To improve store operations, set specific goals with deadlines, train sales staff to explain products, and review performance.
Use sales metrics and customer feedback to assess results. Consider the conditions under which those results were achieved: one metric does not tell the whole story.
Write down the goal, metric, and deadline
A practical goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant to the business, and time-bound. In your written goal, state:
- What needs to improve.
- Which metric you will track.
- Its starting value and target value.
- Why the store needs this goal.
- By when you need to achieve the result.
Use this template: “By the specified deadline, change the selected metric from its starting value to its target value.” Check whether the goal is achievable under your store’s conditions.
Train sales staff to explain products
Product training should cover its main features, how it is used, and the customer problem it solves. Prepare the material around three points:
- The product’s main features.
- How and why it is used.
- Which customer need it meets.
Use a role-play exercise for training. For example, one participant plays a customer with a specific request, while another plays a sales assistant explaining the product.
Collect feedback about service
To check customer satisfaction, use surveys, customer reviews, and social media monitoring. Review what customers write about the service.
Consider this feedback together with store metrics and working conditions. Sales revenue alone is not enough for a complete assessment.
Track average purchase value and repeat purchases
Average purchase value = revenue ÷ number of purchases. Use figures for both components from the same period. Record the period alongside the calculated result.
For a store without subscriptions, one measure of customer retention is how often customers return to make another purchase.
Do not assess the store’s overall performance using just one of these metrics. Consider other results, feedback, and context.
Compare physical stock with inventory records
When checking stock, count the actual quantity of each product and compare it with the inventory records. Record any discrepancies you find.
Review metrics and feedback
After the specified deadline, revisit the written goal. Bring the following together in one record:
- The goal and its deadline.
- The starting, target, and achieved metric values.
- Customer feedback and survey results.
- Working conditions to consider when assessing the results.
Review this information together. The store’s overall performance should not be reduced to a single number.
Go back to the previous step