The retail business sector can be said to be the number one employer. This is the sector that holds inventories. This is the sector of busy nights and weekends. Customers should be severed according to their needs.
Retail employs over 19 million people in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Common front-line retail jobs include cashier, customer service representative, store-level manager, retail salesperson and stock clerk. Generally, the purpose of retail is to hold product inventory for customers, sell it and provide various types of customer service. Specific things you should know about retail vary by industry, but some common and notable ones do exist.
Basic Work Environment
Nights and weekends are busy times for most retailers so don’t get caught off guard when you are scheduled for these shifts. If you had only listed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as availability on your application, you probably wouldn’t have been hired. Some retailers have very fast-paced environments with lots of customer traffic, while others are much slower with staggered customers. Before working in retail, figure out which you prefer so that you aren’t stressed out by too many people or aren’t bored when things are slow.
Customer Service
Retailers and employees have different definitions or perceptions of good customer service. Carrying a friendly attitude, smiling and helping customers in whatever ways possible are good general starters in customer service. Good customer service means that you take a customer to a product that he asks about rather than pointing him in the general direction. Customers also don’t want to hear how bad your day was or that you are anxious to leave work. This doesn’t project a positive image for you or your store
Sourced from: http://work.chron.com/things-employee-retail-7474.html
What we see about retail business might only be on the surface. There are many things we do not know. People have very wrong ideas when it comes to retail business. So the truth better be told.
1. You will be solicited for donations before you make your first sale.
2. People in your town will assume you are rich because you have your own business.
3.Some days you will donate more to charities in your community than you will sell that day.
4. As soon as you figure out what your customer wants, they will want something totally different.
5. Every lunch will be eaten standing up, and only one bite of a hot meal will ever be eaten hot.
Sourced from: https://www.retaildoc.com/blog/41-things-no-one-told-you-about-starting-a-retail-business
Is there a future for retail business? The answer is yes. If only retailers embrace technology. They should also understand that customers are changing their shopping trends faster than ever before.
What is the future of retail
Changing and Changing Fast
Today’s retail landscape is defined by disruption. Hamilton pointedly described how technology is empowering shoppers at an unprecedented pace. “They have a much deeper understanding of the ramifications of their purchase… and they demand faster, better and more accurate information about the products they buy and its community and environmental impact.” Traditional retail models are also challenged by the growth of non-linear paths to purchase “that can involve social media, store visits and online purchase, sometimes all at once,” she added. Hamilton said that although these changes may appear to be “redefining everything we do” in retail, this landscape is in many ways not new to Coca-Cola. “Dating back 129 years, we’ve always embraced the challenge of remaining relevant to each new generation.”
Understanding the ‘Past is Present’
It’s important to recognize the “past is already present” in the world of retail. Because consumers’ shopping habits are changing so quickly, all companies – including Coca-Cola – must have a relentless focus on building their capabilities and portfolio for tomorrow, not today. Retailers must use data and research to “deeply understand” their customers and consumers in order to “go where they are going, sometimes before they get there,” she said. Companies like Coca-Cola will be successful by constantly evaluating and refining their business models so our system can adapt as quickly as our customers and consumers need us to.
Sourced from: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/5-things-you-should-know-about-the-future-of-retail
