have you stepped back lately and taken a critical look at what might actually be broken?

Are you fixing things that impact methods for ordering, receiving, and managing your merchandise? Are you looking at policies, procedures, and systems that affect your customers—how they do business with you and how they perceive your stores? What about your associates? How do they do their jobs? How do they treat your customers?

Are you able to identify things that have been broken for a long time and have simply been ignored? What needs to be fixed in your business?

[ Current Issue ] [ For New Store Owners ] [ Manufacturer Listings ] [ Product Update Pages ] [ Past Issues ] [ Calendar ]
[ eBabyShop ] [ FREE Subscription ] [ Add Listing ] [ Search ] [ Contact Baby Shop Magazine ]