Welcome to Insights, The Retail Solution Blog.
Insights provides us with a forum to comment on new developments we feel are important in the rapidly changing world of retail business, both within Australia and abroad. We won’t confine ourselves just to clinical issues. Social, political & economic topics are having an increasing influence on the way Australian retail business is evolving and we’ll cover these here too. We hope you find our Insights to be informative and educational.
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7 Key Traits of Super Successful Store Managers
Creating outstanding store managers is crucial for the success of any retail business. From my 25+ years of experience running over a thousand coaching courses, I’ve found that the performance of a store hinges on its manager. They are the face of the business and drive team...
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Strategies for Creating a Great Workplace
Culture is often discussed but can mean different things to different people. Regardless, a business with the right culture grows and attracts better people who stay longer. Conversely, poor culture leads to high staff turnover, especially among top performers, causing the business to struggle. A strong company...
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The Blind Spot Opportunities for Managers
Recent research from Gallup revealed a staggering cost associated with poor management and lost productivity due to disengaged or actively disengaged employees, amounting to $8.8 trillion globally, or 9% of the world’s GDP. This colossal figure underscores the urgent need for leaders to address these issues. One...
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Why Investing In Customer Service Excellence Is The Key To Outperforming The Competition
Maintaining a great customer service culture is certainly challenging, as it requires hiring the right people, great induction training and ongoing follow up on a regular basis. These challenges often mean many businesses just settle for mediocrity. A robust service culture also requires a continuous commitment to...
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Here’s how To Elevate Your Store Team’s Performance
Every retailer strives for an exceptional in-store experience that captivates customers, drives sales, and fosters loyalty. While investments in innovative store layouts are prevalent, from my experience the true measure of success lies in the performance of the store team. The store may look great but...
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4 Key Traits For Unlocking Leadership Excellence
In today’s demanding business environment, effective leadership is essential for success, particularly in the challenging retail sector. A recent Harvard Business Review (HBR) article outlined four pivotal behaviours that distinguish successful leaders, offering valuable insights for self-reflection. 1) Decisive leadership stands out not for infallible decision-making, but...
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The Key To Success Is In Being Coachable
To experience significant improvement, we all must embrace being coachable. Michael Jordan, widely regarded as one of basketball’s greatest players, attributed much of his success to being receptive to coaching. He famously remarked, “My best skill was that I was coachable, I was a sponge and aggressive...
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Why Trust is Critical For Business Success
Every business wants their employees to be more productive, more motivated and have their best employees stay in the business longer. Unfortunately, most businesses struggle to achieve this. I have commented a number of times on the low employee engagement scores here in Australia and recent research...
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The Two Questions You Must Ask Before You Interview
Recruitment is a critical process that determines the success and efficiency of a team. Hiring the right candidate not only enhances customer service but also reduces stress and fosters a positive work environment. However, many managers struggle with recruitment due to time constraints and lack of any...
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The Crucial Role of Authentic Leadership in Customer Experience
In today’s ever-evolving retail landscape, technological advancements continually reshape the way customers engage with businesses, particularly in traditional brick-and-mortar settings. Significant investments are made to enhance store aesthetics, aiming to captivate customers from the moment they step inside. While creating immersive experiences is undoubtedly beneficial for customers,...
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Overcoming The Challenges of Feedback to Dramatically Enhance Performance
Navigating the intricacies of providing feedback remains a significant challenge for many store managers. At The Retail Solution, we specialise in training feedback techniques that 99% of team members are receptive to, leading to tangible improvements in performance. In our experience, understanding why feedback poses such difficulty...
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Boost Staff Retention and Performance With These Simple Strategies
We all know how hard it is to recruit and retain great team members. So, when you have a great team, it’s critical to focus on strategies to improve engagement. A US software company, Highground backed this up with their research and found that highly engaged employees...
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How Feedback Fosters a Culture of Continual Improvement
There is a great saying that goes, “feedback is the breakfast of champions,” yet many team members shy away from partaking in this essential meal out of fear of receiving negative critique on their performance. This aversion isn’t exclusive to individuals; many leaders also avoid feedback delivery,...
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The Power of Getting The Basics Right in Retail
It’s intriguing how retailers often seek to dazzle customers with the next big thing while struggling to nail the fundamentals. These basics encompass several crucial elements: Firstly, prompt acknowledgment of customers is vital. It’s a delicate balance; too quick can seem desperate, while too long feels neglectful....
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