a simple plan
I just completed my fourth week at the new job. The first two weeks consisted of training at one of best stores in the district (I hope I did a good job training them) and the past two weeks were spent at my store.
I knew I would have a lot of work to do in my store, but I had no idea how bad things actually were. My store experienced a major management defection in late May and early June. Red Flag? ... No, just a bad set of coincidences. The previous General Manager moved out of state, one Manager went on maternity leave, and the other two Managers found “real jobs” (people in our industry are always waiting for a better offer).
That left six Supervisors in charge for two months. They’re all very nice, hardworking, and committed to the store’s success, but not one of them has attained the global view needed to run a store. They are all focused on completing their assigned tasks and have neglected everyday important things like employee morale, visual merchandising, and customer service. This has resulted in a high employee turn rate, a decrease in sales, and dead-last customer service ratings in the region (and it’s a big region spanning most of the east coast).
Everyone keeps telling me how "well run" the store was two months ago. I do believe that it was better than it is now, but no one can convince me that it was “well run.” Does a well run store have laptops lying about under a mountain of debris for three years? Does a well run store have three sets of personnel files in three separate file drawers? How about the ¼ inch of accumulated dirt throughout the sales floor? And what about the boxes and boxes of register tape and credit card slips from 1997? And my favorite, an offsite storage room no one has visited in years?
I developed an action plan that addresses many of the store’s shortcomings. To improve our customer service ratings and increase sales we’ll begin by focusing on engaging all customers, processing register transactions quickly, efficiently bringing stock out to the sales floor, and hiring personable associates. On the employee morale front, the plan includes; committing to a work schedule two weeks in advance, providing consistent training, and clearing their break room of dirt and visual clutter. A simple plan.
I’ve “cleaned” many stores in the past 22 years and have used the same action plan for each store. By the third “cleanup,” I should have known to save the plan so I wouldn’t have to rewrite it. I’m thinking things will be better by the end of August, running to company standards by the time the holidays arrive, and we should be able to focus on building the business in the spring.
I was sitting in my office on Wednesday when one of my Supervisors (the cute one who gave notice before I started working) asked to speak with me. He shut the door after entering, so I knew I was in for a heavy conversation.
Sup: “I don’t know if know this, but you pissed off a lot employees since you arrived. First you told them they couldn’t have beverages on the sales floor, and then you told them they had to dress more professionally, and, I can’t believe you had the balls to do this, you asked all the supervisors to clear out from their desks. You certainly haven’t made many friends here.” (By the by, in my entire retail career, I’ve never had my own desk, let alone, office. Why do supervisors and managers need their own desk, computer, and phone when they should be spending most of their workday on the sales floor assisting customers and associates?)
Me: “The decisions I made will help the store improve its service, sales, and morale and the changes are standard in any retail setting. Being friends, while nice, is not in my job description. I’d rather be respected.” (I felt some nervous sweat in my pits because I didn’t know where he was going with this conversation.)
Sup: “I worked in this store for almost four years and I have never seen a GM make the store jump like you have in the last two weeks. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to rescind my notice and work with you as you turn the store around. I think I can learn so much from working with you.”
Me: “Of course it’s okay with me. Wow! That is by far the best compliment I have ever received at work in a long time.” (Fighting back the tears and waving my hands in front of my face like Rudy Galindo.) “I love you.” (In the inside.)
He, like a majority of the employees, is very dedicated to the brand and the product we sell. He gets me and my philosophy. We’re not curing Cancer; we’re just another retail outlet for the masses. We can have fun at work while working hard and efficiently. Things at work would be great if the rest of the associates would just chill the fuck out and allow themselves to have fun while working.
I hired six new associates who’ll begin at the end of this week. I went out of my way to find chatty, witty, and extroverted people who don’t have to work at my store, but want to work there because they enjoy the environment and social atmosphere. Hopefully, they’ll bring a huge dose of “Joie de Vie” into the store.
I am hopeful.
I knew I would have a lot of work to do in my store, but I had no idea how bad things actually were. My store experienced a major management defection in late May and early June. Red Flag? ... No, just a bad set of coincidences. The previous General Manager moved out of state, one Manager went on maternity leave, and the other two Managers found “real jobs” (people in our industry are always waiting for a better offer).
That left six Supervisors in charge for two months. They’re all very nice, hardworking, and committed to the store’s success, but not one of them has attained the global view needed to run a store. They are all focused on completing their assigned tasks and have neglected everyday important things like employee morale, visual merchandising, and customer service. This has resulted in a high employee turn rate, a decrease in sales, and dead-last customer service ratings in the region (and it’s a big region spanning most of the east coast).
Everyone keeps telling me how "well run" the store was two months ago. I do believe that it was better than it is now, but no one can convince me that it was “well run.” Does a well run store have laptops lying about under a mountain of debris for three years? Does a well run store have three sets of personnel files in three separate file drawers? How about the ¼ inch of accumulated dirt throughout the sales floor? And what about the boxes and boxes of register tape and credit card slips from 1997? And my favorite, an offsite storage room no one has visited in years?
I developed an action plan that addresses many of the store’s shortcomings. To improve our customer service ratings and increase sales we’ll begin by focusing on engaging all customers, processing register transactions quickly, efficiently bringing stock out to the sales floor, and hiring personable associates. On the employee morale front, the plan includes; committing to a work schedule two weeks in advance, providing consistent training, and clearing their break room of dirt and visual clutter. A simple plan.
I’ve “cleaned” many stores in the past 22 years and have used the same action plan for each store. By the third “cleanup,” I should have known to save the plan so I wouldn’t have to rewrite it. I’m thinking things will be better by the end of August, running to company standards by the time the holidays arrive, and we should be able to focus on building the business in the spring.
I was sitting in my office on Wednesday when one of my Supervisors (the cute one who gave notice before I started working) asked to speak with me. He shut the door after entering, so I knew I was in for a heavy conversation.
Sup: “I don’t know if know this, but you pissed off a lot employees since you arrived. First you told them they couldn’t have beverages on the sales floor, and then you told them they had to dress more professionally, and, I can’t believe you had the balls to do this, you asked all the supervisors to clear out from their desks. You certainly haven’t made many friends here.” (By the by, in my entire retail career, I’ve never had my own desk, let alone, office. Why do supervisors and managers need their own desk, computer, and phone when they should be spending most of their workday on the sales floor assisting customers and associates?)
Me: “The decisions I made will help the store improve its service, sales, and morale and the changes are standard in any retail setting. Being friends, while nice, is not in my job description. I’d rather be respected.” (I felt some nervous sweat in my pits because I didn’t know where he was going with this conversation.)
Sup: “I worked in this store for almost four years and I have never seen a GM make the store jump like you have in the last two weeks. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to rescind my notice and work with you as you turn the store around. I think I can learn so much from working with you.”
Me: “Of course it’s okay with me. Wow! That is by far the best compliment I have ever received at work in a long time.” (Fighting back the tears and waving my hands in front of my face like Rudy Galindo.) “I love you.” (In the inside.)
He, like a majority of the employees, is very dedicated to the brand and the product we sell. He gets me and my philosophy. We’re not curing Cancer; we’re just another retail outlet for the masses. We can have fun at work while working hard and efficiently. Things at work would be great if the rest of the associates would just chill the fuck out and allow themselves to have fun while working.
I hired six new associates who’ll begin at the end of this week. I went out of my way to find chatty, witty, and extroverted people who don’t have to work at my store, but want to work there because they enjoy the environment and social atmosphere. Hopefully, they’ll bring a huge dose of “Joie de Vie” into the store.
I am hopeful.
No comments:
Post a Comment