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Category: Staff Training

Managers in Training

If you could send your manager (or yourself) away for training, what topics would you want him or her to learn?

Some of the topics might include:

  • Hiring
  • Staff Training
  • Time Management
  • Scheduling
  • Advertising & Marketing
  • Website development
  • Sales
  • Buying
  • Inventory Management
  • Bookkeeping
  • Reading Financial Statements
  • Merchandising

What are your top three or four? What would you add to that list?

-Phil

PS I had a request from someone who wanted to apprentice with me which got me thinking… What would I teach? What would they want to learn? Yeah, the second question is the key, isn’t it?

Head Cheerleader

Five shopping days until Christmas. In the home stretch. You’re tired, run down and stressed, just counting the days. Your friends and family are encouraging you to “Hang in there, it’s almost over.”

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you need to do more than just hang in there.

Of the hundreds (thousands) of customers who come through your door this week, many are entering your store for the first time.

Now is the time to WOW them so they become lifelong customers.

So no matter how tired you and your staff are feeling, no matter how many hours you’ve worked, how many sleepless nights you’ve had fretting about the business, you have to find that reserve inside you that makes this week the most special experience your customers have ever had!

And you need to fire up the staff, too. Your new role for the next 5 days is Head Cheerleader. Here are three things you can do to keep your staff going strong until the end.

  • Praise them. Tell them specific things you have seen them do right in the last few days. Share their praise with everyone.
  • Cater lunch. Not just some sandwiches and chips but a real sit-down meal with silverware.
  • Hire a masseuse. Give the staff 20-minute breaks to get table massages.

These next few days are not only critical to your holiday sales, they are critical to your future because you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Get your store ready, get your staff ready and get busy!

You can do it. Rah rah rah, Sis boom bah!! I’m pulling for you!

-Phil

An Excerpt from Hiring and the Potter’s Wheel

Another excerpt from the highly acclaimed book “Hiring and the Potter’s Wheel: Turning Your Staff Into a Work of Art”

Chapter 12: Lessons 4, 5 and 6 Centering, Gentleness & Protection
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.” – Mother Teresa

“So, how did the conference go?” Mary began.

“Quite ordinary, a bunch of theories using fifty cent words, but nothing that hasn’t already been explored or learned,” Dr. Scott explained. “I’d have rather been in your pottery class. How about you? How was class? Having fun? Learn anything new?”

Mary almost didn’t know where to begin. “The pottery is great. I love it. I think I may have found a new hobby. I can’t thank you enough. And as for business, since we last met, I have learned three distinct lessons.” Mary pulled out some notes she had been taking.

“First, before I can start throwing, I mean training, I have to make sure everyone is centered, that they are starting from the same point. Everyone has to be on the same page. That pretty much goes hand in hand with the earlier lesson of getting out the impurities, the air bubbles. I’ve already developed a clear set of guidelines and expectations, and also a list of bad habits to watch for and weed out, if necessary. But no matter what their previous experience, everyone will start from the same point in their training. That way I’ll be sure not leave anything out.

“Second, once the throwing, oops, I mean training, begins, I have to remember to use a gentle hand, lots of positive encouragement. There’s the old saying, ‘you get more flies with honey than with vinegar.’ The same is true in teaching. The more positive gentle words, the more likely the student will listen and learn.

“That was tough for me, I mean in the pottery. I kept pushing too hard and watching my bowl flop over like it was sick. It reminded me of how I feel when someone yells at me or pushes too hard. Patience and gentleness are definitely the keys. I wrote myself a sticky note on top of my computer to remind me to praise everything done right during the training to help encourage that behavior.

“But wait, as I think about it, you were never gentle with me, Dr. Scott. You always pushed me hard. You and your, ‘you can do better,’ mantra,” Mary added with a slight sarcastic twinge.

“But did I ever push you too hard?”

“No, I guess not,” Mary replied wistfully.

“You’re absolutely right on this, Mary,” Dr. Scott continued. “Pushing too hard never works. But you have to find the right pressure to get the most out of your clay, and your trainee. If you don’t push at all, nothing gets formed.

“I think you’re getting it. Now what about that third lesson?”

“Well, last night it dawned on me as I placed my bowl in the rack to safely dry, how often do we put newly trained employees into safe positions? Usually, once training is done we throw them to the wolves, so to speak. But wouldn’t it be better if we put them in a safe environment to try out their new skills? If they were in limited roles or carefully supervised, they could safely practice their skills and grow stronger. We know, no matter how well they train, they are going to make mistakes. But this way they can make mistakes under a watchful eye and learn from those mistakes before the errors become costly. That way they’ll be even better when they finally take on their new roles.”

“Kind of how your clay is growing stronger as it hardens?” Dr. Scott asked.

“Exactly!” Mary exclaimed. “Once the training is complete, I’m going to come up with a safe way for my new sales reps to use their skills. But Peter said something curious just as we left. He mentioned that our bowls, although hard, would be quite fragile once dried. I think I’ve got a little more to learn about this step and the steps following.

Mary looked at her watch, “Well, I’ve got to run. Oh, and I’ve got interviews scheduled all next week. Can we meet the following Tuesday?”

“Sure. You know I don’t like to miss any meals,” Dr. Scott said with a chuckle. “See you then.”

Get a copy of this book for everyone on your Christmas List who hires and trains. There is still time to get your order in before Christmas (and I promise to sign every copy.)

Merry Christmas!
-Phil

Preaching to the Choir

This morning I gave a presentation to my staff that was the same one I’ve given three times in the past week to customers. It was a 30-minute presentation on Smart Toy Shopping.

My staff already knows this information. Some would say I was merely preaching to the choir.

And they would be right!

Sometimes you have to preach to the choir to get them to sing. Sometimes you have to remind your staff about the stuff they already know. Two quick advantages to preaching to the choir.

  1. The choir gets to refocus and get their eyes back on the ball.
  2. The choir feels good about themselves for knowing the answers to the questions you’re about to ask.

Can we agree that both of those outcomes are worthwhile?

Don’t ever discount the notion that you’re only preaching to the choir. Sometimes the choir is the most important group of people who need to get your message. And in retail, they are the ones in direct contact with your congregation.

-Phil

PS If you have a group of toy shoppers in this area, the talk is free, the lessons timeless. (It’s the same presentation my grandfather was doing over 50 years ago.)

PPS If you are a toy store owner and want a copy of the PowerPoint – send me an email at phil@philsforum.com.

Christmas Sales Predictions

It’s time to make your predictions. What do you see in your crystal ball for Christmas sales?

Shopper-Trak is predicting a 2.9% increase.
National Retail Federation says it will go up 2.3%.

But what does that mean?

Not every retailer is going to hit that 2.3 to 2.9% mark. In fact, I predict that very few retailers will be up 2-3%.

Double-Digit Growth
Some retailers are going to have double-digit growth this holiday. Others are going to see double-digit declines. And a whole bunch of retailers are going to be within 1% either way of last year’s sales.

Those numbers NRF and Shopper-Trak are predicting are national totals. They take into account overall population growth, spending habits, surveys of customer moods, etc. – on a national basis!

None of that has any relevance in your local market. Your population might be growing faster than the national average. It might be declining. Your competition might be doing more in your market (or less). You might be doing more (or less) to grow your own business.

The Only Number That Counts
The best thing to do about those numbers is to forget them. Ignore them. Don’t give them the time of day. Focus only on your own number, the growth you want to make happen in your business. Pick a number that works for you. Then set about doing what you have to do to hit that number.

For me, I am predicting 15% growth in November. I have acted accordingly. I have planned my marketing and my inventory to meet this goal. I have indoctrinated my staff that this is what we are going to accomplish. I have trained them, scheduled them, and inspired them to make this happen.

Planning and Action Make it Happen
It isn’t a wish. It is a plan. We looked at what we did last year. We looked at what we are capable of doing historically. We looked at what was realistic based on this year’s trends. We looked at what the market would bear. We chose a goal that we knew we could make. Then we set up actions to put us in the right position to meet this goal.

It doesn’t matter what NRF or Shopper-Trak believes. It only matters what you believe. Do you believe you can reach double-digit growth this holiday? If you believe it, you can achieve it. You only have to act upon those beliefs.

If you’re just sitting back waiting for your 2.3% increase, I promise you, you won’t get it. Be proactive and go get the sales you want for your business.

-Phil

Men and Women Do Shop Differently

He stormed out of the store, mumbling how he would never return. Yeah, it was our store, and I was in the department that made him so angry.

I was talking with the baby department staff about the new items I saw at a recent trade show. At some point he slipped into the department unnoticed. The three of us continued our conversation, pausing briefly to greet the customers we saw, offering assistance as needed.

But we never saw him. And he never came over to talk to us. He just left angry that no one bothered to help him with a question he had. He even made a few comments as he left about how my grandfather would never have treated him that way. Ouch.

Frankly, we never saw him enter the department, otherwise we would have greeted him as we did everyone else. Then again, he never came up to us, even though he came in with a question to be answered. Which is the point I want to make.

Men and women shop differently because they communicate differently.

Speaking Vertical
Men speak vertically. Did what I say make you think higher of me or lower of me? For a man to ask a question is to admit that he doesn’t know, which makes you think lower of him. That’s why we guys don’t want to stop and ask for directions. It is also why he entered our department with a question, saw the three of us conversing, and avoided us hoping that we would see him and engage him separately. That way he would have the upper hand in the conversation and wouldn’t have to engage three of us at once.

Speaking Horizontal
Women, however, speak more horizontally. Did what I say draw me in closer or push me further away? Asking questions just draws a woman into the inner circle and makes her feel like she belongs. She wants to ask for directions as much as a man doesn’t want to ask.

A woman with a question in a retail store will usually ask the first person she sees and keep asking until the question is answered.

Signs Sell
One quick way to remedy the male aversion to asking for help is signage. Put answers to the most frequently asked questions on visible signs where someone might pose those questions. Not only will the men thank you, the introverted women will appreciate those signs, too.

Just watch a man in a store. He walks in, stops, looks around to get his bearings. What is he looking for? Signs to tell him where to go next. He finds his sign, heads off and continues his search. If he doesn’t find what he wants, he looks for another sign. Even when someone asks if he needs help, his gut reaction is to say no. He wants to figure it out before having to admit he doesn’t know.

Paco Underhill, author of the fabulous book Why We Buy has highlighted this behavior from countless hidden camera recordings.

Men and Women Do Shop Differently
When you approach men (and today’s example is a reminder that you have to approach them), they want to speak vertically. Make them feel important and smart and you’ll be able to engage them in a way that gets them the help they need without them feeling bad about it.

Women, on the other hand, just want to be part of the inner circle. Invite them in and you’ll be golden in their eyes.

-Phil

Would You Attend This Workshop?

The Jackson Retail Success Academy is now signing up retailers for our 2011 class that starts in January. This 8-week program has been a huge help for new retailers to get the foundation they need to be successful.

Some have asked if we could run this academy in their community so I put together a 2-Day Workshop format.

Would you sign up for this workshop if it was offered in your town?

Retail Success Academy 2-Day Format

Day 1:
8:00am Meet & Greet – goal setting, expectations
8:30am Understanding Your Brand – definition of branding, character diamond workshop

9:30am (break)

10:00am Character Diamonds Revealed
10:45am Traditional Advertising – Creating an ad budget, How Ads Work, Advertising ROI, Ads with Impact

12:00pm (lunch)

1:00pm Marketing on a Shoestring Budget – Word of Mouth, Social Media, Cause Marketing, Networking, Public Relations

2:30pm (break)

3:00pm Understanding Your Financials – Balance Sheets, Income Statements, Ratios & other important numbers
4:00pm Cash Flow Sheet

5:00pm (break for evening)

6:00pm Dinner/Drinks someplace fun in your town

Day 2:
8:00am Resources Breakfast – meet the local Chamber, DDA, Buy Local groups
8:45am Inventory Management – GMROI, Pricing for Profit, Turn Ratios, Open-to-Buy, Cash Flow

10:45am (break)

11:00am Customer Service – The Basics, The Best Practices, The Wow! Service

12:00pm (lunch)

1:00pm Hiring & Training – Identifying the Perfect Employee, interview questions that work, developing a training program

2:15pm (break)

2:30pm Staff Meetings/Training Sessions – hands-on workshop to learn how to plan and run successful meetings & training sessions
4:15pm Final Q&A
4:45pm Evaluations

5:00pm Go be successful!!

Tell me whether you think it would be worth two days to you to attend a business-altering event like this and how much you would expect to pay. (You’ll be surprised when I reveal what it would actually cost.)

-Phil

PS All those links take you to free eBooks I’ve already written on those topics. The eBooks are extremely helpful but not nearly as much fun and motivating as the live presentation.

Who Wants to Help?

Signs are popping up all over.

Help Wanted

But shouldn’t the sign say “Helpers Wanted”?

When you begin the process of hiring seasonal workers, look for truly helpful people. Look for people with a track record of doing more for others than expected.

You can find these people by asking the following questions…

  • Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond what was expected of you. (helps you see what they consider above and beyond)
  • Give me an example when you made a difference in someone’s life. (shows you how helpful they can be)
  • What is the best customer service you have ever received? What made it so special? (shows you what they think is good customer service)

At the end of the day, a person who isn’t truly helpful is not the kind of help you want to find.

-Phil

Lesson #1 Raw Ingredients – Excerpt from Hiring & The Potter’s Wheel

(Here is another excerpt from the book Hiring and the Potter’s Wheel: Turning Your Staff Into a Work of Art)

Chapter 4 Lesson #1 Raw Ingredients
“The first ingredient in conversation is truth, the next good sense, the third good humor, and the fourth wit.” – William Temple, Sr.

Mary arrived at the deli early and sat at the same table she and Dr. Scott had shared last week. She had worked herself up to really let Dr. Scott have it when he arrived. But as he walked through the door, seeing Mary already seated, Dr. Scott waved in her direction and exclaimed with a broad grin, “Wasn’t that fun? I just love digging my hands through clay. Forget pottery, I could just play in the mud and be happy.”

Dr. Scott’s outburst disarmed Mary, but she gathered herself enough to respond, “Sure it was fun, but I didn’t learn a thing about human resources, and I still don’t have a plan for how I’m going to be successful hiring twenty new people. I think you set me up just to fill up your brother’s class. You owe me for that.”

Dr. Scott could see Mary was upset, but he peered over his glasses and started in, “Mary, you can…”

“Stop, I know what you’re going to say. I can do better,” Mary replied. “Don’t go there right now. I’m not happy about all this. I’ve got this job to do and you’re toying with me.”

“Okay,” he said. “I probably should have warned you about my brother. But he is a great teacher, and I stand behind what I said about this class being the best program on human resources.

“Tell me, Mary, what did you learn last night?”

“I learned about clay. Not people, just clay.”

“But what did you learn about clay?”

“That there are three main types of clay, and you must choose the right raw ingredients to get the right final product, otherwise your pottery will be flawed before you even start.”

A thought hit Mary… the right raw ingredients. It dawned on her. Yes, that’s it! It was there all along. You have to have the right raw ingredients before you even start.

Dr. Scott could see Mary’s face dawning with realization. “Something’s coming to you, isn’t it?” he said with a grin.

“It’s all about the raw ingredients. If I want to find the right twenty people for the job, I have to know what raw ingredients I’ll need. Otherwise, I may pick people without those ingredients and they’ll be flawed at best.”

Dr. Scott smiled with approval. “I always said you were one of the smart ones. You are absolutely right. It’s all about starting with the right materials. You have to identify the right traits your potential applicants should have. So, the next step… how are you going to do that?”

Mary thought for a moment. “I’ll need to make a list of all the traits the perfect person would have for the job.”

“And what else?”

“What else? Isn’t that it?”

“You did say there would be a training program, right?”

“Yes,” she confirmed.

“What will you teach in that program?”

“Oh, I get it. I need a list of traits or skills that will not be taught in the training. Sort of the… uhh… ‘non-teachable’ traits.” Mary thought further. “I know. I’ll make a complete list of traits and break them down into two lists, non-teachable and teachable. Then I’ll know first, what I’m looking for and second, what we’ll be training.

“Dr. Scott, I must apologize. I take back all the mean thoughts I’ve had about you since last night. This is great. I feel so much better about this.”

“One more thing,” Dr. Scott added. “After you make your list of traits, draw up a list of questions for the interview that will help you identify if the applicant has those traits. You have to have some means to truly find out if your applicants have what you want. If you need, you can email your list of traits and questions to me for review. Maybe that will make up for the little deception you feel I played on you,” he added with a slight grin.

Lunch was served and Mary spent her meal making mental notes of how to get her staff to brainstorm a list of teachable and non-teachable traits. Mary was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice that Dr. Scott had already paid the bill and was ready to leave.

“Have fun Wednesday night,” Dr. Scott said as he departed. Do you want to meet again Thursday?”

Mary was so excited about her new discovery she had forgotten about the next pottery class. “Sure, I’d love to meet Thursday. But this time I’m paying.”

“Deal.”

Mary felt like skipping back to her office. The rest of the day she and her staff interviewed the current sales reps trying to identify all of the traits necessary to be successful in that position. By the end of the day Wednesday, they had their list, and Mary had the start of her plan.

Here is what people are saying about the book…

“Phil, Just finished reading your book, and I loved it! Perfect length. Easy to follow. Beautifully written. Seriously, pulling off dialogue like that is incredibly difficult to do, and it deepens one’s understanding and appreciation for the lessons you taught. The topology between hiring and pottery was spot on. I’ve done a poor job of hiring employees in the past, and really wish I had this step-by-step process when I owned my retail business years ago. I especially like the tip about giving new employees a safe place to practice their new skills. How true!” Tom Wanek – Marketing Beyond Advertising

“Just finished your book and loved it. A very easy read with a format that will be helpful to many small business owners as it follows a story line with a company in need of hiring fast and hiring right. You take it one step further though and stress the importance of integrating the new employees correctly. I especially love your tying the job to specifics found in the job description and by interviewing the hiring manager to formulate interview questions as well as your stressing having a set process to follow when hiring since all of us HR types understand the importance of following a consistent process too.” Karla Dobbeck, PHR – President, Human Resource Techniques, Inc.

Get your copy of the book today!

-Phil

Seasonal Hiring

I admire Doug Fleener. I follow his blog. I get his daily email full of great advice for retailers.

Recently he sent an email about hiring seasonal employees. I’ll recap some of his main tips here:

  • Hire a Specialist – someone just to do one task rather than a jack of all trades – much easier to train
  • Hire a Customer – she already knows your business to some degree
  • Don’t Compromise Your Standards – a poor employee does more harm than no employee
  • Recruit Former Employees – some of your good people have moved on, but might have a few hours to give you around the holidays

To that I would add one important point…

Hire Personality, not Experience
Experience does not necessarily mean “good with people”. And experience at a national chain is not the kind of experience you want, anyway. Unless that experience is specifically with your store, experience may be as much a hindrance as a help. You can expend more energy untraining than you do training.

When you hire someone who is truly friendly, caring and helpful, they will learn your way of doing things more quickly. They will treat your customers the right way. They will treat their co-workers better. They will find solutions. In short, even when they don’t know exactly what to do, they will do it in a way that makes the customer happy. An occasional incompetence is a lot easier to swallow when a friendly, engaging person makes a mistake, a lot harder when done by someone with an attitude of indifference.

Everyone wants their seasonal staff to perform at the same level as their full-timers. Your best chance starts with hiring the right personality for the job. Everything else you can teach.

-Phil

For more tips on hiring and training get the book that one MBA and HR professional said,

“It is frankly one of the better business books I have read (and I have read quite a number!)”

Hiring and the Potter’s Wheel: Turning Your Staff Into a Work of Art