Teach employees to think like the owner
The new year is a time for store operations operators to review the past 12 months and determine where a retailer can and should go next.
Shep Hyken offered retail professionals a few suggestions to focus on this year in a recent article for the website Business2Community. His topic of choice: customer service. No matter the company, its finances or products, it should always be striving to be No. 1 – and customers are the road to the top.
Customer service begins with a retailer's employees. No matter the position or department a worker belongs to, they should treat the business as if it bore their name. This level of dedication will shine through in every task and interaction with customers.
"You may not be the owner, but you should care like you're the owner," Hyken explains. "Not all owners or executives make great leaders, but the ones that are should be emulated. Watch how they take pride in how they deal with customers and employees. Then copy them. Act and care like you are the owner."
