Demands on Store Managers

Retailing has always been one of Britain’s passions, we have been described as an island of shop keepers and let’s face it we all love a little retail therapy to pick up our moods on the many cold and wet days through out the year.

However with consumer confidence low and heavy public sector cuts pending the challenge of prising that hard earned pound out of shoppers grasps has never been greater. This has meant that Store Management once seen as a talent amongst the British public now more than ever before Store Managers have demands placed on them that can test even the most experienced shop keeper amongst us.  Managers have always had to be masters of multi tasking, time management, prioritising and people motivators however the emphasis is greater than ever.

As trading conditions tighten on High Streets across the UK demands being placed on Store Managers have increased, not only do they have to be commercially sharper but also have to cover daily operational tasks with a much leaner wage budget. The operational tasks and performance levels that Store Managers have strived to achieve over the decades remain the same however now have to be achieved using in some cases less than 50% of previous resource.

This has resulted in Store Managers having to prioritise work loads, work on the efficiency of their teams by providing the right tools and training and also motivate individuals to get the best out of them. It is vitally important that recruiting managers select the right people to work and represent their brands. Once the recruitment process is complete the task of making sure that training on all areas and departments of their store is provided which is vital in order to provide flexibility within the business and cover challenges such as absence.

Consumers are becoming more and more demanding and their expectations have never been higher. The customer experience from the moment they step into stores has to be exceptional; from the service they receive, to the availability of stock to the visual impact which changes the “want to spend” to “a need to spend”.  

All these aspects have always been key within retailing but in an increasingly competitive environment the importance to get things right is critical and to do this with reduced resource makes the role of Store Manager more demanding than ever. The result will certainly produce a new generation of super managers that will hold the key to the future of our high streets.