Current store standards

How modern are your service standards?

How often have you had to deal with such situations?

• An airline operator issues the wrong tickets to tourists.
• A restaurant waitress does not carry a menu unless asked.
• A flight attendant allows tourists to drink alcohol after takeoff because of a flight delay, as her shift has already ended.
• The courier goes to deliver the goods only when he has completed several tasks.

Such problems are rare. What about the rest of the list?

• The salesperson regularly makes a mistake when knocking out a receipt at the cash register.
• The seller waits for customers to contact them, does not respond to them.
• A salesperson asks customers to leave the store because it is the end of the working day.
• The seller says "thank you" only to those visitors who make large purchases.

This behavior is familiar to everyone. For some reason, no one is surprised by such problems in retail chains, although the first list seems less realistic. It contains positions that imply strict professional standards that everyone must adhere to. In retail, there are no such strict requirements for employees.

Examples of the best of the best

The world-famous McDonald's restaurant chain has opened thousands of cafés around the world. In them, 99% of cashiers offer an additional drink or pie. And this does not depend on the country where the purchase is made. This is a strict standard that all employees must adhere to. They fulfill it without any questions or discussions.

Similar conclusions can be drawn after visiting the Nordstrom hardware store chain, where sellers do everything possible to ensure that the customer is satisfied. Their reputation is such that everyone in the company takes this requirement seriously.
Many businesses you come across have their own corporate standards that their staff adhere to. Why shouldn't you do the same in your own store? Shouldn't salespeople decide for themselves which principles to follow and which not to follow?

What are standards in retail?

By starting a new job, an employee agrees to abide by your business rules. This should be true for people who are already working. They are hired to give up their favorite things for your tasks in exchange for a salary.
The law stipulates the employer's right to require employees to comply with rules and standards.
Among all the company's standards, there are unconditional principles. Unconditional standards are rules that cannot be deviated from. Employees must adhere to these rules above all else. Even if they do not like them or do not agree with them, you will have to insist that they adhere to them. For example, a salesperson may not like the idea of offering a product at the checkout every time. But they must follow this instruction, regardless of how they feel about it. And if there is a categorical objection to the rules, they should look for other jobs.

Recall the examples from the first paragraphs of the article: would air carriers hire an operator who issues tickets to the wrong country at the ticket counter? Hardly! And store clerks can make mistakes endlessly until they are fired. A waitress who has to be called to get a menu will not stay in her place for long if the owner of the establishment cares about his reputation. And salespeople are easily allowed to ignore customers. A stewardess will not allow tourists to drink alcohol in the airplane cabin, even if her working hours are over. And a salesperson shouldn't ask customers to leave a store just because their shift has come to an end. But why are such situations not uncommon in retail chains? It's simple: their managers do not introduce standards or violate them.

How to set standards in trade

There are well-known sets of actions that can increase sales and improve the store's reputation. They should be applied when dealing with each customer. Usually, unconditional standards are observed when it comes to cash transactions. But sales should also have such rules, otherwise it will be difficult to count on business success. The store owner must be sure that every customer leaves the store satisfied.
There are several variants of standards that are quite easy to implement. They will help to create a reputation as a client-oriented company, improve the efficiency of consultants and increase sales.

Greeting every customer. Even if the boutique is full, every visitor should feel a pleasant atmosphere. It makes it more convenient for them to ask questions, comfortable and pleasant to choose goods. Greetings work great against theft.

Attention all customers. You cannot miss anyone who enters the store. It is their decision whether they will buy the product or not. Sellers should not make this choice for consumers.

Offer additional purchases. Salespeople should not be shy, and they should not consider themselves intrusive. They work to serve customers. And most of them are grateful for advice. Not everyone will buy additional products. But if you offer them to everyone, the volume of additional sales will increase significantly.

Thank you and invite them back. This is a good way to end the contact. A simple "thank you" will increase the customer's appreciation of the service at your outlet.

There should be as many standards as you need for your business. But don't get too carried away, the main thing is not to overdo it.
In addition, disciplinary actions will be required for violations of trade principles. Without them, they will be useless, and the store will seem like a chaos in which every employee does whatever they want.
Remember the exceptions! Not every boutique should have unconditional standards. Any rules are needed only if they improve the quality of service and make life easier for customers.

How to implement unconditional standards in practice

The owner or manager of a retail outlet usually has his or her own "thing," his or her own unique vision of how to organize work. For some, punctuality in service is important, while others require perfect cleanliness in the sales area. And still others put the speed of service in the first place. The task of the staff is to fulfill these requirements. A targeted, methodical, daily reminder of them will benefit employees, customers, and the business.

Often, store administrators cannot force staff to do even basic things, such as cleaning, before closing the store to visitors. This happens when a company does not have unconditional standards. Try to introduce them, and everyone will work much more efficiently.