My store seems like a reality TV show: all unnecessary drama. It’s exhausting, but addressing it only seems to add fuel to the fire. Is there a way to bring it under control?
You’re not alone. After profitability concerns, this is the No. 1 headache of business owners, says business coach Lauren Owen. Drama and discord create stress and hurt productivity. There is no quick fix, but there are a number of things you can do, starting with regular meetings. “Scheduled, well-run meetings are essential to clear communication and team building and addressing potential conflicts,” says Owen, adding that such meetings are conspicuously absent at stores with drama issues. Other steps include confronting your drama queens, addressing your underperformers (there is often a hidden cost in the resentment they cause), performing a cost-benefit analysis on your high-maintenance employees (sometimes they just suck all the energy out of a store), and finally, taking a good look at yourself. “Some people actually like drama, despite what they say,” Owen says. “If you were really honest with yourself, you might understand that the drama is satisfying some need of yours. Attention? Power? Control? Do you avoid all conflict, even healthy conflict, at all costs?” And are you giving your staff a clear sense of purpose — that jewelry is about something bigger than profits or self-interest? Employees instilled with a sense of higher purpose tend to grouse a lot less, Owen says.
What are the pros and cons of hiring older workers?
The list of advantages is as long as their teeth: seniors are often more responsible than their younger counterparts, call in sick less, work harder, don’t get involved in office politics, and have good life skills. Yet many retailers have mixed feelings about hiring those over the age of 55. To be sure, some older workers do tire more quickly from long hours on the sales floor or may want to work shorter hours either for personal reasons or to protect their Social Security benefits (but that can also mean fewer benefits that you’re obliged to pay). Ultimately, your decision should be guided by this rule of thumb: in retail, people like to do business with people who are like them or share their interests. So, make sure your staff matches your area’s demographics. Although for just about anywhere in the US, that now means a graying market. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, 25 percent of the workforce in 2024 will be over the age of 55.
Where can I get my old displays rewrapped?
We applaud your frugal instincts, but this is a bit like getting your 14-year-old refrigerator reconditioned — you’re often better off buying a new one. “The costs are prohibitive and the old display structure is usually destroyed in the process,” notes Larry Johnson, the author of The Complete Guide to Effective Jewelry Display. Johnson recommends you tell your display vendor what you liked about your old display and get them to help.
Should I delete old names from my email bulletin list?
Your email marketing program will be more effective the cleaner and more up-to-date your subscriber list is, but there are a few things you should do before you start deleting names. First, segment your subscriber list into new, active and inactive customers. “Reach out to the old customers on your list with a different message. Contact them with a special offer, information about something that would be of interest to them, or educational information that would benefit them,” advises Steve Robinson, regional development officer (Illinois) for Constant Contact, which provides email marketing services to more than 300,000 small businesses and organizations in the U.S. “Consider offering a link to an online survey that would allow them to tell you what specifically they are interested in.” If there is no response after two or three more attempts using this approach, Robinson suggests you consider those addresses inactive and either remove them from your list or move these people to a new list to which you email only once or twice a year so as not to lose contact with these old customers completely.
A new competitor seems to be trying to undercut our prices on everything from diamond prices to repairs. How can we avoid getting in a price war?
First, understand that not every price challenge is real. Many of your customers make their purchase decisions because of the quality of your products, services (especially your services), or just the relationship they have with you. Still, if you’re sure price is the issue, and you are losing customers as a result, you may want to a adopt a three-tiered pricing strategy by offering premium and budget options in addition to your regularly-priced goods. The idea is not actually to sell the cheaper or more expensive options, but to underscore the true value you are giving customers with your regular prices through your explanations of what they get with each option. When consumers are faced with such choices, they overwhelmingly choose the middle road.
