People Support: Top 5 Reasons to Hire 3rd Party Retail Employees

All of us in the retail world have struggled with it at one time or another; the decision to outsource people support is debated heavily in the retail industry, and many retailers have asked us why they should even bother…so, why should you even bother? Is hiring 3^rd party retail employees worth it?

As an answer, here are our top five reasons to hire 3^rd party retail employees. Consider each one, and we are confident that the answer will be pretty clear.

-          Time.

o   In house: When you add up all of the time spent placing an ad, interviewing, then training new employees, these hours can really start to climb. And it isn’t just that employee’s time (which of course you have to pay for), it is HR time as well.

o   Outsourced: You can pretty much turn back the clock when you outsource - as employees are already vetted and trained when they show up for work.

-          Resources.

o   In house: This is along the same lines as time, especially when you consider your employees a valuable resource. Any of the materials needed, including training resources and uniforms, require reusing (or repurposing or repurchasing) with every new hire.

o   Outsourced: These resources are significantly minimized when the employee is brought in by a third party.

-          Cost.

o   In house: The above time and resources cost money. After all, you can’t train an employee for free.

o   Outsourced: Again, costs are significantly reduced when everything is already done.

-          Service.

o   In house: When you hire a new employee, even if the interview is a smashing success, you can never truly gauge an individual’s commitment to service until they are on the store floor and interacting with customers. If it isn’t on par with your expectations, this may require additional training, or in a worst-case scenario, firing and hiring once again.

o   Outsourced: When the third party can guarantee high levels of service, you don’t have to worry. With trained, experienced employees, you don’t have to worry about customers being dissatisfied or dealing with an under-performing new hire.

-          Stress.

o   In house: With hiring, stress is almost always a factor. This is doubled when you consider having to let someone go with restructuring changes or if hiring on a seasonal basis.

o   Outsourced: Temporary employees from a third party do not incur this stress - the hiring and letting go is already handled by someone else!

When you are considering outsourcing your people support, whether for seasonal needs or short term solutions for rightsizing, these reasons to hire 3^rd party retail employees might just help you decide.

Storesupport has the people support that saves you time, money and resources, and can give you peace of mind. Call us today at 1-877-421-5081.

Challenges Facing the Retail Industry

The consumer packaged goods industry is an ever-moving, ever-changing mechanism. Adaptation is key, and with technological developments and rising consumer demands, it can be hard to keep up.

That being said, these changes are not the only challenges facing the retail industry in 2015. Here is a list of some of the others. And of course we are not just going to give you the issues - we also have a few solutions to help make these a little less difficult to face.

Problem: Employee turnover. This is a problem every retailer faces - it is a major problem in the retail industry - and often there is little that can be done to stop it. When an employee enters, then leaves your company, this can create problems for your human resource department, and means a loss of time and resources spent continually hiring and training new employees.

Solution: 3^rd party people support. A company that can provide short notice employees with training and experience can help you mitigate those costs and ensure excellent service and assistance.

Problem: Auditing. For brands located at retail, keeping on top of what is going on on the store floor can be challenging. This is why auditing is another challenge that faces the retail industry on a regular basis.

Solution: You can’t be everywhere at once, but a merchandising company that offers this service can. Not only will this provide you with up-to-date data about competitors’ price points, you can also ensure that customer satisfaction is high - and if not, amendments can be made to improve the situation.

Problem: Allery alert/product recalls. Improper labelling, errors with packaging, issues with ingredients; these are all accompanied by costs for remedy and time and resources spent. They can also mean time with empty space on the shelf, which is never a good thing in retail.

Solution: Emergency response services for retail. When you are made aware of a product recall, whatever the reason, manage the outcome to ensure a positive result. If possible, consider bringing in a team to fix the problem on the spot, rather than worrying about shipping product back to the warehouse. This saves money and time and also keeps the empty space to a minimum.

When issues arise, don’t stress. Let Storesupport Canada help you overcome these challenges facing the retail industry. We have the knowledge and experience to help you save money an increase efficiency. Call us today at 1-877-421-5081.

Retail Downsizing and Upsizing: Target Not the Only Store Making Changes in Canada

Earlier this year we spoke at length about Target Canada’s choice to pull the plug on its Canadian operations, and the many impacts this had for the brand. But Target isn’t the only company to be making changes within their organizational structure - a whole host of parent companies have made the decision to downsize in recent months. 

At the beginning of the year, several companies, including Sears, Mexx Canada, and Sony, announced plans to downsize. The latest in the long line of companies include the parent company for retailers Ricki’s, Bootlegger and Cleo. Back in March, Canadian Business had this to say: Ontario-based Comark Inc, “The company behind Ricki’s, Bootlegger and Cleo plans to close stores and cut jobs as part of a restructuring after obtaining court protection from creditors.”

You can check out the full article about this downsizing move here: 

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/business-news/rickis-bootlegger-cleo-fashion-stores-downsizing-under-court-protection/.

Does that mean the trend is just about downsizing? No. While some stores are making moves to decrease their footprint, others are increasing their square footage to meet rising demands. This includes those stores, such as Amazon, that are making the move to physical locations, having previously only sold online.

When it comes to rightsizing - whether you are downsizing or upsizing - there are few to things to keep in mind to mitigate any unforeseen consequences.  The right people support, a strategy for in-store set-up and planogram compliance can all make a big difference with regard to customer satisfaction and therefore brand loyalty and brand perspective.

Downsizing? Upsizing? When it comes to rightsizing, Storesupport can help. We can offer the tools that give you the ability to properly manage the process. Call us today at 1-877-421-5081.

Retailers Get Ready: The Business of Back to School Shopping

The sun is high in the sky and the weather is warm. The beaches are filled with people trying to get in as much fun in the sun as possible. With school just finishing, most are not even thinking about heading back to school. If, however, you’re a retailer in the back to school business, it is likely at the forefront of your mind. Retailers and manufacturers get ready - it is time for some tips to help you get ready for the back to school shopping blitz.

Something to keep in mind if you tend to procrastinate: Last year, the National Retail Federation predicted back to school shopping for the typical family with kids attending kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, or high school will spend $669.28 this year, up 5% from last year. Total back to school spending is estimated to hit $26.5 billion - now that is big business.

Whether you are ready or not, the back to school shopping season is right around the corner. Be ready.

Our first tip? Start now - not next week, definitely not next month, now. Give yourself plenty of time to get your strategy in place. Waiting until the last minute can mean added stress and lost profits.

Tip #2: Don’t just target parents. Some retailers assume that because parents are the ones shelling out the big bucks, they are the ones to target - and that is true - but they are not the only ones. Cater to the kids too - after all, they are the ones likely adding to the cart or asking for certain items over others.

Tip #3: Post-secondary kids and their parents spend even more - so make sure to highlight and focus on those items that are likely to fill lecture halls and dorm rooms.

Tip #4: Make sure you are ready for the rush. Early birds may not cause too much hustle and bustle, but the last few weekends before school starts can often mean long line ups and messy shelves. Make sure to get a plan in place to ensure coverage is not lacking. A company that offers trained people support is a great way to go as an alternative to hiring short-term seasonal employees.

Tip #5: CPG retailers - think about implementing an experiential merchandising campaign to engage customers and combine common products. This is great when you target the entire range of customers - appealing to parents’ concerns about healthy eating and school food guidelines but also kids’ desire for fun.

Tip #6:  Manufacturers - due to the high volume traffic in store, be proactive and ensure you have merchandisers ready and available to stock shelves for you during these busy times.  If your product is very specific to back to school, don’t get caught with a huge return at the end of the season because the product didn’t get out of the backroom your credit will cost you more than the sales you can gain.

When it comes to back to school shopping, being ready is a sure-fire way to help boost your brand image and bottom line. And Storesupport can help - we have years of experience helping retailers get ready for back to school. Call us today at 1-877-421-5081.