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The Seven Deadly Sins of Retail Management

I'm sure that most of you are familiar with the Seven Deadly Sins of pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and sloth. You might not be as familiar with the Seven Deadly Sins of Retail Management, those foibles and pitfalls that impede our abilities as managers and our capacity to achieve our desired success. Let's look at the Seven Deadly Sins of Retail Management. Procrastination: We can call procrastination "sloth with excuses." Procrastination can devastate a store and a manager's career. I've seen managers lose their jobs because they wouldn't get around to doing some of the simplest paperwork. I'm sure all of us procrastinate from time to time, but most of us don't do it to the point that it has a negative impact on our customers or employees. Arrogance: There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance, with the difference being the manager's own view of his/her importance. I've met some very talented people who failed as managers because they somehow got it into the heads that they were more important than others in the organization. Successful managers understand that to succeed they must serve both their customers and their employees. Apathy: Managers are the leaders of their stores. By their actions they determine the level of passion, excitement, and pride felt by the rest of the staff. When managers lose interest it has a domino effect that falls all the way to the bottom line. The problem in retail chains is that because apathy is so difficult to identify in retail management, mid-level managers and executives let apathetic managers remain in their positions. Gossip: This "sin" looks harmless on their surface but can cause major damage to a store team and manager's creditability. Gossip often happens without the participants even realizing what they're doing. The best way to avoid gossip is to never say something about someone unless you would be okay with that person standing besides you as you say it. I know that whenever I start a conversation with "Just between you and me. . ." there's a good chance I shouldn't be having that conversation. Inflexibility: Great stores are the result a manager/leader who can take a group of strong individuals and have them execute as a team. One of the biggest barriers to this occurring is the manager's need to exert control rather than influence. Anytime a manager says "my way or the highway" then the chances are they're losing their team. Remaining flexible and open to new ideas invariably leads to growth of the staff, the manager, and the overall store sales. Inappropriateness: Creating any type of hostile workplace is completely unacceptable. While a manager rarely does do that on purpose, it happens with more frequency that most of us even know. The key is to not only not go near "the line" but to stay far, far away from it. Lack of accountability: The biggest impediment to a store achieving goal is almost never foot traffic or inventory availability. The biggest culprit is mediocrity. Specifically, the store management team allowing mediocrity to take hold in the store. This often is the result of a manager or management team not holding the staff accountable for their actions because they don't want to have those difficult conversations necessary to turn around or remove underperforming employees. Not only is it unfair to the rest of the team (and the company as a whole) to not hold underperforming employees accountable, it's also unfair to the employee themselves. So let me ask, how's your sin level?

Believe and Discover Your Way to Higher Sales

The other day I had an errand at the mall and decided since I was there to spend some time shopping stores. It's an experience that is both rewarding and maddening. I had a very nice conversation in one store after the employee, seeing my Apple bag, asked if I had bought an iPhone. I replied that it was just a boring power cord in the bag but I did get a chance to try one an iPhone while in the Apple store. (It is quite slick.) We went on to discuss the iPhone as well as the joys of owning a Mac. I enjoyed my conversation and off I went - without the salesperson ever mentioning anything to do with her store. In another store, an employee told me about the good deal on the products that were no longer current and then went back to her phone conversation. In another store I asked a salesperson if she had a particular product. She said, "What you see is what you got" and walked away. Alrighty then. My favorite was when an employee asked how I was doing and before I could even answer he had turned and walked away. In almost every store I was ignored. Even the Apple store where I made a purchase was less than stellar. Nobody talked to me about the products and the person who rang up my sale asked me, "That it?" Of course I had to reply, "That it." On my way out of the mall I stopped in one last store, where I encountered the best retail salesperson of the night. She was friendly, engaging, and focused on me. To be honest I hadn't even planned to buy anything but she was so good I opened up my wallet. It was a pleasant experience and I was happy with my purchase. On the ride home I got thinking about what made her so much more effective than all the other salespeople I encountered. Had she had better training than the others? Did she have a strong manager who worked to develop her skills? I can't answer those questions but I do know that it had nothing to do with price or selection. She and she alone made the sale happen. Then I realized what made the difference. She was the only salesperson in any of the stores I had visited who believed I was there to buy something. From the minute I walked into her store she graciously matched me up with the products she sold. She wasn't pushy but rather she engaged me with purpose, which resulted with her showing me products specifically for me. She was also the only person to discover why I walked into her store. The woman in the store who talked to me about Apple products didn't and neither did the Apple salespeople themselves. The woman who told me about a sale in her store didn't. Obviously, everyone who ignored me or barely answered my questions didn't know or care why I was there. I must have engaged with 25 or so salespeople in the course of that trip to the mall. One store rang up a sale but didn't actually make it. About 23 employees made no sale at all. And one woman created a very nice sale because she assumed I was there for a reason and she took the time to find out what it was. So let me ask, do you believe your customers are in your stores to make a purchase? Equally important, do you take the time to find out why they're there? Do that and I know you'll make more sales. I know that for a fact. . . . I have the receipt to prove it.

25 Ways to Increase Sales TODAY

1. Sell more. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) 2. Be "on" from the moment you walk onto the sales floor. You have an important role to play so play it well. 3. Be genuine. If you can't, you need to change either your attitude, mindset, or job. 4. Never stalk a customer. If when you first engage a customer she gives you the cold shoulder, back off and give her a chance to get comfortable in the store and to see for herself that you're different from most salespeople. The way you engage others allows them to experience for themselves that you're interested in them as a person, not just as a customer. 5. Engage with purpose. For most of us that means developing a relationship with our customer and making sure he/she has a great experience in our store. Remember: never ask a customer a question if you don't care what the answer is. 6. Listen more, talk less. 7. Never talk over your customer. It's not only bad manners but it tells her you're not listening. 8. Don't show products, sell them. The difference is that when you're selling a product it means you know enough about the customer to choose the right product for him. 9. Focus the conversation on the outcome of the product and its benefits. As an example, people don't buy luggage for the sake of buying luggage but because they wish to transport clothing and other belongings from one location to another. Focus on how the end result at that destination will be enhanced because of the product itself. 10. Assume the customer is buying. Remove the idea that anyone is a "looker." 11. Do something nice and unexpected for your customer. It will almost always result in a stronger relationship that often translates into a sale. 12. Never ask a customer how he's doing. The phrase is trite, completely overused and most people who ask it don't really care about the answer. The same is true with "May I help you" and "Can I answer any questions." 13. Don't over greet or over welcome your customer. Once a customer is well into the store a simple smile and "hello" is sufficient. Customers would rather be ignored than greeted excessively. 14. Having a large selection of products for the customer to choose from increases the likelihood that the customer will make a purchase. 15. Reducing the number of products you show a customer increases the odds of making a sale even more. 16. Recommending one or two of those products improves the chance even more. 17. Skip telling the customer everything you know about a product. Instead give them the information they need to make an informed decision. 18. The only way to be able to do that is to gather information from the customer. That's why just showing products costs sales. 19. Help the customer make the purchase. If we've done our job it is only appropriate to give the customer an opportunity to buy what we're selling. 20. Forget trying to "add-on" to a sale. That's completely internally focused and self-serving. "Enhance" the customer's life with the products they're buying and you're guaranteed to sell more. 21. Don't stop enhancing until the customer says so. We like to compare it to the all-you- can-eat buffet. Your customer will tell you when he's full. 22. Use the kind of manners during checkout that would make your mother or grandmother proud. Use a lot of "please," "thank-you" and "you're welcome." 23. Always see a customer bringing a product into the store as an opportunity, not a burden. Assume it's a return until you've learned otherwise. 24. Follow-up a customer's purchase with a thank-you note, email, or phone call. 25. Contact a good customer to tell him about something new in the store and why you think it's something he would like. 26. Always go above and beyond for every customer. If it doesn't result in a sale today, it will tomorrow.

Some Birthday Lessons

Today is my 49th birthday. It's hard to believe I only have 365 days left in my 40s. I hear that the 50s are the new 30s, but until then I'll enjoy where I am in my life today. Because of some dear friends who are kind enough to invite us to Martha's Vineyard during this week, I have for the past several years had the pleasure of celebrating my birthday on the beach. This is pretty special to a guy whose astrological sign is Cancer the Crab. According to the Chinese zodiac I was born in the year of the dog. I'm pretty sure I was also born under a sign that read "Retail." I've had a lot of ups and my share of downs in life, and I consider myself extremely blessed. Blessed because of the wonderful people who have been in my life and shared with me the lessons that enabled me to succeed in retail and in life. For me, they're really one and the same. Here are a few of those lessons that stand out today: - You're only as successful as the people you have around you. Never be afraid to hire the best possible person and learn from her. - Ask for help when you need it. Offer to help when you don't. - Surround yourself with positive people who love life and love you. - Never regret the past. Use it to create a better tomorrow today. - Always remain teachable. Learn something every day. - Stop saying why something won't work and start asking how you can make it work. - Stop repeating, "I really need to." Either do it because you need to or decide you don't "really need to" after all. - Prioritize your day and always put the customer first. - Treat your employees well, they'll treat your customers well, and they'll treat you well. - No matter what your title, if you're in a leadership role you always go first. - Passion trumps knowledge and skill. Never try to cover the lack of knowledge and skill with passion. - Never shy away from a difficult conversation with an employee or a friend. You'll both be the better for it. - Be happy for others. - Always say, "thank you," "please," and "you're welcome." Expect the same from your staff and your children. - Refuse to allow gossip in your store. It kills more sales and profits than any big box competitor could. - Sometimes bad things happen. It's one thing to be a victim; it's another to stay one. - No matter the cause, if I'm bent out of shape about something the problem is always within me. If I don't believe that I'm giving others the power to control me. - If you don't take the time to enjoy the rewards of your hard work why work hard? - It's okay to know that you can't please every customer, but you can sure try. - And last but not least, at the end of my life it won't matter how much money I earned or how much praise I've received. What will matter is how well my children will have learned and applied their own lessons for a good life.

Buyers and Decision Makes

Years ago, while working at a Sharper Image in Boston, I was helping a couple who were thinking of purchasing one of the massage chairs. While the husband was sitting in the chair I went over its features and benefits. After a few minutes I asked the wife if she would like to try it out as well. Her answer was something I never forgot. She said, "Sure. He may be the buyer but I'm the decision maker." While she said it half-jokingly, she wasn't really kidding. He was going to buy the chair only if she made the decision that he would. One way you can increase your sales productivity is to understand and apply the buyer and decision maker concept. It doesn't matter if your average ticket is $20 or $1000, knowing who is a buyer and who is a decision maker will have a positive impact on your business. For this exercise we'll define the buyer as a person or persons who wants to purchase a particular product or products. The decision maker is the person who ultimately decides if the purchase is made or not. A person can be either or both. Just because a person is shopping alone doesn't mean they are both. They could be a buyer but the decision maker isn't with them or vice versa. It's important to know the needs of each person to help him or her make an informed purchase. Retail salespeople often focus more on the buyer only to be tripped up by the decision maker. You'll see in the following example that it is important to engage and involve both in the sale process. Here are some examples of the buyer/decision maker concept: * Two women are shopping in a jewelry store where one of the women is considering buying herself some new earrings. The one looking at the earrings is both a buyer and a decision maker. Her friend is also a decision maker. To successfully help the buyer make a purchase the retail associate must also involve the friend. Ask the friend some questions that will demonstrate for the buyer her friend's approval of the purchase. One example is, "Don't those look beautiful on her?" * A mother and her teenage daughter are looking at cell phones. If the phone is for the daughter then she is the buyer and the mother is the decision maker. (It could the opposite.) To complete this sale the retail associate must understand what is important to each party. For the daughter it's about fashion and features. For the mother it might be about cost and safety. If you don't satisfy both the buyer and the decision maker you probably won't make the sale. * A husband and wife are considering taking a cruise and are meeting with a travel agent. Couples are always a little tricky since one might be a buyer and the other a decision maker, or they might each be both a buyer and a decision maker. The mistake many salespeople make is that they only engage the person who is showing the most interest, who is usually the buyer. When interviewing, it's essential to uncover what is important to both individuals so each of their needs and concerns are met. Just because they're a couple does not mean they agree on what's important to make a purchase. Today try to identify which customer is a buyer, a decision maker, or both. Just that little exercise will be sure to boost your store sales.

A Very Special Posting: A Lesson in Humility

A few weeks ago I was in Las Vegas presenting to employees of the Bribor retail stores. Donny Borsack and his family own and operate the Brighton license stores in Las Vegas as well as the Corsa Collections store at The Forum Shops at Caesars. The Borsacks and their employees are incredibly bright and experienced retailers so it's always a joy to present there. During one of the presentation on increasing UPT sales I asked the group, "What are some of the techniques you use to maximize your customer opportunities?" Without hesitation Zee Hussain raised her hand and said, "I sell with humility." I was fascinated by this response and asked her to expand on it. Zee explained to us that when she worked with a customer she understood that it was all about the customer, not her. She told us that she often emulated the customer's mannerisms since that would in all likelihood be how the customer wanted to be engaged. Zee also said that selling with humility meant showing the customer all the products that were right for her. I thanked her for her comments and asked her if I could use it in my newsletter. She said of course I could. After the presentation Donny and I discussed Zee and her comments about selling with humility. Donny told me that this wasn't just something Zee said but reflected the way she lived every day. He told me that Zee started working for his family 10 years ago and in the last five years she was the top salesperson in the company 50% of the time. 50%! Clearly selling with humility is effective. Since then I have attempted a couple of times to write the selling with humility but I just couldn't seem to effectively translate the concept that Zee made seem simple and effective. It was frustrating because I had said I would write a Daily about it but I wanted it to be right and make Zee proud. I wish now that I hadn't waited. Zaniab Hussain, lovingly known to her family, customers, and colleagues as Zee, passed away in her sleep last week. Zee will truly be missed because she was one of the true ambassadors of retail. As Donny shared with me, "She sold from her heart, she sold with incredible passion, and most important, she did it all with humility." On the day after Zee passed away, I received an email with the following, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking about yourself less." The words finally came to me, or maybe I should say they found me. When we work with our customers they should be our only focus. Not thinking about when we're going to lunch or what needs to be checked off our to-do list. We focus on customers, their needs and opportunities, and we continue to suggest products that will enhance their lives. Zee lived with true humility and was always there for her family, customers, and co-workers. Whenever Zee was asked to do something she always replied "I'll make you proud." If we all think a little more about our customers and little less about ourselves, we indeed will make her proud. One thing I know for sure, God will have no problem making sales numbers for now on. Thank you, Zee, for teaching us so much and giving us the chance to make you proud.

The View from the Deli Counter

The other day I offered to run down to the grocery store and pick up a few things. I was happy to do so until my wife said those dreaded words, "Don't forget to stop at the deli counter." You see, I have zero patience and if there is more than one person in front of me at the deli counter I swear that time stands still. Like a good husband I said "yes, dear" and went off to do my duty. When I got to the counter there were five people ahead of me, each of whom were purchasing a quarter-pound of at least twelve different cheeses and meats. As I stood there fighting the urge to beat my head on the deli case, I noticed subtle differences between the three employees working the counter. While all three seemed fairly proficient at using the meat slicer, or I assume they were since they had all their fingers, they differed in how they waited on their customers. The first clerk was focused on completing orders and getting through the line. He was very business like. He said pretty much the same thing over and over again. "Next! What can I get you? Anything else?" I was pleased he was picking off the customers in front of me so I could finish my shopping. The second clerk was extremely nice. "Next? How are you today? What would you like today?" She was happy to come around the counter to help her customer. She made small talk while she did her job and wasn't upset at all when after slicing two pounds of ham the customer said she wanted a different brand. She laughed, chatted and did a wonderful job with the one customer she waited on the entire time I stood there. The third clerk had an entirely different approach. After calling out the next number he always said, "Hello. Thank you for waiting. What can I get you today?" He was as efficient as the first clerk and as friendly as the second without the excessive small talk. What made this clerk the most effective of the three is that instead of seeing what was taking place from behind the counter he saw what the situation was from the customer's point of view. He knew that customers had been waiting and he thanked them for doing so. "Thank you for waiting." Four small words with a huge impact on the customer experience. We will always be more successful in delivering both a great store experience and maximizing every sales opportunity if we see things from the customer's perspective. A customer having to wait five minutes in line isn't a big deal to us. It might be a huge deal to the customer. . . .or at least customers like me. Being out of stock of an item means we miss a sale. To a customer it might mean having to drive to another store or figure out something else to buy. Putting ourselves in the customer's shoes and seeing things from their perspective allow us to better connect with the customer. It helps us to understand when small talk and taking our time is appropriate and when it's not. It helps us to see better when an "I'm sorry" or a "Thank you so much" is in order and not just "Next." The best part is that it helps us to see better how we can improve and be of better of service to the customer. Try it out this week, walk in your customer's shoes and enjoy the view.

Peer Without Pressure

Recently, I was speaking with a client regarding training their staff around increasing their units per transaction, when the client said something I frequently hear from retailers struggling to develop their employees: "We just don't have time to do structured role-plays." It is, of course, a legitimate grievance. The reality of skill-based training in retail is a classic Catch-22: training is vital to developing and improving employees' abilities to deliver positive customer experiences, while at the same time it's counter-productive to take employees away from serving customers for the sake of structured trainings. My recommended solution to this conundrum is two words: peer coaching. In peer coaching two employees undertake their own training initiatives and observe, appraise, and work to develop each other's skills. This makes on-the-floor development easy and flexible. It can happen anytime, and doesn't require a lot of planning or preparation. Most importantly, it puts the employees in charge of driving their own development. Transitioning single-product buyers to multiple-product buyers (and therefore increasing UPTs) is a skill that's ideal for peer coaching because when done correctly it benefits the employee, the store, and the customer. Peer coaching typically involves employees working together in what could be called a "living role-play". While one employee engages a customer (yes, a real customer) as they normally would, the other employee observes a specific area or skill and makes mental notes. After the transaction has ended and the customer is happily on their way, the coach provides his or her colleague with feedback - preferably a combination of positive observations and areas for possible improvement. This should be an open and honest dialog, not a critique or in-depth analysis. The goal here is to coach and guide, not to humiliate or belittle. Besides, during the next transaction the roles will be reversed: the employee who was the coach will become the one getting assessed, so be sure to have fun with it. Focusing on a small, single bite of the sales process (like increasing UPTs) instead of the whole thing allows the coach to concentrate on the specifics of how adept their colleague is at enhancing their customer's experience through recommending additional product. And since it's an area often overlooked when it comes time to develop skills, increasing UPTs is typically a good even footing for everyone to start with. Encourage your staff to participate in peer coaching by establishing and communicating a set of basic rules for everyone to follow.

• Establish a timeframe. While the pace of peer coaching is mainly determined by various factors like traffic and staff availability, it's still a good idea to set a beginning and end date for the whole initiative. "Beginning on June 13th, we're going to start 3 weeks of peer coaching, wrapping up just in time for the Fourth of July sale."

• Require regular reporting. Again, while the staff is driving their own development, it's important that they be held accountable. Regular, informal reporting of what coaching has taken place, including areas of focus, best practices, and opportunities for improvement are key to reinforcing the importance of peer coaching. Again, this doesn't need to be a formally documented presentation. Just a quick touch-base throughout the duration of the announced timeframe.

• Mutually agree on the skill to be observed. Skills turn into behaviors. Properly developed skills result in behavior that's beneficial to the business and the individual. Before any coaching can happen both participants need to agree on which skill they're going to focus their development. The entire staff can focus on the same skill if it's crucial for an upcoming event or promotion, but ideally each coaching pair will focus on a key skill that's specific to their own personal development.

• Don't compete. This is a development activity, not a contest to see who can outperform the other. The coach needs to keep an open mind with regards to his or her colleague's methods, and provide feedback specific to the skill being developed. Unless the employee being coached provides blatant misinformation, acts unethically, or otherwise performs in a manner unbecoming the business, the focus of the observation and feedback needs to be on the mutually agreed-upon skill.

• Be mindful of your customers. Your customer's needs take precedence over any other activity. Even if your peer is observing you, your full attention must be given to your customer. This ensures they get the best experience you can provide, and it gives your coach a more honest portrayal of your abilities.

• Be open to giving and receiving feedback. Because most participants are not management, they might feel out of place giving a colleague direct feedback. Likewise, some employees may feel invalidated by their peer's observations. Everyone needs to remember that this is a development activity, and honest and specific feedback in both directions is the key to success.

So there you have it: a good solution to the problem of finding time to practice on the sales floor. Give it a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how well it works.

The Secret To Retail Success

After a recent seminar I was approached by one of the attendees (we'll call her Ellen) who wanted to discuss with me her approach to waiting on customers as it differed from what I had recommended in the seminar. Here's how the conversation went. Ellen: "Hi Doug. I enjoyed what you said although I disagree with your approach to helping customers in the store. I work with my customers the way I like to be helped." Me: "And how's that?" Ellen: "I like to be left alone and I'll ask for help when I need it. That's why I do the same thing with my customers." Me: "I see. Why don't you like to be helped?" Ellen: "I just like to browse on my own." Me: "Okay, there's nothing wrong with that. But what do you do when a sales person tries to engage you?" Ellen: "I tell them I'm just looking." Me: "And why's that?" Ellen: "Usually because the person isn't really any help." Me: "Why do you think that is?" (Yes, I know it can be annoying to have a conversation with me but Ellen started it!) Ellen: "Because a lot of salespeople just stand there next to me, which I find incredibly irritating, and wait for me to ask a question that they may or may not be able to answer. I find they really aren't that useful so I only ask for help if I have to." Me: "What you're telling me is that in your store you stand next to your customers waiting for them to ask a question that you may or may not be able to answer." Ellen: "Absolutely not. I'm great with my customers. They find me quite useful when I help them." Me: "I'm sure they do. But do you even give them a chance to know that because you wait for them to approach you and ask for help? Ellen: "I guess not." Me: "You yourself said you only ask for help if you absolutely have to. And I think most customers are like you." Ellen: "Good point." Doug: "So instead of helping customers the way you like to be helped, doesn't it make more sense for you to work with your customers the way you wish you were helped?" Ellen: "You're right. I've been waiting on the people in my store a certain way because of some of the bad sales help out there, even though I know we're better in my store. Thanks." And that's the secret to success on the retail floor. Treat people the way you wish to be treated. Think about what's important to you. You want salespeople who are attentive but not pushy. You want someone who can answer your questions and help you select the right products. Someone who can help you get the most for your money. Someone who will give you the right answer, not just the answer you want to hear. Someone who you trust, like, and want to go back to again. Don't treat your customers a certain way because of bad retail salespeople, treat your customers a certain way because you're a good retail salesperson.

Leadership Give and Take

The first time somebody told me that "to keep it you have to give it away" I thought he was talking nonsense. But over time, the more I have learned about being a good manager and a good person, the more I have realized the truth of that seemingly contradictory statement.
 
 These are the four most important things a store manager must give to his/her staff so the staff can give it back to the store and customers.
 
 Loyalty. Loyalty is a two way street. If you want loyal employees, you must be a loyal manager and employer. There are many ways to show loyalty to an employee. It's being willing to adapt a work schedule when an employee is having challenges at home or dealing with other concerns. It's figuring out how to give a leave of absence to a person who needs one even when doing so creates some challenges for the rest of the team. It's spending that little bit of extra time when an employee is struggling to learn a new skill or obtain new knowledge. It's delivering performance reviews and merit raises on time.
 
 Respect. I have had the pleasure to work for and with some wonderful people; people I had great respect for. I've also worked for and with some managers I didn't respect. The reason I didn't respect them is because they weren't people of their word. They lived by the code of "do as I say, not as I do." They didn't keep their word. They didn't keep confidences. They put their own needs above others, believing that rank had its privilege. For a manager/owner to lead a team he/she must have the respect of the team. Respect isn't really that hard to keep but it is very tough to earn back when it's been lost.
 
A positive attitude. I've always said that you can walk into almost any store and within minutes determine how positive the manager/owner is without even meeting them. Their attitude sets the tone for the entire team. Chances are if an employee greets you with a smile and friendly welcome that they too were met with a smile and friendly welcome when they arrived at work that day. My wife jokingly tells our children that "when mama's not happy, ain't nobody happy." The same principle holds true in a store, too. When the manager/owner is in a bad mood or is stressed out there is a dark could over the entire store. It impacts everyone working that day but most of all it impacts the customer and the day's sales.
 
 The store priorities. A manager's/owner's actions - not what they say but what they do - communicates to the staff what's really important. What matters is not what a manager says that is important, it's what a manager does that makes the real impact. I've seen so many managers stand up in a store meeting and babble on about the importance of customer service, how much they respect the customer, blah blah blah. Then immediately after the meeting they spend their entire time focused on merchandising or preparing for a store visit and completely ignoring customers. Every day you must show and do what is necessary for the store to succeed. If that's what you do then your team will do the same.
 
So let me ask, what are you going to give away today?

REALLY Listening to Your Customer

Last week I was working with a group of retailers here in New England and the topic turned to store return policies. It seems that in this particular community the majority of retailers will only give a customer making a return a store credit, not a refund. Very few of the retailers in this town will give a refund even if the customer has a receipt and is returning an item within the stated timeframe. One of the retailers commented that maybe she would change to a full refund policy since "every now and then a customer complains so I end up giving a refund anyway." While I agree that it's a good idea to change her policy, there was actually another reason to do so. She needs to change her policy because it is costing her sales and customers. I believe that in today's competitive retail environment, all retailers should have a liberal return policy. It's so challenging to obtain customers, why lose them forever over one sale? It's not smart business to let customers walk unless you're positive you want to lose that customer. To me there was a more important lesson in this conversation than just return policies. It's the impact of what I (with a nod to Richard Nixon) call the Silent Majority. The retailer above gave a refund to the Vocal Minority who complained about her return policy but she never heard from the Silent Majority. They either didn't make a purchase because of her return policy or they may have stopped shopping in her store after she refused them a refund. I know some days it sure doesn't feel like it but the majority of your customers don't complain when they're unhappy. The majority of your customers don't write letters or make a phone call when they're happy with your store, either. Only the Vocal Minority takes action. The Vocal Minority can help you improve the overall store experience of the Silent Majority. Every time a customer complains or gives you some kind of critical feedback ask yourself if this issue is unique to that particular customer, or could it be something that has an impact on every one of your customers. More often than not the Vocal Minority does indeed speak for the Silent Majority. The odds are good that if one customer is unhappy with something, you probably have a lot of other customers who are unhappy about the same thing. Instead of making something right for the one customer who complains, take a step back and ask yourself if and how that one person's concern impacts all of your customers. In our return policy example above, if our retailer did this exercise she would see that her customers have different expectations of her return policy than what she's delivering. The Vocal Minority complained and got their money back, the Silent Majority either left or cut back on their purchases. But the unhappy Silent Majority doesn't really stay silent. According to the second annual Retail Customer Dissatisfaction Study released last week by the Wharton School of Business, one in three unhappy customers tells other people about a problem encountered at a store and those people go on to tell an average of four others. The fact is that every time you think you lose one customer you're actually losing at the minimum three or four. The same holds true for customer praise. If something you did for a customer made them so happy they took the time to tell you about it, can you do whatever it was for all customers? And maybe you already are; it's just that the Silent Majority never told you how much they appreciate it. Remember, the Vocal Minority can help you grow your sales and profits. . . even when they're asking for their money back or giving you praise.

Profit From the Customer Decision

To be a successful retail salesperson, and we're all salespeople if we work retail, you must understand how customers buy. The act of making a purchase is a financial decision-making process not much different from other decisions except that at the end of this decision-making process there is an exchange of money for goods. The process itself is very linear. The time it takes to move through the process varies by individuals and what the purchase is. The decision-making process to buy a soda at a soda machine is the same one to buy a new car but the amount of time it takes to move through that process will obviously vary. The more you know and acknowledge where people are in their decision making process the better you'll be able to deliver a better store experience and sell more products. These are the four steps/stages of the decision-making process: 1. Recognize a need or want. Someone could be getting dressed one morning and realize that since he's been exercising more his pants are getting loose. He recognizes the need for new pants. Our newly-svelte friend may get into his car and head right to a store or he might file the thought away and continue to wear his baggy pants for a little while longer. Or a customer walks into a woman's accessory store and after seeing a pretty pair of hoop earrings recognize that she might want to add a larger hoop to her earring collection. Many customers enter your store without a recognized need or want but they always come in with an interest.

Success Tips

a) Engaging customers with your products can move them from having an interest to the first stage of the decision-making process. b) Listening closely to what the customer says is an easy way for you to identify if she has recognized her need or want.

2. Gather information. The customer is now discovering what she needs to know and begins to gather information so she can make an informed decision. For a simple purchase like a soda from a machine that information would include what drinks are in that particular machine and how much they cost. For clothing, a shopper needs to look at different fabrics, colors, cuts and sizes. For more complicated purchases like consumer electronics and automobiles the customer has to spend time and energy to educate herself and collect what information is needed.

Success Tips a) The biggest mistake many retail sales associate make is not identifying where in the information gathering stage the customer is. Rather than ask questions about what the customer has done so far and what she knows, associates almost always assume the customer is only beginning to gather information. b) You'll be viewed as an expert and more likely to make the sale if you help the customer understand what information is necessary to make an informed decision.

3. Evaluate choices and alternatives. This is when the customer tries on clothes, tastes samples, tries out different golf clubs, compares the choices side-by-side, etc.

Success Tips a) Reduce the number of choices the customer has to pick from. Instead of showing the customer every single one of their choices, recommend one or two products that you believe, based on the questions you've asked, best meets your customer's needs. b) Get the product in the customer's hands, on their body, etc. It's amazing how many sales people will talk and talk about what a product does and never actually show you what a product does.

4. Make a (purchase) decision. The customer has decided to make a purchase. That doesn't mean he will make a purchase at that moment or even that he has chosen from whom he will make the purchase, but he has made a decision.

Success Tips a) Deliver a great experience and you'll be the clear choice when the customer decides where to buy. b) Often the customer has made a decision to buy but since the sales associate doesn't assume the sale, the purchase is not made. Always assume the customer will buy from you today unless you've been told otherwise.

I encourage you this week to identify what stage each one of your customers is in. Once you do that, see if you can help them come to a decision that will make both the customer and you happy.

Retail - It's Easy and Hard

Here are some of the easy and hard things about retail. It's easy to be a good manager when you're in a good mood. It's hard to be a good manager when you're in a bad mood. You're doing really well when your team doesn't think you have bad moods. It's easy to buy products that are hot and in demand. It's hard to know when to quit buying them before they're everywhere and a commodity. You know you're going to win some, some lose, and that's what makes retail a fun challenge. It's easy to sell a customer one product. It's hard to sell a customer more than one product. What's important is that each customer leaves with the right amount of product for them. It's easy to run an advertisement. It's hard to market effectively. You need to understand why you do either. It's easy to create a weekly schedule for the staff. It's hard to create one that makes everyone happy. It's important to try. It's easy to say bad things about your competitors. It's hard to say good things about your competitors. What's great is when you can do both at the same time and no one notices. (Never say anything bad about your competitors. Period.) It's easy to gossip about others on the team. It's hard to say something to someone else who is gossiping. For the good of the team, step in and stop the gossip. It's easy to explain away your mistakes. It's hard to admit your mistakes. What's most important is that you fix your mistakes. It's easy to hang out on the floor and be in charge. It's hard to work the floor and still get done what you need to get done. Isn't working the floor part of doing what needs to be done? It's easy to not say something to an employee you're unhappy with. It's hard to have difficult conversations with employees. Not having those conversations is unfair to both the employee and the company. It's easy to talk the talk. It's hard to walk the walk. Without the walk, the talk is a waste of time. It's easy to accept responsibility when things are going well. It's hard to accept responsibility when things aren't going well. If you're a manager/owner/leader it doesn't matter: you are responsible. It's easy to find ideas every day that will have a positive impact on your business or life. It's hard to apply the ideas. Success comes to those who do. It's easy to start the week on a positive note. It's easy to end the week on a positive note. What's hard sometimes is keeping that positive note one the days between.

The Name Game

A few weeks ago while presenting to a group of store managers on the topic of improving their staffs' selling and engagement skills, the topic of using the customer's name came up. I suggested that at times it is very natural to introduce yourself and discover the customer's name and then use it. Within seconds one of the store managers said, "Too car salesman-like." Someone else mentioned that the expectation at his stores was to get the customer's name from the credit card during the point of purchase and use it while thanking him/her. I agree that it is good retail to use the customer's name in the checkout process, but I disagree that using a customer's name during the sales process is "car salesman-like." I think calling a customer by name is only natural when your focus is on his/her needs and matching the person with the right products. I've always said that a great store experience is the result of the connection between a customer and one or more employees. It seems to me that if you're connecting with someone you probably ought to know each other's name. I've admitted that when I was on the floor I wasn't the best at using a customer's name. I've come to realize that I was actually pretty good at using a person's name once I knew it but I just wasn't very good at finding out the name so I could use it. I suspect that most retail salespeople aren't much different. If a customer walked into your store with a nametag on you'd be likely to call them by name. The challenge is that we're usually the ones with the nametag. We could make everyone who came in the door fill out one of those "Hi My Name Is" stickers but I'm pretty sure that won't work. The solution to the problem has to lie within us. I'd like to challenge you and your staff to improve your customer's experience by becoming more comfortable discovering and using the customer's name. I guarantee that when done well it will make a difference in how your customer feels about your store as well as when and how much they buy. I also guarantee that if done poorly it will make a difference in how your customer feels about your store as well as when and how much they buy. The good news, it really isn't hard to do well. Here are a few things to consider in getting more comfortable discovering and using the customer's name: 1. Introducing yourself and discovering your customer's name is much more important than actually using it. Most people who push you to say the customer's name a lot either haven't worked retail much or they've trained car salesman. If you find a natural place to call your customer by name during the sale, great, but it's getting it one time that really counts. 2. Don't ask if you're not sincere. When people do this poorly it's because they're doing it because they've been told to do it, not because they want to. If you really like your customers, and if you really like your store, then I'm sure you're sincere. It's okay to force yourself to do this because you're uncomfortable; it's not okay to do it if you don't want to. 3. Don't feel pressured to learn and use the name of every customer, but do push yourself to do it with every customer you're highly engaged with. I'd say if you're engaged enough to ask questions and show product, you're engaged enough that introducing yourself is a natural step. 4. Always introduce yourself first before you ask the customer his/her name. Yes, you're probably wearing a nametag and yes, the customer can read, but by introducing yourself you're telling the customer right then and there that his/her experience in your store is going to be different and better than other stores. 5. Introduce yourself when it feels right. For some of you, usually the more outgoing personalities among you, it will be pretty soon after first engaging the customer. For others it might be when you're asking some questions or showing the customer the products you're recommending. There's no right time or wrong time, just your time. 6. Skip the handshaking if it's not your style. Skip the handshaking if you don't feel it's the customer's style. Don't let handshaking impede introducing yourself and discovering the customer's name. This is all about style - your style. 7. Most of the time the customer will tell you their name after you tell them yours. If they don't, you can decide to ask them theirs or not based upon how strong your connection is with them and how comfortable you are asking. I find the "And you are?" question uncomfortable for most salespeople. Remember, telling them your name is what's most important. 8. Keep practicing until it becomes second nature. First get comfortable introducing yourself. Then get comfortable finding out the customer's name. Finally, get comfortable using the customer's name.

It's Show Time: Act 1, Scene 1

Imagine for a moment that you're sitting in a tenth row center seat in the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway, eagerly anticipating the beginning of the show, Beauty and the Beast. Finally the house lights dim, the music starts and the curtain slowly rises. The first person you see is Belle, her hair in curlers, sitting in a chair drinking a Starbucks Tall Caffè Latte. Next to her, Beast (is it? you're not quite sure) is on the floor doing a stretching exercise, dressed in jeans and a tank top. You notice his beast head propped on a table, looking like a trophy in a western mountain lodge. A stagehand is vacuuming near the back of the stage. Mrs. Potts enters stage left. Or at least you think it's Mrs. Potts since she's wearing what looks like part of a teapot costume - along with a Mets hat. She looks out to you and the rest of the audience and says, "I'm sorry, we're not ready. We had a cast meeting that ran a little long. Chip just wouldn't shut up. Go ahead and get yourself a drink or talk among yourselves and we'll be ready in just a little bit." The performers finish what they're doing, leave the stage and a few minutes later the show begins. As much as you might have liked the show even with that rocky beginning, your experience was not nearly as good as one that theatergoers at a different performance enjoyed. Both groups got a show, but one group had a less than a stellar experience because the cast was not fully prepared to begin the show. It might be totally absurd to think of the scene I described taking place at a Broadway show but it happens every day in retail. I recently stopped by a local store a few minutes after 10:00 a.m. but when I tried to open the door it didn't budge. A few seconds later "Belle" unlocked the door, apologizing that they were running late. "Gaston" was running the vacuum cleaner, which frankly looked like it hadn't been emptied in a week and was in dire need of a muffler, while "Chip" was racing around trying to clear boxes out of the walk way. "Feel free to look around and if you have any questions let us know." They spent the next 10 minutes scurrying around oblivious to my presence. What a lousy shopping experience. Every day is a new performance. Every day brings a new audience. Every day brings you new opportunities. Every audience deserves the best possible retail experience you can deliver. Short changing the first or the last customers of the day is poor business. Short changing any customers is poor business. It is absolutely vital to the success of any retailer that they put on a great show every minute of the day. So make it a habit to never let the curtain rise in your store until you're ready. On the flip side, always have the stage set and cast in place five minutes before curtain time. Don't let morning meetings or other activities run long and impact the experience of the first customer of the day. It doesn't matter if somebody is ready to walk in your door the moment it opens or if your first customer doesn't arrive for another ten minutes. What matters is you're ready to deliver a great experience the instant the curtain rises. So let me ask, is your store or stores ready for Show Time?

A-Z For The Retail Sales Associate

Hello again. Last week I shared with you the A - Z on how to be a better manager or owner. This week is the A - Z on how to be a better retail sales associate. Assume every customer is a buyer. Begin each shift by setting a goal. It doesn't always have to be a sales goal; you might aim, for example, to show a particular product to x number of people. Continue to ask your customer qualifying questions after you've shown a product. How else will you know if they like it or not? Demonstrate products, don't just talk about them. (i.e., Put a bag on the woman's shoulder instead of just holding it in your hand. Don't just point to a rake, take it off the wall.) Exceeding a customer's expectation isn't really that hard if you decide to make doing so one your goals. Friendly smiles create more sales than any sign or window display. Greet each customer with the word "Welcome" or some other word that communicates your pleasure in seeing them come into your store. Handwritten thank you cards are an investment in future sales. Identify your customer needs or wants before you show him/her too many products. Just because a customer is standing in front of a product doesn't mean he/she is interested in it. Keep showing products until the customer says he/she is done. Love what you do or do something else. Period. Memorable customer experiences are easy to deliver when you appreciate your customers and like what you sell. Never say anything negative about a customer until you're in your car on the way home. Then feel free to let it rip! "Opportunity knocks" doesn't apply to retail. Opportunity walks in your front door - unannounced - all day. Practice makes perfect. Roleplaying with another employee will make you a better salesperson. This is especially important with new products or services. Quickly resolve your customer's problems. The longer it takes, the less likely the customer will continue to shop with you. "Recommend" is an extremely powerful word to use with customers. "Suggest" is also good. Showing the customer too many products will cost you sales and result in a frustrated customer. Only recommend or suggest one or two products at a time. Thinking like a buyer will help you sell more product than thinking like a salesperson. Use the customer's name whenever possible. Always use the customer's name when ringing up the sale. Volunteer your opinion. You're the expert and if you've established a rapport with the customer your opinion will be appreciated and respected. Walking from behind the counter to hand the customer their bag is classier than reaching across and handing it to them or even worse, leaving the bag on the counter for them to pick up. XXX talk has no place anywhere in the store. Your passion for a product often determines whether a customer will buy it or not. Zappy salespeople will sell more than quiet low-key salespeople.

Managing A-Z

Here is the A - Z on how to be a better manager or owner: Attention to the customer is more important than anything. Period. Be on the floor during peak hours. Check your ego at the door. Delegate operational areas so you can spend more time leading your team. Energy and passion are your most effective tools. Focus your team on achieving daily goals and the month will take care of itself. Go first when you introduce something new in the store. People learn from watching you. Humor is a great way to manage your team - as long as it's in good taste. Remember, what's funny to you may not be funny to someone else on your team Interview potential employees as if your future depends on it. Most of the time it does. Just because you think something doesn't mean you should say it. Think before talking. Knowledgeable employees are vital to a store's success. Your role is to provide knowledge in an easy to learn, easy to apply method. Lead by example with every customer encounter. Meeting one-on-one with each staff member every month keeps communication open and positive. Never put off a difficult conversation with an employee unless the time truly isn't right. Waiting rarely makes it easier or better. Optimism is a must for a team to achieve their goals. Practice makes perfect. Roleplay with at least one employee every day. Remember, go first. Question your staff on regularly about how you and the store can improve. Be open to their suggestions. Respect people's privacy. As a manager or owner it's inappropriate to share knowledge about one employee with another unless there's a real need to know. Stress out at work and your team stresses with you. Remain upbeat and positive and your team remains upbeat and positive. Time is one of the most valuable assets you have in a day. Spend it wisely. Use each staff member's strength to help others on the team to grow. Values and integrity determine what kind of leader you really are. "We" should be used more than "I" or "you" every day. XXX words should never be used at the store. Your development is as important as your staff's development. You can't give away what you don't have. Zap negativity before it spreads. Resolve issues or conflicts before they undermine the rest of the team and, eventually, the customer.

Batter Up Retailers

Happy Opening Week! Yes, it's the start of the 2007 baseball season. In our house it's practically a religious holiday. So as a salute to baseball and retail, consider these four attributes winning baseball teams and winning retail store teams share. 1. The key to winning is consistently executing the fundamentals. Whether it's major league baseball or Little League, teams win because they pay attention to the fundamentals of the game every single day. Teams that get sloppy lose. The same is in true retail. Although many retailers are always looking for some magic "instant success" formula, winning retailers know that they win and lose by the fundamentals. That means welcoming the customer, keeping glass free of fingerprints, keeping the store well stocked - all those little details that add up to a big picture. Retail teams that get sloppy lose, too. 2. The more you win the more fans you have and the more loyal they are. The best part of opening day is that all fans feel good about their team. Almost every team sells out opening day. But as the season goes on some teams will begin to fall behind and some fans will begin to lose interest. Winning teams will continue strong and may actually grow their fan base. The same thing happens in retail but in reverse. Winning retailers try to make a fan out of each customer and when they do, not only are those fans more loyal but they also help create other fans. The more fans they create, the more retailers win. 3. Winning managers in both baseball and retail know how to use the strengths of each person on the team. For a baseball team to win, each individual must be able to not only understand and execute his specialty but be able to contribute in practically all areas. Consider non-pitchers. Each position player brings unique skills and abilities to the team. One player's specialty might be to get on base while another's is to get the first guy home. And unless they're a designated hitter in the American League, they can't be defensive liabilities. A player who is used because of his fielding abilities can't be such a poor hitter that it hurts the team. It takes a well-rounded team to win in retail, too. You want people who have great visual skills or are awesome at inventory management - but they still have to be pretty good with customers. You want people who excel at selling - but you don't want them to be a liability in other areas. 4. Practice leads to winning. Whenever I'm training store managers I always emphasize how important it is to practice sales and engagement skills with the staff. Baseball players don't just show up on Opening Day and start playing. They have over a month of spring training. On game day they don't just get in to their uniforms and start playing. They take batting practice and work on their defensive skills. They practice to win. Wining retailers do the same thing. They don't just throw new employees on the floor without the right coaching and practice but provide them with their own "spring training." Winning retailers are always practicing customer and engagement skills. They'll take a few minutes of down time to roleplay. When a new product comes in they use it as an opportunity to practice selling skills. Managers don't waste weekly or monthly store meetings droning on but use that time for skills practice. Practice leads to winning. So let me ask you this coach, do you have a winning team? Play ball!

Say It Better - Say It Different

Last week I shared with you fifteen sentences retailers should not use if they want to better differentiate their store as well as improve the customer experience. These sentences have generated more comments than any Weekly Retail Experience in the last six months. While most people agree that those sentences should be avoided, the number one question was what to replace them with. So without further ado, here are fifteen sentences you DO want to say to customers: 1. "How may I help you?" isn't in and of itself a bad question but it is way overused. It's said most often in these three contexts: a) When a customers first walks in the store. Replace it with "welcome" and some engaging conversation about weather, asking if it is the customer's first visit to the store, etc. They key is to build a rapport with your customer. The fastest way to kill that is to ask the customer why they're in the store. Obviously if the customer wants to quickly tell you why he's there that's fine but we shouldn't bring it up too early in the rapport- building process. b) A customer approaches you at the counter or walks in clearly looking for some help. Greet the customer with a smile, a "hello" or "welcome," and then "How may we assist you?" It's not too far from "How may I help you?" but it is different and that's the key! c) While answering the phone. Tired! Skip it altogether and try something like this: "Thank you for calling Dynamic Experiences Group. This is Doug." 2. Don't: "Feel free to look around." DO: Try something like, "It's nice to have you here. We just got some wonderful new xxxx in that you may want to see." Be specific about what you'd like the person to see. 3. Don't: "Let me know if you have any questions." DO: "I'll be happy to assist you at any time." 4. "Let me know if you need any help." See #3. 5. Don't: "We're out of stock but you can call us after our truck comes in." DO: "We're currently sold out but we'll be happy to call you when it comes in. May I get your name and number please?" 6. Don't: "I don't know when [insert another employee's name] is going to be in." DO: Tell the person when that employee will be in and ask, "May I have him/her call you?" 7. Don't: "I wouldn't know." DO: "I can't answer that but I will find someone who can." 8. Don't: "I can't do that." DO: "Here's what I can do." 9. Don't: "Hold on please." DO: "May I put you on hold for about thirty seconds?" 10. Don't: "Anything else?" or "Will that be it?" DO: "I have a xxxx that will be perfect to with the xxxx" or "Did you see xxxx?" 11. Don't: "No problem." DO: Either "You're welcome" or "My pleasure." 12. Don't: "Uh-uh." or "Yeah." DO: "Yes." 13. Don't :"What's up?" DO: Either "Welcome" or "Hello". 14. Don't: "How's it going, guys?" DO: Once again, you can't go wrong with "Welcome" or "Hello". 15. And as a reminder any personal conversation between employees has a negative impact on the customer experience and kills more sales than we know. Remember, the difference between a good experience and a GREAT experience is you and your staff.

Say What?

One of the most important lessons I learned at Bose is "To be better you must be different." Differentiation is a vital element of success in today's retail world of commoditized products, look-a-like malls, and same-old-same-old customer service. Differentiation is important in your merchandising, in your product offerings, in your marketing materials, and most important, in how the staff engages your customer. To differentiate your approach, take a look at these fifteen sentences your retail employees should avoid saying to their customers:

1. "How may I help you?" - It's old, tired, and way overused. If you visit ten stores on a shopping trip you're bound to hear it at least five times, which also means you were probably ignored three or four times. Kill it.

2. "Feel free to look around." - Also old, tired, and way overused. It's like you're giving me permission to look around in your store.

3. "Let me know if you have any questions." - Okay, maybe not as tired as the first two but definitely overused. If you use this one, think about changing it to "I'll be happy to assist you at any time."

4. "Let me know if you need any help." - See #3.

5. "We're out of stock but you can call us after our truck comes in." - This virtually invites the customer to shop your competition because you clearly don't care if that person makes a purchase from you or not. Always offer to call the customer.

6. "I don't know when [insert another employee's name] is going to be in." - Either check the schedule or offer to take the customer's name and phone number.

7. "I wouldn't know." - This is only acceptable if it is followed by, "But I'll find out."

8. "I can't do that." - Hopefully we say "yes" more often than "no," but sometimes we do have to tell a customer we're unable to fulfill a request. Instead of saying "I can't" it will sound a little better if you say "I'm unable to."

9. "Hold on please." - If you need to put a customer on hold, ask if it's okay and estimate how long she can expect to wait. "May I put you on hold for about thirty seconds while I find the answer?" Someone once asked me what happens if the customer says no. While I've never heard of that happening, I guess I wouldn't tell the customer I'm putting them on hold but that I'm putting the phone down. As a side note, if you're busy or whatever you're going to do will take longer than a minute or two, consider calling the customer back. Time passes slowly when you're on hold.

10. "Anything else?" or "Will that be it?" - Usually these are feeble attempt to add-on to a sale. The customer almost always replies "no" to the first or "yes" to the second. To enhance a customer's purchase the employee should either suggest a product or at least not ask a close-ended question.

11. "No problem." - Ahhhhhh! No problem is not a proper substitute for, "You're welcome." If you listen for it today I will guarantee you hear it at least once, quite possibly coming from your own mouth.

12. "Uh-uh." or "Yea." - These are not a proper substitute for "yes."

13. "What's up?" - At the very least this shouldn't be said by or to anyone over the age of 30.

14. "How's it going, guys?" - "Guys" could be the most misused word in society today. I do understand that it has become an informal term for people but my personal opinion is it if it is used with families or women over the age of 30 that it shows a lack of respect. (Disclaimer: I've arbitrarily picked 30 as a cut off point. I think it is something that you should determine according to your customer base, market segment, community, etc.)

15. Any personal conversation between employees. It has a negative impact on the customer experience and kills more sales than most retail employees know.