Management made simple with automation.
By Vladik Rikhter
Running a retail chain takes a lot of work. Any store manager can list a dozen or so steps required just to get an item on the shelf. At the end of the day, retail execution and excellent customer service determine a store’s success in its customers’ eyes. There’s so much more that happens before a customer sets foot in the store, though, and even the smallest misstep in communication or operational execution can devastate sales as badly as storewide service issues. Operations staff and managers are tasked, more or less, with controlling every detail of store operations designed to simplify the customer experience and drive sales. This requires managing massive amounts of data, all of the equipment and technology needed to run the facility and determining what needs to be done every day.
All of those jobs require frequent, seamless communication between several people. Operational staff and managers need tools and solutions that enable constant communication to eliminate the bottlenecks that result in mismanagement. Moreover, the tool needs to simplify and automate task management and communication to have the desired impact – — making operations efficient and smooth. When an inventory manager, for example, sees an issue with shelving, he needs to alert someone immediately — rather than searching the store for the right person. Mobile solutions automate communication and enable operations managers to send and receive information to and from the proper parties instantly.
Smartphones Promote Smooth Communication, Accountability
Every operations manager will tell you there’s nothing more annoying than seeing an employee fooling around on a smartphone while they’re working. It’s a frustrating reality of life in 2015. There is an opportunity, though, to capitalize on the ubiquity of this technology. More than 76% of Americans use smartphones, according to comScore. While they appear a nuisance during work hours, equipping workers with mobile applications designed to boost productivity is a way to turn their use of the technology into an asset for the company. Relying on the traditional in-store communication tools for operational issues takes time away from serving customers. At the moment, when an employee notices a malfunctioning light or a broken display, she has to find the right person to fix it. Mobility enables them to snap a photo, open an app and instantly inform the right person of the issue.
For operations managers, the knowledge that employees can collaborate on tasks as they arise encourages peace of mind. There are already dozens of daily responsibilities and goals managers need to accomplish; following up to ensure an assigned task was completed correctly is inefficient, but necessary. Mobile applications can alleviate this burden by enabling employees to instantly share an update along with a photo when a task is completed. Mobile applications can also generate automated reminders to workers to ensure any uncompleted tasks remain top of mind. Integrating such technology into the workflow unlocks time currently wasted on communication and administrative tasks. It also improves operational execution and labor efficiency. Managers are not only alerted to a task’s completion, but can also ensure it’s done correctly.
Automating Operations Management is a Time Saver
Many aspects of retail store management will never be fully automated. People are needed to stock shelves and handle customer service questions and issues quickly. On the operations side, employees need to carry out maintenance and assess the best tools, technology and processes for their stores. Whenever stores can automate regular, time-consuming tasks, they’re effectively freeing their employees to focus on more important parts of the business.
Enabling managers to control entire aspects of the store from their smartphones also gives companies a better sense of which areas need more optimization. When bottlenecks fade away, other operational issues come to light. Mobile solutions present an opportunity to gather important data in these areas. Over time, understanding the kinds of problems that emerge regularly and where a team is failing can inform more efficient time management and improved staffing.
The best practices for managing retail store operations change quite frequently. Mobile applications that encourage better information sharing makes operations more efficient. Allotting time to operational tasks efficiently gives managers a better understanding of how new processes fit into their companies. The constant demand to make operations as efficient as possible means optimizing every aspect of the company, including the employee hours dedicated to the work and the way it’s accomplished. None of this is possible without tools in place to encourage instant communication. It’s not about rushing through every task. Mobile communication applications are in place solely to limit time employees spend on operational tasks so customer-facing processes can receive the bulk of their attention.
Would You Do It This Way If You Started Your Business Today?
Retail stores are vastly different places than they were a decade ago. It’s not uncommon to find self-service checkout stations, online shopping pickup and mobile applications to simplify and expedite the shopping experience. Integrating these manifestations of technology for customers has made their interaction with the store more efficient, and more satisfying. By that standard, it doesn’t make sense not to automate with technology on the back end of a store when it’s possible. Identifying ways to accomplish that is as simple as investigating every process and asking, “Would we do it this way if we were starting our company today?” If the answer is no, then it’s time to find a better way. Some form of automation is almost always the answer, especially in retail stores that demand employee availability for customer interaction.
It’s incumbent upon the entire team to support different operational tasks. And by making it as easy as possible for them to serve customers, wasted time needs to be dramatically cut down. Automation has always been a consideration for retail chains, but typically on the sales floor. Mobile applications for operational execution can automate the back end operations that make stores function better.
— Vladik Rikhter is CEO and co-founder of Zenput. With more than 10 years of experience in operational and business development roles in B2B technology companies, Rikhter’s background in logistics, supply chain and operations has allowed him to identify and improve workflow inefficiencies in small, medium and Fortune 500 businesses.