How To Be A Good Retail Store Manager

There's a lot that goes into being a Retail Store Manager.  From a Company or Business owners point of view, do you deliver the profits easily with out problems.

If your looking to get ahead at work.  The fourth quarter is what its all about.  Its the busiest time of the year and if you can't handle it now, forget the rest of the year.

So what is it you need to learn to be a really good Store Manager. 

• You need to know how to do everything in the store.  You shouldn't have to do everything yourself. But, if someone has a problem, you need to know how to help them fix it with out looking like a fool.   Being the go to person is always a plus in your favor.   It means you have the respect of your employees and coworkers as having the knowledge to help them solve problems at work. 
• Be Prepared.  This means always knowing whats going on in your store.  Read your memo's.  Make a plan of how and when your going to get the project done. 
• Years ago I was a Manager for a toy store.   At a Managers meeting the District Manager asked if anyone needed help completing the required resets on Schedule.  Half the Store Managers had not even begun. One Manager didn't know we had resets to be done.  I was the only Manager already done.  Needless to say I became the go to person to help everyone else finish.
• A Great Manager is organized.  This means making a plan every day.  It should be said that all plans are subject to change.  There is a difference between making a plan and what actually happens.  This is why plans change. Have a  back up plan.  Know what you will do if someone calls in sick.   How many people do you need to do a project and still run the sales floor.  Don't just move Betty to work overnight to do a project with out making sure Betty's daytime shift is covered. 
• Every day at the start of my shift I did the same thing.  I took a piece of paper and folded it in half.  On one side I listed everyone working in the store. I put down there positions , what hours they worked and when They should take a break.   I always knew who was supposed to be where and doing what.  I followed up though out the day to make sure  that everything happens as close to plan as possible.
•  Don't ever and I mean EVER have a employee come to  you and ask why didn't I get to take a lunch today! Unless there was some kind of emergency it was the Managers fault.
• Learn to be an expert on the products you sell.   Know what the customer wants and what makes you the most money.  If you have any control of the products you can order, use your knowledge to make a profit.  Don't just buy hot product if you cant make money on it.
• A good example is the Video game market.  Stores make almost nothing on the newest systems.  On the other hand the older video systems have a larger profit margin. Because they are older the manufacturers lower the price to sell out inventory.  But if you buy too many you could get stuck with more than you can sell.  Be an expert and you will know whats selling and whats not.  You have to sell the new systems to make customers want to shop in your store on the other hand you need to make a profit too.
• Learn how to motivate your employees. Be friendly, talk with them, get to know them.  But let it be known talking is fine as long as work gets done.  Let them know that when at work the customer comes first.  Make sure your seen helping out.  If your the kind of Manager who sits in the office and walks the sames floor with a clipboard, expect to be resented. 
•  The biggest complement I got from my employees is this.  " Wow I've never had a manager pitch in and help us do our work before."  Every time I got transferred or changed companies I heard the same thing.   I got their respect quick.
• I also let the lazy people know my favorite quote.  "If I have to do your job for you, then I don't need you."

The bad thing about retail and probably every other type of job.  Is that the business goes on with out you.   The question you need to ask yourself is can anyone do your job better than you?  Will they miss you when your gone?  Or can you be easily replaced?  

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