Staffing
All hands on Deck! Make sure you have properly trained and informed all employees ahead of time about store policies, sales specials and the like. Prepare the staff schedules well in advance with additional staffing as needed for the busy day. You will also want to schedule your most enthusiastic knowledgeable employees, on the sales floor, ready to answer any questions and encourage sales.
Plan B - Murphy’s Law
Try to prepare for as many unforeseen scenarios as you can. For example, selling-out/stock shortages, technical issues, sick employees, emergencies. Have a back-up plan and consider putting someone in charge to handle any and all technical or emergency situations. It is a good idea to have employees on call throughout the day as well.
Item Placement
Place high demand items throughout the store in various locations to help prevent overcrowding one spot. Check that store isles are wide enough for customers. And consider keeping the hot ticket or limited quantity items behind the counter to prevent conflicts; instead pass out tickets for anyone buying that item so they can get right in line at the register.
Timing
If you are feeling confident consider starting sales throughout the entire Black Friday to encourage customers to visit throughout the day. Here again, make sure your cashiers are ready and prepared if something does not ring up correctly. The last thing you want to do is slow down transaction times on a busy day. Check that your receipt paper, labels, bags and other register items are stocked.
Bring the Holiday Spirit
Remember to keep things fun and festive for the customers. Playing holiday music and displaying decorations helps create a fun environment. You might even consider offering refreshments. The better the customer experience the more likely customers will shop and continue to come back all year long.
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November