In-Store Merchandising Execution Often Suffers Because of Overloaded Managers
It’s no surprise that retail store managers are spending too much in the office performing administrative tasks and not enough on the floor managing the sales floor. This is usually one of the reasons for poorly executed strategy and below average sales performance in the store. Any successful retailer can tell you that sales are what drive profits and that is the store manager’s most important job – drive sales.
Speak Magazine recently published report that illustrates the distractions a store manger faces. The survey of more than 100 store managers found that
- 31% spend 10-20 hours or more per week answering e-mail and voice mail
- 26% spend 10-20
hours or more per
week reading content
on the intranet
or Internet
- 30% spend five hours or more per week reading reports and analyzing data
- 49% spend nine hours or less per week helping customers
The most disturbing statistic of all is the last one because it cuts at the heart of driving sales. The article also says that the corporate office is asking store managers to do more with less.
- 67% said the amount of store workload has increased over the last year
- 80% said the number of markdowns and promotions has increased in the past year
- 44% said their labor budget has decreased
The pressure on store managers continues to grow while retail sales are influenced by a slow economy. Promotions and discounts are essential to keep customers walking in the door and getting them to buy. The article reinforces the fact that the merchandising service gap exists and is widening. There is great pressure on sales building initiatives are on the rise while budgets to accomplish them are falling. Add the fact that store managers don’t have adequate time to deal with the sales issues and a store has a real problem.
Luckily, manufacturers and retailers have access to merchandising service companies like DisplayMax. There are many times when a third-party solution to in-store execution makes even more sense. From the data in this article, it looks like we are in one of those times. We have the ability to mobilize a highly trained and experienced team merchandisers and installers without adding fixed costs and overhead that can erode hard earned profits.
Choose DisplayMax Merchandising Services to be your partner in execution and find out how we can make a difference to your bottom line. Call us today at 810-494-0400
Download Your Merchandising Execution Guide
To help you implement your future merchandising projects, download a copy of our free execution guide – The 5 Critical Execution Factors For Your Next Retail Merchandising Project.
Inside this useful digital document you will find critical tools you need to help a merchandising services company like DisplayMax to execute your program to your high standards.
