There are dozens of things you do well each day that are so automatic to you as a retailer, you don’t even think about them. But capturing the difference between doing them well and doing them poorly is a key to creating a business that can thrive even under adversity. [level-members]
Some of these things, like sizing up whether to give space to a client walking in the door or to engage with them immediately can be hard to understand yourself, much less put into words for a staff member or employee guide is worth thinking about. So are the things that are much easier to put down on paper. Do you scan the ceiling for blown light bulbs when you open the shop each morning? You should, and you should encourage any employee to do the same when he or she opens up.
In fact, just the process of thinking through what you do automatically in order to put it down on paper can give you fresh eyes for spotting things you might not otherwise notice. (Like when your front door goes from shabby chic to just plain shabby and in need of a new coat of paint.)
And of course, if staff is part of the picture, having guidelines makes it easier for the staff to know your expectations and to meet – or exceed – them. That’s what good customer service is made of.
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