If you own a retail store or a chain of stores, competing with other companies can feel overwhelming. However, there are things you can do to increase sales that do not require an enormous amount of change. One of the best things for your company is improving business communication among managers, staff, customers and everyone else.
Poor Communication Consequences
A report created by the Economist Intelligence Unit reveals that poor communication in the workplace is responsible for many problems, such as 44 percent of survey respondents not being able to finish projects. The survey also found that it led to lost sales and not meeting goals. From pointless meetings to low morale, the survey showed that employees suffer when communication is not clear.
When your team does not communicate well, it costs you sales. Customers may leave if their questions are not answered, or they may post negative reviews if their complaints are not handled. When others learn about this, they are less likely to shop at your store.
Improving Communication
Before you can see an improvement in your sales, you have to fix all the communication problems. One way to do this is to invest in retail communication software that also provides task management. By having both things in one place, you will be able to streamline more activities and make it easier for everyone to know what to do.
Retail stores often rely on managers to communicate important information to employees of a lower rank. But what happens if the managers are confused or do not have time to talk? Then, the entire communication system breaks down, and you end up with misunderstandings. Software can eliminate this problem by sending relevant information to all of the people who need to see it.
Another benefit of using software is its ability to work on any device and in the cloud. You may have employees who prefer to use their phones while others like computers. A software program that is versatile is essential. Having a calendar and daily checklists that are virtual also means nothing can ever get misplaced or lost.
Focusing on the Customers
One of the goals of better business communication is to help your customers. If you can keep everyone aware of what is happening, then they are able to spend more time with customers and less time trying to figure out their goals or tasks. You want employees who are trained to help visitors without pressuring them.
An easy way to evaluate if your efforts are working is to put together some customer satisfaction surveys. You can ask them if they feel their questions and complaints are being addressed. You can use the surveys to learn more about their experiences and what still needs to improve in your store.
Focusing on the Employees
Although selling more products is the key to increasing your sales, you will not be able to accomplish it on your own. This is why focusing on the employees is also important. You do not want to ignore them as you pursue customers.
You could send out surveys and ask employees to fill them out, but a more personal approach may work better. Consider having open hours in your office and letting them come in to talk to you. You may learn more about the workforce in general while getting to know individual employees. You have to establish open and honest communication in the entire store for this to be a success. Workers must feel comfortable coming to you without fear of repercussions.
As you complete meetings, you may want to show your appreciation. Consider buying gift cards or other presents to show employees you are paying attention to them. Make sure everyone is aware of this incentive and how to earn it. You may want to give smaller gifts to more people, so no one feels excluded. Another option is to buy a gift that the entire workforce can enjoy and take part in.
When Less is More
When you invest in software or other communication programs, it is easy to go too far and overwhelm users with information. Instead, you want to pay attention to how much you are sharing at once. Keep messages short and to the point instead of sending employees essays. Limit the number of messages, so they do not feel like a flood of emails waits for them every day.
The key to good business communication in a retail store is sharing what is necessary at the right time and nothing beyond this. You have to remember that your employees have lives outside of the store and do not want to be tied to a phone or tablet all the time. Make sure your communication style fits with their expectations and does not create additional problems.
