Interview with the owner of the Coral store, Artemovsk

Friends,

At the beginning of October 2015, we visited Olga, the owner of the "Korall" Dish Store in Artemivsk. We had a conversation with her about Torgsoft, learned her opinion on the external appearance and functionality of the retail program, and also asked a few questions. Here's how the interview turned out.

Olga, please tell us how you opened your business?
I was laid off from my job (I was a logistics manager in a chain of stores). Understanding that once you've worked in a large company, you can't just go work as a store salesperson, I was looking for a more or less high-level position. Since I had a small child, many places were not suitable due to their schedules. So, we decided to open our own store.
The idea came while I was on maternity leave. It all started with these handmade postcards (she shows them) – I collected them, admiring the creators of such beauty – this company "Prestige" in Donetsk. One day, after a visit to their warehouse, I came home and said to my husband: "I will sell these postcards!" He suggested that I should sell something else, along with postcards. I knew a lot about dishware, so we decided on the product assortment. We gathered a small startup capital, chose a location in the "Olymp" shopping center, and opened the store.

Why did you decide to automate your store, and what attracted you to Torgsoft?
I initially told my husband: "If we are opening a store, I don’t care how, but the accounting will be 100%! We are starting with accounting." I fought for it until the end, as I realized I wouldn't be able to work with paperwork.
It’s great that you offer a trial month (Torgsoft demo version, where you can assess all the program’s features for free for 30 days). This one-month gap gives a lot: you open and already work with the product accounting program. Then, when the sales start, you can afford to purchase the license.
Torgsoft attracted me with its simplicity – there are only three buttons for the salesperson. That’s it, nothing else is needed. It doesn’t require a person to have seven higher education degrees to master the program.

How did you get acquainted with Torgsoft?
It happened like this: I downloaded the demo version, tried it, and decided. I pay the bill at 9:00 AM, and at 1:00 PM I get a message: "The New Year's promotion starts today..." I was in shock – I could have bought it with a discount! I called Torgsoft. The team was great – they gave me a discount, and the remaining amount was transferred to the tech support account.

Did you use the 2-hour implementation package for new clients?
Yes. Part of the time was spent setting up templates. There was also a situation: I couldn’t understand why the amount was calculated incorrectly. I called tech support. It turned out that the supplier sent me a document in Excel, I copied and pasted it – something seemed off, but your technical specialist determined that there were some filters set. Now, I delete the unnecessary columns when exporting. If not for these issues, two hours would have been more than enough. But of course, it's better to pay for training: a Torgsoft specialist came, showed, helped, and stayed nearby to check if everything was done right.
I studied all the main modes through video tutorials.

What parameters do you use to select employees?
It's very important to find a person who doesn't mind greeting customers – and this is the biggest challenge. When I worked as an administrator at the checkout, it took me a month to say, "Hello, this is administrator so-and-so speaking." There are people who greet, but with a stone face – they are not suitable. And there are those who always smile ear to ear – that's who I look for.
The age of the salesperson is also important for me.
When I worked as a logistics manager, I had people of my parents' age in my team – everything was comfortable. But when you're the owner of the store, and your only subordinates are salespeople, the relationship still boils down to personal ones. I realized for myself that I can't work with consultants who are older than me. It’s psychologically difficult: there’s comparison, envy, they listen to the comments, swallow them, but you can see they don't like it. It doesn't suit me.
I select employees aged 25 to 35. At this age, a woman already has experience in cooking and can share it with customers, suggesting what’s better to choose. I also tell customers about my impressions.

What’s the secret to your relationship with customers?
I never hide the truth and never "push" products, and I require my salespeople to do the same. If a person comes and says, "I need a set of knives," no questions, I show them the sets. But if they ask for advice, I’ll definitely tell them that the full set is not necessary. I, for example, use just one knife in most cases. If we understand that the chosen product is not what the customer needs, we tell them directly, explaining why, without hiding details.
When you talk to people, listen to them, they begin to feel more relaxed, like at home. For this reason, they buy from us more than once, recommend us to their friends. We try to find an approach to each customer – that’s why I sell alongside the salesperson.
Our store’s principles: greeting and friendliness – first, we listen to customers, talk to them – second, we don’t "push" – third.
Our store is homey, "ours," and that’s how we win.
Another advantage is the wide assortment – we have things that you won’t find anywhere else in the city. If someone is looking for something special, and it’s not in the store, I note it, remember which supplier I saw it with, order it, and call the customer back. They come and buy it.

Are you planning to implement a discount or bonus system?
Not in the next year, but when I get to a certain point, I will definitely look into this issue.

Are new stores opening now?
I think yes. Things are slowly improving. And now that the situation has become calmer, I believe that businesses will open more actively. I believe that my husband and I did everything in time, even though we could have lost everything in case of force majeure, but I don’t regret it!

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs opening their business now? What steps should they take?
You definitely need to try. However, it’s important to understand that the business won’t pay off in the first year. And everything needs to be calculated.
50% of success is the workspace. If it’s comfortable, everything is the right height, length, and width – it’s very important, it makes work easier and more enjoyable.
Additionally, I want to emphasize for all entrepreneurs: accounting is crucial. Even if you don’t have a lot of products at first, don’t skimp on automation. I can't imagine how store owners calculate everything manually.
And to open a store, you need 10,000 dollars (with the program, equipment, and a small assortment of goods).

Thank you, Olga, for the insightful conversation! See you again soon!

As you can see, friends, it’s very important to believe in your abilities, not fear difficulties, and confidently move forward towards your goal. However, this movement must be planned and thought out — only then will success follow. And, of course, in today’s world, with so much information available, no store can function without a product accounting program – that's why Olga made the condition: "We start with accounting!" For any entrepreneur, computerized accounting is the real salvation from "notebooks," time, and money losses!

29.10.2015