We have been preparing for one of retail’s most important months for some time. With the Sale comes the prospect of increased revenue and high footfall. However, this brings with it several challenges, so it was important that my team and I put some key initiatives in place to maintain the best customer service.
The markdown sheet from head office meant we could organise how we would run the Sale and prepare the shopfloor and stock room. Our stock room is a good size, which really helps when you’re organising stock. We’ve merchandised the Sale items in colour groups to make it easy for customers to find items.
At this time of year, staff management is crucial. Our window dresser came to the store before Christmas Eve to dress it with lots of bargains for the Sale. She put up our Sale signage and dressed the mannequins, which was a big help, because it enabled me and my team to concentrate on the job at hand. I have such a strong team that knows the collection inside-out, so I allocated staff extra hours, rather than drafting in less experienced staff for busier periods. Staff members were allocated sections, which resulted in an organised working structure.
Finally, in the lead-up, I telephoned our most loyal customers with the start date.
All these factors meant our Sale was extremely successful and an integral part of our first year at Lakeside Shopping Centre.
Sameh Trad, Phase Eight, Lakeside
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