Nowadays, it is increasingly common for retailers to seek external consulting services to develop improvement plans for our stores that can cover virtually all departments, optimizing sales, purchasing, logistics, services, and overall profitability.
The main goal is to increase sales by generating more customer traffic to stores and attracting them to the products we sell.
If we focus on improving the operations of each of our stores, we delve into the details of each location.
AREAS OF ANALYSIS for stores
External consulting will work to analyze and enhance promotions, sales operations, each team of associates, supervisors and managers, store marketing, as well as the design and layout of the sales floor.
Historically, the hiring of these services has always been done before opening a business or a new supermarket chain. It is key to have an external and neutral view of the situation of our stores periodically, which obviously represents an additional expense.
However, the short- and long-term benefits should justify this expense. Implementing new, more profitable, and productive ways of operating in our supermarkets can make the difference between success and failure.
BENEFITS OF CONSULTING
Consulting will identify hundreds of improvement opportunities in each of the departments that are audited.
Moreover, consulting in our supermarkets can also assist with the geographic location of future openings, as well as product placement within the store.
A consultant or team of experienced and quality retail professionals must know exactly how, where, and when to place products, and consumer behaviors that are often not included in standard practices.
For example, supermarkets often find it better to place milk in the back corners of stores, knowing that it is a product almost everyone needs. This ensures that customers pass by other merchandise or products and may eventually buy them as well.
EXPERIENCE IS CRUCIAL
Similarly, a supermarket consultant can help with staff productivity issues, understanding how and when peak hours occur, and communicating this information to the staff.
They also understand the skills needed to succeed within sales teams, especially since the skills required for the Cosmetics Department can be completely different from those needed for the Meat Department or Fresh Produce.
When hiring a consultant for our supermarkets, it is important to consider:
The existence of a degree may or may not be important, but the consultant must have a wealth of knowledge and quantifiable results in various supermarket chains similar to ours to support their desire to work in our stores.
The consulting team must also be capable of advising, designing strategies, analyzing, and presenting a genuine general diagnosis of the chain on how to manage and improve the operational process in any department.
Above all, the consultant must understand the challenges of managing our supermarkets and how external help will significantly improve all levels of our business in the medium term.