Harry J. Friedman
Articles by Harry J. Friedman
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Is the age of ‘more and faster’ replacing ‘the customer is king’?
Tuesday, September 30, 2014I subscribe to quite a few blogs about retail, and frankly it's interesting to see how many software developers and gadget makers are bidding for the retailer's dollar. This is not merchandising mind you, just things to turn on the customer and bring them into the store, or to be more efficient. Really? Not so sure.
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Proactive management: A formula for success
Wednesday, September 10, 2014In both good times and in bad, there are always companies that are making their goals and many that are even exceeding them. So how is it possible for some companies to prosper while so many others are struggling to keep their doors open?
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Too big to care about customer service
Thursday, August 28, 2014I've been wondering lately how big you actually have to be to stop caring about how you treat your customers. The inspiration for this article came from taking a business trip and finding myself in an airport news/gift store. Zero help. Zero care. Zero everything.
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Store meetings: They’re not just for breakfast anymore
Monday, July 28, 2014Would your store meetings be completely unappealing if it weren't for the donuts? There's no reason to suffer through meetings that adjourn with a collective sigh of relief. Learn to make meetings worthwhile and rewarding for everyone involved — even without donuts.
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Why there’s no such thing as a bad attitude
Thursday, July 17, 2014"He's got a bad attitude." "She's not a team player." Does this sound familiar? It probably does. Every manager has had an employee who just wasn't part of the team. You advise the employee that he/she has a bad attitude or needs to be better at teamwork.
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Are you overlooking what your customers are looking over?
Wednesday, July 02, 2014Most retailers spend a great deal of time making their stores visually appealing. Whether your merchandising style projects an opulent, prestigious image, or a carnival of bargains, you’re no doubt attempting to attract customers.
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Is your store dying a slow death — without you knowing it?
Wednesday, June 18, 2014It always amazes me how many big retailers don't see that they're dying a slow death because of their unwillingness to change the sales culture in their stores. Even if they're lucky enough to have a good merchant at the helm who drives the business, many sales are often lost despite great merchandising because management is still married to the formula that made them successful years ago. Know anyone like that?
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Are you opinionating all over your sales floor?
Wednesday, June 04, 2014When someone asks how your business is doing, you certainly can answer if business is up or down compared to last year. But do you know which salespeople are producing the most business? Which ones are consistently selling more than one item per sale? Which salespeople have the highest average sale? Come on now. No opinionating. Just the facts, ma'am.
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Fantasy weaving: 6 steps to successful retailing
Thursday, May 22, 2014Most people in business have great ideas for improving other people's businesses. I actually get paid to tell people that there are better ways of increasing productivity at their stores than what they're currently doing.
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How to get your staff in the game
Wednesday, May 07, 2014Part of running a business involves utilizing and developing skills to get everyone to play the same game, to work toward the same goals and objectives. But what's the likelihood that all your employees are playing the same game you are?
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How do I compete with the big boys?
Monday, April 28, 2014You know the expression: "If I had a dollar for each time someone ..." Well, here's my version of that daydream. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how to compete with the big boxes, Internet, discounters, etc., I'd be on an island somewhere. Heck, I'd own the island.
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Are you a team player?
Tuesday, April 01, 2014It's a buzzword in corporate America: the exalted team player. We all want them. We ask for them in "help wanted" ads. We describe ourselves as one of them during job interviews. But what exactly is a team player? And is success achieved through teamwork?
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You can’t always duplicate the magic in retail
Monday, March 17, 2014Owners and supervisors can easily get caught up in chasing what was instead of recognizing what is and what can be. The factors that build a company are not necessarily the things that sustain it. Unfortunately, you can't duplicate magic.
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Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission
Tuesday, February 18, 2014If there is an issue of concern that is affecting your store, there is a logical channel to follow in the organization to seek resolution. But if the channel is closed to you, or if upper management is not responding to your requests, what do you do?
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2 ways to find good salespeople
Tuesday, February 04, 2014When you went into business, did you realize that you were also going into the business of hiring? Unfortunately, staff turnover in business, and particularly in retail stores, is a never-ending battle. Regardless of industry or your efforts in keeping turnover to a minimum, many people still regard retail as something to do until something better comes along.
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Employee turnover vs. retention — Which one costs you more?
Friday, January 24, 2014Almost every retail business owner knows employee turnover is a fact of life, as it is in most any kind of business. It's just multiplied by about 10 zillion in retail. The number of employees leaving their jobs may have dropped during the recent recession, but turnover is already starting to increase again as the economy heals. The typical view on employee turnover is that it's costly in terms of the time and money to find and train someone new. Another important consideration that's often overlooked is the cost in terms of customer loyalty.
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Relieving your biggest management headaches
Monday, January 13, 2014As a retail business owner or manager, it often seems that you're so busy trying to put out daily fires that you let certain sales standards slide. It's up to you to decide whether you're willing to accept these behaviors or put an end to the headaches for good.
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Obsessive management disorder
Wednesday, December 11, 2013You are 12 years old, and you are with a group of friends discussing what you all might want to do together on the weekend. You seem to be dominating the conversation with ideas you think will be fun. Ladies and gentlemen, here we have a leader, a manager, a future master of the universe. Management and leadership are compulsions, not a job title.
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Maximizing sales during the Christmas rush
Tuesday, November 26, 2013As exciting as it can be on the sales floor during the Christmas season, the rush inevitably creates havoc for retail stores and makes it difficult for them to maximize potential sales. The number of customers who wander in and out of stores during the chaos without being acknowledged, directed to merchandise or served in any way equals lost sales. When faced with the option of waiting for assistance or going to another store, the majority of customers move on to another store.
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Give your holiday customers the service they deserve
Tuesday, November 12, 2013With the holiday selling season just around the corner, many of you may be waiting with bated breath for the shoppers to start converging upon your stores — and for good reason. Shoppers are in a buying mode during the holidays. Unfortunately, in the hustle and bustle of the season, salespeople sometimes forget or overlook some very basic customer service points — points that can increase sales today and throughout the year.
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Cutting the strings: How to hold your employees accountable
Monday, October 28, 2013Is a good part of your day filled with being pulled in different directions by the demands of your staff and your role as a store owner or manager? Imagine a puppet being pulled by its strings. Now combine that with what happens in your daily life.
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Compliance: Getting your staff to do what you want them to do
Tuesday, October 15, 2013How many hours a week do you spend being your staff's compliance cop? Whether you are responsible for one employee or 100, noncompliance is often a supervisor's biggest nightmare. You wear enough hats as it is. Want to get rid of the cop’s hat?
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5 great interview questions
Wednesday, October 02, 2013There are many people who just know how to interview well. They'll razzle and dazzle you with what seem to be all the right answers. So how do you get past that and find out more about the person behind those baby blue, green or brown eyes? Here are a few great questions you can ask salespeople that do not usually elicit pat answers and will provide you with some great insights on the person behind the applicant.
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Why there’s no such thing as a bad attitude
Wednesday, September 18, 2013“He's got a bad attitude.” “She's not a team player.” “He's not a very pleasant person to work with.” Does this sound familiar? It probably does. Every manager has had an employee who just wasn't part of the team. You advise the employee that they have a bad attitude or need to be better at teamwork.So why doesn’t that kind of advice solve the problem?