Articles

A major challenge in owning multiple locations is ensure consistency of your brand. A big part of that is ensuring that your staff is managing the business according to your expectations.

One option is to install security cameras. You will be appalled at what goes on when you're not there, but at least you'll know and be in a position to make changes. Even when staff knows there are cameras, they behave differently and that creates tremendous training opportunities for you. And you decrease the theft. You won't eliminate it, but you will have less shortage.

You may think you're a scrapbook retailer, but what you really are is a business person who works in the scrapbook industry. Having great product, a beautiful store and fun classes isn't enough. You need all those things, but you need to know how to run your business as a business.

There are just too many peeves about staff to mention here, but here's a very recent example. A storeowner I know had an employee who was very strong in certain areas and seemed to be a loyal and long-term staff member until the storeowner instituted training and goals for up selling. The team member became obstinate and overbearing, and made it clear that her idea of an up-sell is to take the customer's money for what the customer chooses herself, and that an up-sell foists unwanted product on a customer.

The storeowner worked steadily and patiently with this employee for five weeks to try to help her find comfortable ways to increase her per-person sales, but the staff member flatly refused to abide by the storeowner's rules. The employee left of her own accord, and sales are increasing steadily as the remainder of the team is fully on board with the new agenda.