Development and implementation of customer service standards. Service standards in retail trade Development of a standard for retail

Course of 6 webinars
to create sales standards for your company
with practical tasks

Will take place
May 16, 23, 30, June 6, 13, 20, 2017
from 10:00 to 12:00 Moscow time

Everyone needs sales. But standards... Why are they?
“Let’s better find normal sales managers, and everything will go as it should!” - Most managers think so.
And I agree with them, I have exactly the same dream. But still... To understand whether sales standards are needed or whether this is just a fashionable, useless feature, let's look at a few facts.

FACT #1.
What the seller knows ≠ What the company knows.

Typically, salespeople know no more than 50% of the information they need to know. Otherwise, how can we explain the fact that often in situations where a manager cannot sell himself, the manager who gets involved easily does it.

In most cases, the manager knows better the company’s product range, its advantages, and the market situation. All this together gives confidence when communicating with a potential customer, is transferred to him (after all, confidence coming from another is always felt during communication) and helps to conclude an agreement. By the way, the same statistics (in fact No. 1) are also obtained by certification (testing) of personnel for knowledge of the assortment, materials, design programs, etc.

FACT #2
What the seller knows ≠ What he considers necessary to tell the buyer.

Very often, especially from long-time sellers, you hear: “Well, why talk about this (for example, what is MDF and why is it better)? Everyone already knows this...” And, as a rule, they tell a maximum of 50% of what is needed.

CONCLUSIONS FROM FACTS 1 AND 2:

1. Buyers receive a maximum of 25% of the information they need to make a purchasing decision.

2. Buyers put off making a decision until they have collected all the information they need (therefore they continue to visit other retail outlets, stores, centers).

3. Buyers may lose interest in purchasing this type of product and switch their attention to alternative ones (this is discussed in more detail in the article “Features of sales in conditions of falling consumer demand”).

FACT #3
The results of an average seller and a star seller differ by 2-5 times.

In any company there are one or two sellers who sell SIGNIFICANTLY MORE than the rest. This can be explained in different ways: by the personal qualities of the seller, by better knowledge, and by greater motivation. Each explanation has its own truth. Such sellers are often set as examples for other employees.

But the situation in the company as a whole does not change - no one (or practically no one) ever reaches the same sales level.
And a dream appears in the manager’s head: “If only I could find a couple or three of them...!” But even a more thorough selection of personnel cannot identify people who could soon sell as well.

All these facts speak about one thing.
There is no system.
A system of working with clients that provides each Client with a sufficient level of information to make a decision.
A knowledge system that is passed on to every salesperson.
A system that makes sales stars.

Now is SYSTEMS time. And it is impossible to do without Standards, as part of systematic work with the buyer.
But there is no time to create them all the time.
Plus a lack of knowledge about what is important to write down, what can be put off until later, how to formalize them into a document and train them to work on them.

Everything will not improve on its own: there are nowhere to find smart sellers, competitors will not loosen their grip, and buyers will not forgive the stupidity of the work.

You need to sit down and start working on your company right now, at least in terms of working with customers.

Let's create Sales Standards, which will be a serious step in building a system for working with customers.

WHAT THIS ONLINE COURSE WILL GIVE YOU

During the course we will examine in great detail the 3 main standards that you must have, and each of you will create your own based on our standards:

1st Standard. Standard for establishing contact with a store visitor

We will prescribe the main speech modules for each type of buyer directly online.

Type No. 1: “Draft Buyer”(running, rather even flying through the outlet."

Type No. 2: “Excursion Buyer”(walks around the exhibition, without stopping anywhere, avoids contact).

Type No. 3: “Contemplative Buyer”(having entered the exhibition, within 3-5 seconds he approaches a specific product, stops and begins to examine it).

Type No. 4: “Buyer-scout / saboteur”(comes in and immediately contacts the seller or comments on what he sees).

For each type of buyer, the most effective ways to establish contact will be offered and, thus, your sellers will be able to involve more visitors in interaction.

We will also create chains of actions that “hypnotize” visitors. No one will leave you anymore!

2nd Standard. Standard for taking Visitor contacts and transferring them to Developments.

We will prescribe the main speech modules directly online, in which situations it is important for us to take the work from the buyer:
1) I'm in a hurry
2) I want to walk around the shopping center
3) I'll call myself
4) I'll think about it
5) Draw a design project

We will also analyze in detail the call algorithms based on the operating time to obtain an agreement on the date and obligations leading to the sale. Namely:
1) Algorithm for calling after 15 minutes (when the buyer went for a walk around the shopping center)
2) Algorithm for calling at the appointed time You will significantly increase the conversion to sales when you teach sellers to take the best practices and lead the Client from there to completing the transaction.

3rd Standard. The standard for ending a conversation and closing a deal. We will outline a “pressuring” conversation with the Client so that he can quickly make a decision to purchase furniture.

We will write the main speech modules directly online, how to close a deal in situations where:
1) The buyer is ready to buy
2) The buyer is not ready to buy
Always try to sell! And we will teach you how to do this effectively in the “here and now” mode!

These are the results you can get from the creation and implementation of Standards

Anastasia Plotnikova, HR Director of the Interior Lavka company, www.inlavka.ru, Moscow, says:

“Interior Lavka is a network of 76 showrooms throughout Russia, which offers its clients furniture and interior items in the Provence style, and is the exclusive distributor of famous French brands Comptoir de Famille, Country Corner, Maryse a Paris. In addition to our own retail, we have an extensive franchise network. Clients of the Interior Shop are people accustomed to good service and high quality. And the company’s concept and its style presuppose a special attitude and atmosphere that we create with our own hands. We thought about how to form, at the technology level, uniform high standards of service to our clients. In this case, newly arriving sales consultants would immediately receive the necessary knowledge and understand our expectations and ideas about how to serve clients. These points were especially important to us, as we strive to build long-term relationships with each client. The difficulty in developing standards was that the company presents two formats on the market: furniture (“Country Corner by Interior Shop”) and accessories + furniture (“Interior Shop”). If furniture is a thoughtful and calculated purchase, then accessories are more emotional, so each format had to have its own, special approach. This is the request we made to the International Furniture Personnel Center. As a result, two standards were developed for the sale of furniture and accessories (for two formats) and a plan for their implementation.

We outlined a number of events: - this included training for sellers, managers, and our franchisees, and “Mystery Shopping” campaigns were held. Subsequently, we rebuilt both the retail outlet management system and training, creating a visual training manual for sales consultants and organizing a certification system. The introduction of customer service standards increased conversion rates in all salons and, as a result, increased revenue.

In addition, the presence of standards has formed a common understanding among the management of our company, representatives of the training center, marketing and retail department specialists of how we want to serve our customers and how this should be done. We managed to adjust the selection process for new employees. Now, during interviews, we first of all pay attention to the candidates’ ability and desire to learn and their willingness to follow company standards.” Says Sergey Valerievich Khegay, General Director of the Mega Art company, company website www.megasmart.kz: in 2013. The results of using your technique were very pleasing. We compared 2013, when we worked without your methodology, and 2014. The average bill in the company increased by 50%. Our average bill in 2013 was 360 thousand tenge per transaction, and now has grown to 540 thousand tenge per transaction. To be honest, I am very pleased with your work and the products you gave us. Because before you I contacted Almaty companies, but they are not specialized specifically for furniture, they are just salesmen. And that sales book that they wrote for us, we paid an inordinate amount of money for it, but we didn’t get any results at all... Well, we took 2-3 points for ourselves and implemented them regarding ethics and trade, and in the rest - nothing. Your book is more detailed; in principle, everything is explained there in an accessible way. And the video material helped us a lot! Because without video material, they tried to hammer into people through a book, read and tell stories - nothing worked... As soon as we started working with your video materials, we managed to reach the employees.”

WHAT ARE SALES STANDARDS?

Sales standards represent the most specific instructions on how to correctly and competently sell to the largest number of visitors to your outlet.

This is a set of ready-made actions and speech modules for each situation with Clients.

This is an algorithm that most likely leads to the desired sales result.
AND This algorithm is different for different product groups.

See the diagram for the sales algorithm for cabinet furniture:

Let me summarize.

WHAT DOES IMPLEMENTATION OF SALES STANDARDS GIVE?

First class service: Standards allow you to create an excellent service, because... sellers begin to serve customers at a high level.

Customer trust: Sales standards help you acquire new customers and improve relationships with existing ones.

Separation from competitors: Standards help you create a sales signature that will help you stand out from your competitors and earn more.

Quick start: Standards are a practical tool for onboarding new employees in a sales department or retail store.

In the online course, we will thoroughly examine how to train sellers to work according to standards. What teaching methods are there, and which of them are the most effective and efficient.

The stage of implementing anything, including the implementation of sales standards, is the key point at which many “stumble” and, as a result, do not achieve their goals.
And you will be able to implement them, knowing the exact technology of implementation.

Result:
1. Ready-made standards taking into account the characteristics of your company and product based on phrase templates and examples of MMKTs
2. Standards implementation plan
3. Training of sellers according to the developed Standards
4. Adjusted system of motivation for sellers, taking into account control points for the implementation of Standards

WHO WILL TEACH THE COURSE

Sergey Alexandrovich Alexandrov

Founder of the International Furniture Personnel Center

Author of four best-selling books for furniture makers:
. “Secrets of sales in the furniture market. 5 steps to build sales in wholesale and retail"
“18 main issues that have worried the furniture business over the past 10 years”
“Preparing on-line sales stars. Just about learning to sell furniture"
“Instructions on how to become a furniture sales ace”

Natalia Valentinovna Vodianova

Business trainer, coach

Work experience in personnel training – more than 10 years, of which 5 years in the furniture industry.

Over the past 5 years, she has worked as a business coach in the federal retail chain of Angstrem Company, training, developing and assessing personnel. My students are PCs, managers, directors both in Russia and neighboring countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Minsk, Ukraine).

Conducted more than 300 trainings and webinars. Trained more than 5,000 personnel.

She won the all-Russian competition for training Sberbank personnel. About 1,000 people were trained in 2.5 months.

HOW TO TAKE PART IN THE COURSE

The course is paid. The cost of participation is affordable even for the smallest furniture company.

Participation options - choose the one that suits you!

Companies that successfully complete the course and complete all practical tasks receive a personalized Certificate from the International Furniture Personnel Center.

JUST LOOK Course only	WORK Course + ready-made standard to choose from (kitchens, cabinets, upholstered furniture)	WORK Course + ready-made standard to choose from (kitchens, cabinets, upholstered furniture) + face-to-face sales training in your company to implement the developed standards)
9,900 rub.	RUB 33,500 19,000 rub.	RUB 103,500 77,000 rub.
	Benefit 14,500 rub.	Benefit 27,500 rub.
No homework checking Answers to your questions	participation in 6 interactive webinars Access to recordings of past webinars during the course Answers to your questions	participation in 6 interactive webinars Access to recordings of past webinars during the course Ready-made standard to choose from: kitchens, upholstered or cabinet furniture You can view a demo version of one of the standards Homework check: individual feedback from the curator Answers to your questions In-person sales training in your company to implement the developed Standards (travel expenses are paid separately)
	Book your place in 1 click! Click on the PAY button and choose a convenient payment method. All payment systems, including bank transfer.

With the growth of trading companies, the tasks of collecting, analyzing and avoiding information loss become more and more urgent. Considering that the problem of the shortage of qualified personnel for retail continues to be acute, it is necessary to try to reduce the negative impact of the human factor - costs and losses associated with unskilled work of lower and middle management personnel, as well as the costs of training and adaptation of employees. Therefore, at a certain stage of the company's development, it is necessary to introduce network merchandising standards.

Even with category management, information losses are sometimes significant: the vision of the store as a whole and the chain as a whole often disappears, and a lot of time can be spent solving problems that will have little effect, while important, strategic points and opportunities for the store slip out of sight managers. For example, the distribution of space and display within a product group is improved without a centralized analysis of the efficiency of using retail space throughout the store. It is noted that the main effect is provided by the location of the groups and the ratio of the areas allocated for them, as well as the organization of additional sales points. Display solves the problem of increasing profits only partially. Another dangerous point is that employees who are engaged in analysis may place points of sale irregularly and rely only on numbers in their conclusions. In this case, indicators of the sales structure of brands may give a distorted picture, and good, promising brands may be included in the list of candidates for removal from the assortment. This can happen if you do not check whether the product was physically present on the shelves during the period in question; did the brand occupy the entire area in accordance with the planogram, or was it quickly sold out, and the stock was replenished at the expense of its “neighbors” - other brands.

A number of difficulties now arise for trade organizations when applying the principles of effective organization of trading space in multi-format networks. Very often, the stores that the network unites differ in both area and location, and in the absence of standards, it is necessary to “reinvent the wheel” each time, and the company’s resources are distributed ineffectively. It happens that when the network expands, moving to an area much larger than previous stores, errors are replicated according to the scale. Or when opening of a new store in the first months of operation, losses associated with incorrectly selected assortment transferred from another store in the chain are very serious: for example, on the basis of a store in a business district, the assortment in a store in a residential area is formed. In general, the issue of the relationship between product groups and brands for buyers with different incomes is very important, and due to the wrong decision, the store can lose a lot. When working in Russian cities, we repeatedly noticed a focus on wealthier buyers, not supported by the market, both in the assortment and in the display. It is not difficult to identify and correct such miscalculations by studying the amount and structure of receipts, and the signal that attention needs to be paid to this issue will be given by the behavior of customers in the store. In one case, a week-long observation on the sales floor showed that the majority of customers in each department “collected” goods from the lower shelves. In another store, it turned out that after the renovation, customers began to be afraid to enter the alcohol department: the “suspiciously beautiful” design and elite brands at the entrance convinced customers that cheap vodka and wines had completely disappeared from the assortment. And if they buy less alcohol, sales of “snacks” and confectionery products may decrease... Incorrectly selected price category of brands for cross-merchandising can have a sharply negative effect: imagine the emotions of a buyer choosing cheap dumplings and seeing wine next to them that costs half his monthly salary (“ That’s it, next time I’ll go to the market, there are all the goods for these Mercedes, so let them buy here, but I won’t spend too much”). Without a doubt, the presence of image brands raises the reputation of the store and in some cases “works” not so much to sell these brands, but to support the sales of economy class brands. But, if the main group of store buyers are people with average and below average incomes, it is advisable not to place expensive, luxury goods and image brands in large quantities and in prominent places in the hall. This is especially true for the entrance area, since in addition to irritation, customers will form the impression of high prices, and the attitude towards the store will worsen in the medium and long term. However, image brands can also be displayed in places of impulse purchase, but in small packages, so that there is a desire to try products that are consumed by a more affluent public.

Issues such as working with groups of brands in the assortment must be reflected in the general assortment standards. The following main areas can be noted in which standards are being developed for each type of chain store (types can be divided according to location, sales area and other significant criteria):

• Range;
• Principles of organizing a retail space;
• Maintaining stock and order in the hall during the day;
• Seasonal and holiday changes;
• Placement and display of goods;
• Space standards for product groups;
• Retail store equipment;
• Rules and possibilities for placing advertising materials in stores.

The benefits that standards provide to trading companies are obvious. Firstly, it is reducing costs in the operation of stores and eliminating the negative effect of the division of operations, when employees do not fully understand the importance of a particular task and how its implementation affects the overall results of the store. This is especially true for the work of salespeople and sales floor managers, whose training in a full program with a fairly high turnover can be expensive for the company. It is advisable to familiarize new store employees with accepted standards and rules immediately upon joining in order to reduce costs during the period of adaptation and induction. After familiarization, it is recommended to conduct testing. Centralized analysis and control over the network is also simplified if there is a clear evaluation criterion. The experience of the leading stores of the chain, reflected in the standards, will allow for the optimal layout of trading floors of various configurations (when reconstructing existing stores and opening new ones), as well as improving equipment, ordering in the future exactly the one that most fully meets the needs of the store. Having solved the issue once, you no longer have to waste time on meetings, for example, on the topic “Rotating glass display cases for mobile phones - are they good or bad?”

Of course, standards are effective, but it is necessary to provide the ability to respond to changes in a timely manner. The stricter the rules, the greater the degree of chaos when any deviation from the usual situation occurs. Therefore, the rules for adaptation to the conditions of a particular store and the procedure for making changes and proposals should also be described, and instructions for store employees should contain information about what actions they can carry out independently, and which ones only in agreement with the central office. Changes to the rules should be made based on the results of the store’s activities for a period, for example, once every quarter or half a year, if the product in which the store specializes has a pronounced seasonality in sales.

Part of the rules and standards that relate to assortment, may include the following:

• Working with product groups;
• The ratio of brands for different groups of buyers;
• Rules for identifying leading products;
• Rules for the selection and introduction of new brands;
• Rules for removing products/brands from the assortment;
• Rules for working with slow-moving goods, etc.

When analyzing and optimizing the assortment, it is very important to pay attention to the grouping of reports, since in many cases employees are lost from the abundance of data and do not always accurately highlight key points, positive and negative signals. We discussed the issue of assortment analysis in the article “ Assortment: strategy and tactics", No. 9 of the magazine for 2002, and we plan to consider it in more detail in future articles. Now we note that the effectiveness of the analysis largely depends on the form of the product catalog and the selection of indicators at the first stage in fairly large blocks that will allow you to see the overall picture in the store (from groups and subgroups to brands and types). It is quite dangerous to become too attached to the history of sales over a period, while you may not see changes in the consumer environment, the activities of competitors and the emergence of new trends in the market.

Now let's move on to practical aspects and consider what the format of an album dedicated to the placement and display of goods could be. Such an album should contain the following sections:

1. General rules - a brief description that includes information about the main display errors that should be avoided in stores.
2. The “Equipment” diagram is a graphical representation of the sales floor with the characteristics of the equipment. For ease of operation and access to information, shelves on racks are usually counted section by section, and the diagram indicates the dimensions of the rack sections and the number of shelves in each section (working and storage). The “Equipment” scheme is the basis for drawing up diagrams and calculating the efficiency of using retail space.
3. Scheme “Location of product groups in the hall” - a store plan indicating the location of each product group and shelving numbers. For stores with a large sales area, it is recommended to indicate the number of linear meters allocated for display of each product group (subgroup).
4. Instructions for replenishing stock in the hall and actions in case of temporary lack of goods (general and for each product group).
5. Layout schemes.
6. Photos of the display.
7. General layout rules, including:

• display system in a product group (by type, block, etc.),
• principle of boundaries of types or brands,
• principle of color spots and contrast,
• number of units (including the minimum allowable),
• information about leading products,
• brief information about possible unacceptable proximity in case of temporary absence of any brand.

The album should contain information about seasonal changes in the assortment and display: changes in the areas allocated for product groups (subgroups) in accordance with changes in demand, changes in the display at the end areas, goods recommended for allocation in a certain period.

Table “Places of sale of goods”.

In order for the standards of placement and display to be fully used for work, and not just serve as decoration or a demonstration of the achievements of the analytical department, it is advisable to produce the album in 2 versions. The first is for management and managers carrying out analysis and optimization - high-resolution graphic files. And the second, for store employees, is low resolution, but the images must be clear and understandable. When compiling an album, a black and white version should be taken into account, which can be easily reproduced on any, even the oldest and poorly functioning copier, in the event of loss or damage to the rules and diagrams by store employees. That is why, in some cases, layout diagrams are more effective than photographs. The files for the second version of the album should be small in size so that, if necessary, they can be easily transferred by email.

February 07 2013 anchin No comments yet

Many companies are now implementing sales standards. It is very convenient from a management point of view - the correct algorithm for working with clients is drawn up, training is provided and employees begin to sell correctly. Evaluation standards are developed for the main aspects of the activities of commercial service personnel - the performance of sales managers, their commercial efforts and behavior during contacts with clients.

The ideal option is when sales standards are formed based on the existing experience of sellers with the participation of an external expert. Sales training with the development of sales standards allows all interested parties - sellers, sales managers - to get together and develop an optimal sales model under the guidance of an experienced trainer. Call +79102461609. Working without standards is a waste of time.

There are two schools of thought about sales standards, depending on whether the standards are developed for a process or for a result.

When considering sales standards as a result, sales standards are the achievement of certain targets within a given period of time.

When considering standards as a process, standards mean an established optimal sequence of actions at any stage of the sales business process.

Why are sales standards needed?

1. Improving the quality of service.

Standards are a way of communicating management and customer expectations to employees regarding their customer service activities. Customer-oriented companies standardize external services and then regulate the internal activities of the company.

2. Optimization corporate knowledge management. In the case of the implementation of corporate standards, the knowledge necessary for personnel remains in the organization, is enshrined in the standard and is transferred to new employees, regardless of changes in personnel.

3. Optimization of personnel management procedures: adaptation, selection, training.

In this case, the standard is a practical tool for adapting new employees to the team and involving them in the business process of customer service at the proper level. Also, the presence of standards leads to optimization of costs for personnel training, which in this case is focused on the characteristics of sales in a particular organization.

4. Improved control.

Defining standards is a key issue for effectively monitoring the activities of sellers. The presence of established standards in the activities of sales personnel allows us to build an effective control system.

5. Increased sales.

It depends on at what point and how the seller comes into contact with the buyer, how he starts the conversation, whether he presents the product correctly, and how he reacts to the buyer’s doubts. The art of selling is not so easy to put into the form of rigid rules, but by declaring and achieving 100% compliance with simple and obvious rules when selling goods, you can significantly increase your sales volume.

6. Company development.

The development process can be imagined as moving up a ladder; based on the achievements of today, you take a step up tomorrow. In this case, the standard is the formalization of the company’s best experience and knowledge, that is, it is the next step in the company’s movement towards greater efficiency.

Standards associated with the achievements of commercial service personnel should be presented in quantitative form. They should provide objectivity and the ability to compare with the actual results of the activities of commercial service personnel. Thus, the definition of standards is a key issue for effective control of sellers. The lack of an appropriate “scale for comparison” in the form of transparent, measurable and objective criteria makes it difficult to identify deviations in the activities of commercial personnel and understand their causes, which prevents the development of a program to eliminate them.

Business standards can be formed in various ways:

Standards obtained by the company from outside. These include

- standards focused on the activities of competitors - companies that directly compete with a given enterprise in a certain product market;

Directors of Soviet and Japanese enterprises meet. Enterprises produce exactly the same products and in the same quantities. The director of our plant asks:

– How many people work for you?

- Nine. And you?

Ours actually has five hundred, but he says:

- Ten!

The next day the Japanese says:

“Listen, I’ve been thinking all night and I just can’t understand: what is this tenth guy doing with you?”

– standards reflecting the so-called “best practices”, namely documented cases of effective actions of specific companies operating within a certain industry.

– standards focused on an industry norm or other average value with which the company can compare the results of its own sales managers;

It is very important to know the so-called “retention rate”, or repeat purchase rate (RPR). In research by I. Kachalov (Kachalov agency and colleagues), it turned out that it is impossible in principle to retain more than 90-95% of buyers. That is, even the most successful company loses 5-10% every year.

Knowing such information allows you to track the effectiveness of customer retention and plan the required number of new customers in a timely manner.

Standards developed within the company.

Standards belong to this type of standards. obtained as a result of analyzing the effectiveness of the activities of our own sales personnel.

In particular, the technology for generating needs using the SPIN sequence of questions was obtained as a result of analyzing the activities of effective sales managers. Currently, SPIN technology is a de facto standard for many companies.

The same type of standards includes standards that reflect a certain desired or planned state of affairs.

For example, through observation, a business manager can use his own experience or research to determine the optimal way to implement a business effort. This, in turn, allows you to determine the optimal number of sales visits or presentations in a certain period of time for a particular seller. This number becomes the standard against which completed tasks will be compared.

Forecasting situations and knowing the behavioral characteristics of employees allows us to determine the mandatory components of successful behavior in the process of serving a client. A tool for identifying such skills, as well as analyzing various behavioral options, can be a personnel assessment, which involves comparing the results obtained with the actual results of the employee’s work. Based on this comparison, we can create a formal description of actions that actually demonstrate the desired behavior of the seller.

What do sales standards consist of?

Company standards may include both general requirements for all employees, for example, standards for appearance, and a description of the standards for performing a particular operation. Typically, the following types of standards are developed:

outgoing call standards;

standard conversation on the phone when there is an incoming client call;

standard for handling objections;

presentation standard;

standard of detuning from competitors, etc.

For example, the corporate telephone standard of a well-known company includes the following sections.

1. 1. General rules for working on the telephone
2. 2. Rules for dialogue
3. 3. Technology of interaction with the Client by phone
4. 4. Standards of conduct for specialists in the office and workplace
5. 5. Information prohibitions for specialists.
6. 6. Standard phrases to say in case of failures.

Each of these sections necessarily includes speech modules. Speech modules mean small, logically complete structures used by employees to:

greetings;

farewells;

arguing the advantages of the company's products;

answers to standard customer questions;

redirecting clients to other specialists of the company, etc.

As a rule, not one speech module is developed for each case, but a so-called speech module designer - a whole system of 10-20 text blocks, the choice of which depends on the situation.

Speech modules can often be used in conjunction with non-verbal modules - these include pre-rehearsed gestures, certain postures, facial expressions, position in space, as well as showing the company's products in action. All this together has a great impact on communication, although it is often missed by employees when communicating with a client.

Sales training with the development of sales standards is the optimal solution, since standards are not imposed “from above”, and the sellers themselves take an active part in this. Find out more about this by phone.+79102461609

The main requirements for sales standards are as follows:

Positivity. The standard should state what should be done, not what should not happen. The “don’t be rude” rule may imply implementation options such as being silent, being polite, joking, etc. It is necessary to define precisely what behavior will be acceptable.

Only in rare cases is it possible to prohibit something, for example, “It is forbidden to chew chewing gum” or “It is forbidden to start a conversation with the phrase “How can I help?” etc.

Certainty. Standards must be defined and specific. It is necessary to clearly define specific fragments of interaction with the client, moving from the general to the specific. If the standard requires that the buyer must be greeted, then it must be clearly stated whether the seller should sit or stand at the moment of contact, where he should look and what phrases to say.

Reachability. When developing standards, it is necessary to take into account all possible situations. It is necessary to understand that if the standard is not met one day (even for objective reasons), then there is a possibility that this standard will not be met even in more favorable conditions.

Importance to the business. If the goal of implementing standards is to increase customer satisfaction, then you need to be sure that each standard actually achieves the goal.

Measurability. When regulating services, you need to be sure that it is possible to track compliance with the rules, i.e. measure the result. Otherwise, how can we understand whether we have achieved what we want or not? There is a big difference in the definitions of “give a warm welcome” and “smile when greeting”. And this difference is measurable.

Time boundaries. The service speed factor is one of the most critical in the service process, so standards must include the time frame for completing a particular operation.

Implementation of standards.

Resistance to the implementation of standards is a classic example of resistance to change, which may be due to such reasons as, for example, distrust of management, reluctance to change existing stereotypes of industrial and personal relationships, reluctance to change one’s own habits, fear of demonstrating one’s own incompetence, and reluctance to take on new responsibilities.

On the other hand, employees who communicate with customers every day react very sensitively when standards introduced “from above” do not contribute to quality customer service. Therefore, when implementing standards, it is necessary to monitor whether the standards actually increase customer satisfaction.

The following ways to overcome resistance and implement standards can be identified.

Informing. One of the most common ways to overcome resistance is to inform people in advance. Gaining insight into upcoming changes helps employees understand the need for these changes and their logic. The communication process may involve, for example, a manager conducting a seminar for lower-level managers.

Involvement. If employees are involved in the development of standards at the very beginning of the process, then resistance to standards implementation on their part can often be avoided. During the standards development process, employees' views are heard and their advice taken into account. It is very difficult to resist the implementation of something that you yourself had a hand in!

Help and support. Support can come in the form of providing opportunities to learn new skills. Since resistance to standards may be based on fear and anxiety that the employee will not be able to meet these standards, it is necessary to support employees and show that this is doable.

Negotiations and agreements. Another way to overcome resistance is to provide various positive incentives to active supporters of the implementation of standards, in particular rewards to the manager who most actively participated in the development of standards.

Compulsion. Coercion involves using negative methods of influence against those who oppose the implementation of standards or do not comply with them. Although coercion carries an element of risk, since people always resist changes imposed from outside, coercion is often the fastest and most effective method of introducing the necessary standards.

For example, many companies use monetary fines for the following phrases:

“how can I help” when contacting a client on the sales floor;

“are you concerned about...” when contacting a client by phone.

To successfully apply these methods, it is necessary to realistically assess the situation in the company and skillfully combine the approaches outlined above, taking into account their advantages and disadvantages.

One company used the following approach in the process of implementing standards. Because the staff needed to become familiar with the need to apply and use these standards. Therefore, during the first month, only employees were informed about the upcoming implementation of standards and the need for this implementation. During the second month, the standards were recommended for use, and feedback was collected from interested managers to improve the standard (engagement). Finally, during the third month, the standards were mandatory. If the standard was not met, the manager who failed to meet the standard was punished (coercion).

The best way to implement sales standards is sales training. Only during the training will it be possible to both assess the feasibility of the standards themselves and teach sellers how to comply with the standards.

Finally, in conclusion, we will indicate the main reasons why sales standards may not work.

It must be remembered that relationships with clients are not limited to meeting standards. Sales standards work only when the basis on which relationships are built is not lost: respect, trust, attention, care.

Although sales standards help a firm maintain a consistent level of service, they can block employees' efforts to rise above the average level. This can demotivate top salespeople who won't have the opportunity to show their best abilities.

Finally, the emergence of various unexpected situations can disorient salespeople who, accustomed to operating in a stable and predictable environment, may be unable to find creative solutions.

At the moment, there is no single approach or any classical technology for developing service standards. The main purpose of service standards is to create a unique competitive advantage for the company. Therefore, standards are the unconditional “know-how” of any company, and there are simply no “standards for writing standards”.

The process of creating standards is a long and painstaking procedure, requiring patience and significant time investment on the part of the participants in this process. Therefore, I will also try to suggest some approaches that will optimize this process and make it more time-saving.

Definition of “Personnel Performance Standards” and “Customer Service Standards”. Difference and relationship between the “Standards” and other internal corporate documents

One of the frequently asked questions is how standards differ from other documents available in the organization, such as job descriptions. Let's try to figure it out by analyzing the main types and types of documents that regulate the work of personnel in an organization.

Documentation:

	Document and its type	Purpose of the document	Who is it for?	By whom is it formulated or approved?
	Company mission and values ​​(declarative)	Determines the key basic values ​​and meaning of the company’s existence in society, its social mission		Owners and top managers
	Code of Corporate Conduct (declarative)	Describes the organization's expectations from the behavior of personnel and their attitude towards various aspects of interaction in the company (with clients, management, colleagues).	For all employees of the organization	Owners and top managers
	Internal labor regulations (technical)	Handles disciplinary issues and procedures common to all employees	For all employees of the organization	Head of the organization. The contents of the document are regulated by labor legislation
	Job descriptions (technical)	Describe WHAT the duties of employees include, their powers and responsibilities	For each position	Head of the organization
All of the above documents are important for writing standards and should be used when writing them. IMPORTANT: standards should not duplicate the content of these documents, but may disclose exactly how the requirements of these documents should be fulfilled.
	Staff standards	They describe WHAT AND HOW employees should do to perform their job duties efficiently. General standards can be identified for all employees of the company and individual ones for each position.	General - for all employees, individual - for each position (if necessary, can be specified taking into account the specific tasks of employees in the same position)	Company managers, immediate managers
	Technology standards (technical)	Describe the procedure for providing the service/technical knowledge requirements. characteristics of the product, as well as criteria for the condition of those areas, tools, documentation, etc., for which they are responsible.	For each position	Direct managers or product manufacturers
	Customer Service Standards (Technical)	Describe the rules and requirements for direct interaction with clients	For each position	Direct managers

Staff standards- formalized and specific requirements for those personnel actions that employees must perform with a certain frequency, in a certain order, at a certain time or in typical situations.

Customer Service Standards— part of the “Staff Standards” relating to direct interaction with clients.

Goals of implementing “Standards” in an organization, expected effects and results

Primary goal - provide the company with a strategic competitive advantage. The presence of standards guarantees the client that, regardless of which of the company’s employees he communicates with, he will receive service of “branded” quality, which is inherent in this brand.

Objectives of implementing standards:

• unify the actions of personnel in various areas. This is of particular relevance for chains seeking to achieve brand recognition through uniformity in the provision of services and the quality of customer service.
• Make work procedures as clear as possible for employees (not only WHAT to do, but also HOW). This is primarily relevant for line personnel, in whose activities a large number of similar/standard actions or situations can be identified.
• Create grounds for transparent and objective assessment of employee performance

Effects and results from the implementation of the Standards:

• Achieving uniform quality of service delivery and customer service for all network points or distinctive features of a retail outlet (“recognizable”, “predictable” service).
• Optimization of work processes and procedures (elimination of unnecessary or erroneous actions on the part of personnel)
• Clarity of the work process for employees, minimization of time spent by managers on adaptation of new employees
• Increasing employee motivation due to their understanding of the criteria for evaluating work and the work of colleagues

What Standards Can't Do:

• Reeducate employees in terms of their attitude towards clients (therefore you need to select the “right” people)
• Replace the control function on the part of the manager (the presence of standards will not ensure their automatic execution, therefore the control function on the part of the manager is very important. However, standards significantly facilitate the control procedure).

Determining the criteria that must be met for effective staff and customer service standards

Staff performance standards must meet the following criteria:

• Specificity- should not contain vague and ambiguous wording that allows for different interpretations by people with different education, upbringing, experience, etc.

Employees must wear daytime makeup	Employees are required to wear makeup. Allowed use: Eyeshadow in pastel tones in a natural shade (beige, greenish, baked milk color) Shades of lipstick or lip gloss close to natural (natural pink, light brown) Blush in a soft pink or peach shade Black or brown mascara
The lighting in the room should be bright in the evening and appropriate to the weather during the day.	Lighting must meet the following requirements: In the evening - all lighting fixtures are turned on (ceiling and wall) In the daytime, in cloudy weather, ceiling lights are turned on; in clear weather, only wall lighting or no lighting is allowed.

• Measurability– if the standard requires an employee to perform any action within a certain time or with quality that can be measured in any units, then this time or units of measurement must be clearly recorded

A combination of vagueness and non-measurable formulation is often found.

• The reality of performance— standards should not contain mutually exclusive or contradictory requirements. In addition, employees must understand what resources or techniques they can use to meet the requirements of the standards.

Incorrect wording of the standard

Correct wording of the standard

An employee is required to greet each visitor entering the sales area with the phrase “Good afternoon, what would you like to see?” The employee is obliged to maintain constant contact with the client during the process of serving him, and has no right to be distracted by conversations with employees or other visitors

1. If the employee is not busy serving the customer, he must greet each visitor entering the sales area with the phrase “Good afternoon, can I help you and advise you?” 2. The employee is obliged to maintain constant contact with the client in the process of serving him, and has no right to be distracted by conversations with employees or other visitors. 3. If all employees are busy with service, and at the same time new visitors appear in the sales area, the employee closest to them should apologize to his client, greet the new visitor and invite him to start getting acquainted with the assortment/look at catalogs on his own, asking him to wait, until one of the consultants is free, and return to the conversation with the client being served.

• Transparency for employees of the goals that are achieved through compliance with the standard - Employees will be sincere in enforcing standards only if they understand what the standard is intended to do, what customer need it satisfies, and how non-compliance with the standard might make the customer feel. This criterion is important primarily in relation to those standards that regulate contact with clients.

An example of writing a standard in accordance with this condition:

• Relevance— standards must change in accordance with new tasks, approaches, requirements and strategy of the company.
• Giving employees autonomy within the limits of their powers, variability of standards— first of all, this criterion relates to customer service standards. Standards should leave some freedom for creativity and personal expression of employees. This allows you to avoid “robotization” of service and introduce elements of sincerity and personal attitude from employees. The principle of “necessity and sufficiency” of standards must be observed; the service process in most companies cannot be standardized 100%.
• Complexity - standards (including customer service standards) should cover all company personnel, and not just positions directly responsible for working with customers.
• Economic expediency - standards must be economically justifiable. If the implementation of standards results in unjustified costs for the company, it is not advisable to introduce such a standard.
• Recommended criterion: adherence to a single structure of standards for all positions. This allows employees to quickly navigate the requirements, and managers to more clearly and systematically monitor compliance with standards.

Algorithm for developing standards for personnel performance and customer service

1. Determine the type of competitive advantage according to which standards will be developed.

Trout's framework: Competitive advantage can be realized in three ways:

• Price-quality ratio". Requires a set of the most important parameters for the consumer for minimal money, aimed at satisfying client benefits such as practicality and economy
• Position “best in product”. Assumes that a product (goods + service) has a unique quality in one or more parameters. This strategy serves such needs as prestige, reliability, and the desire to emphasize one’s individuality.
• The “closeness to the consumer” strategy involves providing the service needed by a specific client and an individual approach.

Standard requirements:

• If a company implements a “price-quality ratio” strategy, then standards that help reduce the client’s costs for purchasing a product are important. Therefore, standards are needed for the purchasing department, as well as for participants in the entire technological chain through which the product passes. For salespeople with a practice-oriented strategy, standards often describe speed and ease of service.
• If a company implements the “best in product” strategy, then the seller needs to: know the product well; be able to conduct a comparative analysis with cheaper products (the phrases “our price is high because the product is of high quality”, “everything breaks right away”, “we guarantee quality” do not count), and also know situations in which the client needs exactly the best product. Thus, offering the most reliable equipment that will function for 100 years, but the client intends to update this product once every five years, is inappropriate, and it is important to help the client make a choice towards a less expensive product.
• If a company implements a strategy of “closeness to the consumer,” then the highest demands are placed on the work of the seller. In order to realize the company's competitive advantage - an individual solution to the client's problem - the seller must be able to collect the maximum amount of information about the buyer, and also clearly understand in what situation what changes to the product are necessary for the client. In addition, when implementing such a strategy, the seller must become “your guy” and be able to carry on a conversation not only about shades of nail polish, but also about the latest in fashion, yachting, the difficulties of relationships with relatives, etc.

Important:

• Regardless of the price segment and type of competitive advantage, the client wants to receive attention and sincerity in communication.
• the standards must be high enough to satisfy and anticipate the needs of the target client audience, but not so expensive for it that it does not scare away clients with cost indicators.

1. Consider the organizational structure, select positions to be described in the standards.

When considering the organizational structure and selecting positions for standardization, it is important to consider the following points:

Positions whose functionality is procedural in nature are subject to standardization, i.e. largely consists of cyclical actions repeated during the working day or for a longer period of time, incl. if these procedures relate to interaction with clients. The work of line specialists can be standardized to one degree or another in all areas. If a company plans to work on implementing standards gradually, then it is better to start with those positions that have direct contact with customers.

The more independence in decision making a position requires, the more difficult it is to describe the standards. For managers, starting from the department head level, you can only use standards that are common to all employees of the organization, and also describe the technical aspects of activities and issues related to ensuring reporting.

1. Describe the vision of the “ideal” service in accordance with the selected type of competitive advantage.

If the company has a written mission and values, and a code of corporate conduct, these documents can be used to formulate a vision.

At this stage, it is important to form two types of visions:

1. A vision of the “ideal” organization as a whole.
2. A vision of the “ideal” work of an employee in each specific standardized position.

Company Vision:

When forming a vision companies it is important to answer the questions:

Question	Bank or brokerage house	Boutique, fashion club, beauty salon
How should our clients see the company?	Measured, everything is clearly organized and predictable, giving a feeling of stability and solidity	Dynamic, quickly resolving any issues, offering a non-standard approach, giving the client a feeling of his individuality, uniqueness, originality
What should be the relationship between employees?	Employees are part of a single mechanism. Each is a highly qualified specialist and is responsible for his own area. The roles are clearly defined.	Employees are partners. The most important thing is to achieve a team result. Employees should always be willing to help a colleague, even at the expense of their own time and tasks.
What should be the relationship between managers and subordinates?	A clearly structured hierarchy, strict discipline, observance of subordination, the impossibility of discussing the manager’s decisions, their strict execution.	Communications are democratic in nature; disagreement with the manager’s opinion is allowed if the employee is confident in the effectiveness of the solution he proposes. Friendliness, sometimes reaching the level of informal relations between managers and employees.

Vision for specific positions:

When forming a vision positions it is important to answer the questions:

Question	Fashion store consultant	Cleaning department employee at a fitness club
What impression should an employee in this position make on the client (features of appearance and behavior)	The employee must be well-groomed, look modern, and demonstrate the latest fashion trends. At the same time, the employee should not “suppress” the client, demonstrate his external superiority or obvious better knowledge in matters of fashion and style. Must come across as a competent professional.	The employee should be as inconspicuous as possible. In situations of contact with a client (the client makes a request or complaint), he is kind and helpful.
The nature of the relationship between this position and the client	An unobtrusive advisor, a delicate and competent assistant and consultant.	Provides cleanliness and comfort for guests without attracting attention
What types of customer interaction situations may occur?	1. Serving a new client. 2. Serving a regular customer. 3. Consultation with a potential client 4. Client's complaint.	Communication when making a request or complaint from a client
What stages of communication with the client can be implemented by the position	1. Greeting the guest. 2. Identifying needs 4. Trying on 5. Discussion of doubts and objections. 6. Offering additional services. 7. Sales registration 8. Ending the contact.	1. Greeting the guest. 2. The guest makes a request. 3. Guest filing a complaint.
Specific situations that arise when performing functions or interacting with clients		The need to change clothes repeatedly when cleaning wet areas
Territory and equipment for which the position is responsible	1. Sales area and fitting rooms. 2. Cash register area. 3. Cash register. 4. Terminal for paying with plastic cards	Ground floor hall, swimming pool, sauna. Cleaning equipment, household chemicals used for cleaning (list).
Documents for which the position is responsible	1. Sales report (monthly, daily) 2. Cash book 3. Invoices 4. Price tags	1. Cleaning log. 2. Journal of detergent consumption.

To form a vision, it is necessary to take into account the opinions of 3 parties:

1. Owners and managers of the company.

Methods: group discussion, meeting, brainstorming, analysis of independent research results.

1. Employees who directly provide customer service.

Methods: brainstorming, role-playing game “Company Client”, analysis of service quality research results, comparative analysis with competitors.

1. Clients.

Methods: interviews, questionnaires, participatory analysis of service procedures, focus groups.

4. In addition, to “detune” from competitors, to find moments where the company has the opportunity to demonstrate a clear advantage or identify bright “selling” moments, you can carry out visit to competitors under the guise of a client. This procedure is especially useful because it allows you to feel in the client’s shoes, look at the service process “from the other side,” and understand the important points in service for the client.

1. Identify blocks of requirements that should apply to all employees.

Main sections:

1. General standards of employee behavior and customer relations
2. Submitting customer requests or complaints
3. Telephone etiquette
4. Relationships with managers
5. Relationships with colleagues

Each block, if appropriate, must be divided into main components in accordance with the most typical situations that arise in work (for example, communication with a new client and communication with a regular client, etc.)

1. Select blocks of standards for each position.

Basic (classification is given from the point of view of ease of control and description of standards):

1. Service standards - visible to customers (external)

1.1. Technical standards

• Appearance
• condition of the accountable premises
• condition of reporting equipment

1.2. Interoperability Standards

Describing the procedure for interaction with the client

1. Service standards - invisible (internal)

Procedures hidden from the eyes of clients (cleaning, preparing the premises for use, etc.).

preparation of documents and reports

1. Technological standards (related to the regulation of production processes by employees).

The general principle is to first write down the most frequently occurring situations or procedures, and then disclose them in the standards.

The procedure for organizing the development of Standards in the company.

1. Creation of a working group.

Rules for creating a working group:

• The working group should include heads of client departments, a human resources manager, a service manager, some of the employees who work directly with clients, and, if possible, a marketer. The inclusion of ordinary specialists in the working group is important not only in order to take into account their opinion as people who best understand the nuances of the service process, but also to facilitate the subsequent implementation of standards in work.
• The project manager for the development of standards must be given the authority to request information and organize interaction with the management and owners of the company. If the company has a strictly structured hierarchical management system, the team leader must be among the top managers in order to receive the appropriate authority.
• To develop standards for individual positions, employees or managers whose opinions and information may be important, as well as external experts - specialists in the field of service or in professional fields, can be involved in the work.
• It is advisable that the working group include an expert (internal or external) who can carry out intermediate and final audits of the standards.

2. Determination of those responsible for various areas of work and standardization of individual positions.

3. Gather information regarding vision and expectations from the content of standards from company management, employees, clients (i.e. the formation of visions through appropriate activities).

4. Work on writing standards in a working group.

• A plan for the development of standards is determined (indicating the deadlines and those responsible for each stage)
• Meetings of working groups are held regularly, with established frequency. The frequency is determined by how quickly the final standards need to be developed.
• The person responsible for the unit summarizes the information received from management, employees, and clients and presents the draft standard for consideration by members of the working group (it is advisable that members of the working group have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the standard before the meeting, and during the meeting to discuss any wishes and comments that have arisen).
• During the discussion of the working group, additions and clarifications are made to the standards, and if necessary, additional experts are involved. The working group should also evaluate the standards in terms of their compliance with the criteria of the standards (measurability, specificity, etc.), if necessary, the standard is finalized. At this stage it is also important to assess whether the standard is mandatory and whether it can be replaced by another solution. If such proposals arise, it is necessary to create a list of them, evaluate the budget and the possibility of execution.

5. Standard audit.

The final version of the standard is audited by an expert from the working group or external consultants. If this is possible, it can be recommended to ask real clients to evaluate the standard.

Conducting a preliminary audit “in real time” can be very effective, i.e. carrying out a visit to a representative of the target client group in Mystery shopping mode. In this case, the inspector gets acquainted with the proposed standards in advance and during the visit evaluates how appropriate and convenient they are, as well as how realistic, from his point of view, their implementation is.

6. Final revision and design in accordance with the approved design standard and standard structure. Produced by the person responsible for developing this standard. Then the standards are finalized by the working group, taking into account the comments and wishes that have arisen.

7. Approval by company management. After final agreement, execution and approval by the working group, the standards are presented to the company management for approval.

Methodology for implementing Standards. Ensuring external and internal control over their compliance.

The implementation of approved standards is carried out in several stages.

In order for the implementation of standards to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to carry out this work systematically and consistently, to allocate a sufficient amount of time for the implementation of standards (with the right approach, the full implementation of standards can take about 6 months).

Stage 1. Informing staff about the beginning of the development and implementation of standards in the organization.

Methods: posting information in a corporate publication, reporting at a general meeting of employees, communicating information through immediate managers. To increase staff motivation and interest in this process and ensure staff involvement, a competition for the best ideas can be announced.

Stage 2. Creation of working groups to develop standards. Including front-line staff in working groups will further the goal of better awareness of the process and will also ensure that front-line staff's views are taken into account, which will facilitate subsequent implementation.

Stage 3. Analysis of approved standards from the point of view of staff having the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as sufficient motivation to implement the standards.

It is advisable at this stage to conduct an assessment from the point of view of compliance of the current state with new service standards in order to see the areas of the strongest discrepancies and draw the attention of staff to them (it is better to do this through the “Mystery shopping” procedure).

Drawing up a plan for teaching missing knowledge and skills, and, if necessary, adjusting the motivation system. If it is planned that the quality of compliance with service standards will influence the motivation system, then change and introduce a new remuneration system. It is more correct to first introduce new standards and give employees time to master them, and only then introduce changes to the Payment System.

Stage 4. Informing employees about the introduction of standards. Clarification of the goals and organizational changes that are associated with the introduction of standards.

Stage 5. Familiarization of employees with the contents of the standards:

1. Familiarity with the documents describing the standards. Clarification of new procedures and rules.

It is recommended to issue general standards service in the form of a book (if you have a sufficient budget, design it with the participation of designers and layout specialists and print it in a printing house), and standards for positions- in the form of separate brochures, because they may change more frequently. Technology standards are often regulated by the manufacturer of the product or the developer of the service, and may be described in brochures or other documents provided by the manufacturers.

The design of the standards emphasizes the importance and value of this document for the organization.

2. Conducting training on the implementation of standards (or training in the “field” mode).

Stage 6. Organization of control.

What is not controlled is not executed.

The most effective way is to combine internal and external control procedures.

Internal control— is ensured by monitoring managers’ work of employees, the results are recorded in specially designed forms.

External control— is ensured through special programs carried out by external specialists (Mystery shopping, survey of real clients after a visit).

SECRETS OF AN EFFECTIVE STORE

STANDARDIZATION OF BUSINESS PROCESSES IN THE STORE
http://www.retailclub.ru/manage/334.html

“You can't improve a process until it's standardized.”
Masaaki Imai

One cannot but agree with this statement. It once again confirms that in competition between retail enterprises, only those who can minimize material losses in the technological process of providing services to the buyer will win. Thus, increase the store’s turnover by about 5%, if you trust the statistics. Increased competition in retail trade due to the crisis is forcing even small retail enterprises to pay close attention to standardization and automation of business processes and product accounting in general.

By observing the work of the staff in the store, by the display of goods, by the atmosphere prevailing in the store, it is often possible to determine whether the work of the store is standardized or not. So why do a retail store need standards and are they needed at all? Taking into account my practical experience in trading, I am sure that they are definitely needed. First of all, in order to provide a comfortable environment in the store for customers. Standards are also needed to make it easier for the store director to manage store personnel, to objectively evaluate his work on a single scale, and to eliminate cases of subjective errors. Just don’t forget that standards need to be monitored and staff must be constantly explained the need to comply with them. In order to monitor staff compliance with standards, staff must be trained to apply knowledge in practical work with the help of mentors or with your personal assistance. Sometimes on projects, we encounter resistance from employees when implementing standards developed by consultants. We often hear: Why is this necessary? And they worked well! We ourselves know how to work! Well, now they will start fining people - just so as not to pay the money! As a rule, careless employees or those who have been working in the company for a long time and are simply afraid of everything new think this way. It also happens that it was the “old people” who started working together with the owners at the same counter, and now it is difficult for the owner to explain to these employees the importance of changes in work. Of course, the presence and adherence to standards of business processes for product distribution will also increase the efficiency of a retail store. Of course, not everything can be standardized, but processes that occur with a certain frequency need to be standardized. Having standards will prevent staff from making decisions based on their personal intuition or opinion. After all, as you know, there are so many opinions. Imagine for a moment what could happen in your store if each employee worked as he saw fit. Creating a set of rules, or standards, that describe the basic business processes of a store will mean that any employee will act the same when performing them.

For the store it is recommended to register:
1) organizational structure of the retail enterprise;
2) assortment policy, including merchandising standards;
3) business processes of product distribution;
4) standards of work of customer service personnel;
5) standards of conduct for personnel when performing their functional duties in a retail store;
6) the procedure for opening a store (if it is planned to develop a retail network).

All these processes are important for the store, but in this article I would like to draw the attention of store directors to the standardization and automation of product distribution: Ordering goods - Receiving goods - Incorporating goods into the database - Pricing - Moving goods to the sales floor - Displaying goods on the sales floor - Sales of goods - Write-off of goods - Inventory. Let's look at some of them in more detail.

Business process “Ordering goods”. Automation of this business process will help product order managers more quickly resolve issues regarding the supply of the desired product and the required quantity to the store. After all, he won’t have to count the balances himself, figure out how many days of trading they will be enough for, and at the same time not overload the warehouse space, since there is, as always, not enough of it. This work will be done for the manager by an automated inventory management system and will provide him with data in the form of “Goods Turnover Analysis”, from which the following data can be obtained:

Weighted average balance for the period;
- turnover (product consumption) for the period;
- turnover ratio;
- average shelf life of the product in days.

Minimum inventory standards are used to control inventory levels and are the basis for the formation of auto orders. When using auto orders, the purchasing manager will only adjust orders before holiday trading or in a situation where it is impossible to pay the supplier on time (this sometimes happens). So far, in such situations, the automated control system is powerless and only human experience and knowledge is needed here. When implementing a system for exchanging electronic documents with suppliers, orders for goods are automatically generated and stored in the database to monitor the work of purchasing managers. To do this, it is enough to install special software for each supplier that connects it with the purchasing department of the retail network. The system automatically checks inventory levels and generates an approximate list of orders. The manager only has to review the list, adjust it if necessary, and send the order to the Supplier. At the same time, the system eliminates the possibility of placing an order incorrectly, since the data entered by the Customer is automatically transformed into a standardized form. Suppliers quickly learn what goods, in what quantity and when they need to be delivered, and also have the opportunity to confirm the order indicating the exact quantity of goods that they can deliver within the time frame specified in the order. This allows purchasing managers not to have to manually compile orders, which allows them to more effectively manage the assortment: analyze, monitor competitors, search for new products and suppliers.

Business process “Reception and return of goods”. Acceptance of goods using a data collection terminal (DCT) allows you to control the fulfillment of an order by the Supplier already in the acceptance area, thereby eliminating the possibility of accepting goods that the store does not need. It is also important that the possibility of accepting goods at an inflated price is excluded. It is no secret that suppliers often take advantage of the moment and supply goods at an inflated price from the agreed price list. If the goods are accepted without the use of TSD, then the discrepancy in the input cost of the goods will be revealed only after the supplier leaves. And long negotiations with the commercial department or merchandise experts will begin to set the retail price. In addition to the above advantages, the time from acceptance of goods to its sale is significantly reduced. After all, the operator no longer needs to waste time scanning product samples, transferring them from cart to cart, etc. Only in the case of acceptance of goods with established deadlines for implementation, the operator will need to enter information at the end of this period into the database, generate an invoice and print price tags. In addition, automation of this process will reduce the number of operators, because The goods receiving manager will partially perform his work. In fact, when automating the acceptance of goods, two business processes are combined: acceptance of goods and its entry into the database into one. A clear example of business process optimization. When carrying out the business process of returning goods, the use of TSD also speeds up the process of generating accompanying documents and the actual return of goods to the supplier. Automation of this process does not exclude possible errors on the part of the performers. Whether they are accidental or intentional is the second question. Therefore, the manager should not forget about organizing control over the acceptance and return of goods. Checking the accepted goods for compliance with the supplier’s invoice and making a note from the security staff will not hurt. It is known that the goods acceptance area is a special risk area in terms of theft of inventory items. Unfortunately, no automation will protect you from theft when accepting goods, or possible collusion with the forwarder or the same security guard. It is necessary to develop additional measures to prevent possible theft of inventory items at the time of their acceptance. Business process Posting goods into the database. We have already partially discussed the advantages of automating this process in the previous paragraph. Here it is worth mentioning the advantages of automatically loading cash registers and weighing equipment (in grocery stores) after generating the invoice and setting retail prices. If a few years ago a system administrator was still required to download information, now it can be downloaded not only from the operator’s workplace, but also in remote access mode from the central office. Automation of this process allows you to receive daily product reports for the store; accordingly, the store director will quickly receive information about inventory balances.

Business process "Pricing". Remember the time when markup percentages and retail prices were manually set on the supplier's invoice? To do this, we looked for the previous invoice in order to see the markup percentage and not miss the price. Now this is no longer imaginable! And all thanks to the automation of this process. All the manager responsible for pricing needs to do is initially set the markup level for different product groups and subgroups. Everything else is, as they say, “a matter of technique.” When a product is entered into the database, its price is generated automatically. Automation of this process allows you to receive:
. analytical information on price changes;
. control incoming prices for goods from suppliers;
. control the profitability of any product group.
Example from practice. When diagnosing pricing methods in one retail chain, it turned out that the markup percentage for product groups was set centrally by managers of the commercial department. Based on the actual state of affairs in the chain stores, it turned out that the operator calculates the retail cost of the goods using a calculator. Moreover, the price rounding rules were applied by each operator independently. Sometimes they make simple arithmetic errors due to lack of qualifications. The decision to change the price is formally made by the commercial director, who sends an order to the stores to change the markup. Unfortunately, it is impossible to find out when the stores actually revalued. Operators can pay attention to mail after a day or a week. Some of them, as it turned out during the diagnostic process, cannot receive mail at all. They sit and remain silent, do not ask anyone, so as not to incur discontent from their superiors. In one of the stores, our consultant helped an unlucky operator accept mail with a Revaluation Order that was three days old. The company’s programmer could not answer the question: “Why is it impossible to carry out automatic centralized pricing?” Dependence on the personality and “professionalism” of the programmer leads the company to lag behind competitors in assortment management, pricing, sales planning and other business processes. So maybe it’s really easier to part with such a specialist than to convince him of the need to automate the retail network, which is actually his job responsibilities? By chance, are you familiar with a similar situation?

Business process “Moving goods from the warehouse to the sales floor. If the store maintains separate records of the warehouse and the sales area, then automating the process of moving goods to the sales area certainly reduces the time it takes for goods to arrive on the shelves. Before the advent of TSD, the storekeeper collected samples of goods, labeled them indicating the quantity that needed to be transferred to the sales floor, and sent a cart of these samples to the operator. And the operator is busy registering the received goods and cannot create an internal movement until he completes the previous operation. With the use of TSD, the storekeeper himself can handle the movement of goods to the sales floor by scanning barcodes and indicating the required quantity. Entering information from the TSD into the database and printing out the shipping invoice and price tags is a matter of minutes. Business process “Product sales”. The use of cash registers with software makes it possible to analyze sales of all product categories, the number of customers, the cost of purchase, and the efficiency of use of retail space. This information is key for analyzing the activities and planning the development of a trading enterprise. In addition, by automating cash transactions, the throughput of customers increases, and it becomes possible to introduce loyalty programs for customers:
. credit card services;
. discount programs, holiday and birthday greetings;
. prize draws for customers;
. payment for mobile communication services.

Business process “Inventory”.
Inventory is a mandatory business process for a trading enterprise. To obtain a more accurate result, it is advisable to schedule it when there is the smallest inventory in stores and warehouses. Continuous inventory allows you to check compliance with the rules and conditions of storage of goods, cash and fixed assets, warehousing, the actual compliance of inventory balances with accounting data
Case from practice. On one of the projects, in the process of preparing for a complete inventory, the chief accountant of this store asked me: “How are we going to count such a quantity of goods? How many times will we rewrite everything? Shall we close the store for three days?” I hope that for most trading enterprises the time of counting goods “on the knee” has sunk into oblivion. For those who are just planning to automate this process, I would like to give advice - do not delay it, save your working paid time and switch to counting goods using a data collection terminal and an automated goods distribution system. A summary inventory list is generated very quickly after entering the actual balances of goods. The matching sheet allows you to obtain reliable information about the surplus or shortage of each item of goods. It is very important to check for the largest discrepancies in quantity or amount and make changes to the database before arriving at the final result. Inventory automation allows you to reduce the time required to conduct a complete inventory by several times. The result is calculated in a very short time with detailed details for each product item. Of course, in addition to automating the inventory process, a clear organization of this process by the manager is also necessary. It is necessary to clearly calculate the sufficient number of personnel, determine the order of their actions, and rationally use the allocated resources for reliable calculations and obtaining results. Business process “Product display”. While you are the owner of one store, you can force managers to independently calculate the amount of goods required for display on the shelf, the layout of retail equipment and the location of product groups. As the number of stores increases, this becomes extremely difficult. Merchandising software can come to the rescue, which will help you understand what and how it looks on the sales floor, and which store sells better. To automate the merchandising process, there are both Western automation systems: Spaceman, Apollo, Galleria, and domestic ones. For example, the SM Merchandising system is quite effective for developing a unified merchandising standard in online retail. This system allows:

Visually represent a store shelf without access to the sales floor, because Each item has a corresponding photograph, and on the manager’s computer screen you can see options for displaying the product on the shelf.
. determine the optimal ratio of the goods sold and the volume of display in the sales area: on racks and shelves;
. preview the placement of goods on the shelves as it will look on the sales floor;
. conduct a comprehensive analysis of the impact of product placement on sales of products placed nearby (when integrated with the SM Management analytical module).

It is known that the use of the Automation&Optimization program allowed Marks & Spencer to switch to a weekly rescheduling of 125 planograms for each of 55 supermarkets - which immediately affected both sales results and inventory and supply chain optimization (SCM). It should be noted that all this work is provided by 18 employees of the marketing department.
What does business process automation give?
1. Reducing the time of the “order-delivery” business process from the beginning of order formation to its delivery.
2. Availability of comprehensive information about the relationship with the supplier: orders, deliveries, prices, returns in each retail store.
3. The ability to produce according to a centralized scheme and direct deliveries of goods to retail outlets.
4. Pricing becomes simpler: the price is set once for one product, and this operation is done at the central office.
5. Saving highly qualified personnel employed in marketing, logistics and accounting due to the high automation of basic processes and the division of personnel into analysts and operations officers.
A centralized information system allows you to reduce operating costs, since the cost of maintaining IT service personnel is reduced. Administration and support is carried out from the central office. In the next article, we'll look at the requirements that retail software needs to truly help drive business performance during challenging retail times.