Module 14 : Getting Your Team Together and Communicating

First, without the correct team you will find that your store will struggle
to operate in the correct
manner and this is something
that can have a negative
impact on the way in which your store is perceived by the public.

A strong team is going to lead people to want to work together
for the good of the store and that means they will be able to provide a far superior customer
support.

The difficulty for you is getting that team together
in the first  place.  This 
is  why  the 
interview process is important as you have to be aware of the kind of person that you want, or need, to work at your store in advance so you can see if any of these individuals apply for the position.

In the long run, taking that bit longer to find the correct staff is going reduce the chances of getting embroiled in problems and difficulties with training various people and replacing staff that are just not up to scratch. This would cause difficulty because
you do not have the time to spare in constant training,
dealing with simple problems, and worrying that things are not being done correctly.

However, it is well known that a fractured team can often be the downfall of a store even if you are not aware of it at the time. Being united is everything.

FACT

18% of all retail staff are managers or senior officials

Source: retailappointment.co.uk

14.2    How to Unite Your Team

We are going to look at how you create a united team, because that is going to be at the absolute
heart of running a successful store.

If there is no unity, then people will not be working
from the same page and that will not reflect well on you.

However, getting your team to be united may not be as easy as you think and it does involve being a good people person, to get the best out of everybody
at the same time. These key points should make life that bit easier for you.

Make sure everybody knows their place

It is important
that you make sure everybody
knows what they are supposed
to do and where in the store, so that there are no crossing
over of jobs. Furthermore, if people are allowed to hone their skills within a certain area, then you will find that the team becomes a more cohesive
unit as a result.

Encourage them to get to know one another

Even though some people may be against the idea of workmates
becoming best friends,
there is no doubt that encouraging people to get to know one another
will make your life much easier. We do not mean that they need to know each other inside and out, but by knowing even basic information about one another,
does mean that there should be less tension in the workplace.

Consider team building

 The concept of team building
has been around for some time and if you thought that it was not for stores and the retail environment, then think again. Instead, you can do simple things within the store itself whereby there is some gentle competition between departments just to add some fun to the setting and get people working in unison.

Make sure they have the option of voicing their concerns

Finally, a united team can often come from staff being aware that they are able to voice their concerns
should there be any. You have to remember that frustration and confusion that is left to fester within a team will not be the perfect catalyst for a united team or, at the very least, it will be a team that is united in a negative way rather than anything else. Give them this avenue and you will reap the benefits.Clearly the main thing to do in order to create a united team is to make sure that people better understand who they are working with and what their strengths
and weaknesses may be.

As the manager,
you will be at the absolute heart of this because as soon as your team is fractured,
then your store will suffer as a result.

14.3    Dealing With Issues Within Your Team

As the manager,
dealing with issues within your team will lie directly
upon your shoulders
and be your responsibility to sort out whatever the problem may be, and to do so as quickly as possible.

In order to show how you can deal with certain issues, we will use several examples and describe how you can rectify situations
and get your team back on track.

Some team members do not get on with one another

While it is impossible for you to make sure that everybody
on your team likes one another, it is how you handle the situation
when there is some kind of conflict
that will prove to be the most interesting aspect of being a retail manager. If there is some conflict,
then it is important that you tackle things head on. You need to make sure that you get both parties together and get to the root of the problem to see if it can be resolved.It will not be good for the entire store if you allow ill feeling to fester between people.

People are doing the wrong jobs

In a busy store it is reasonable
to assume that there may be moments where certain individuals will end up doing the job of other people. This is often due to a lack of organisational skills or it may be due to a member of staff simply not pulling his or her weight, resulting
in other people feeling that they have to step into the fold to make sure that a job is done. As the manager it is important that you find out why people are doing the wrong jobs to see how best to resolve the issue.

There
is a misunderstanding

Even with a relatively small team in a store it is still possible that there will be a number of occasions
where there is some kind of misunderstanding. This can have a negative
impact in a number of ways and they are all going to be detrimental to the store. For example,
if people misunderstand procedure or protocol
then it can be a costly mistake to the store if an individual does not follow the rules when receiving
goods and items are missing.
In addition, if people misunderstand what they are supposed to be do, then it can lead to tension within the staff and that can often spill over into the public domain and cause issues with the customers.

Problems with personalities

You may find that some people are better served working in certain parts of the store simply because of their personality. For example, an individual may be better behind the scenes because they are not as good at dealing with the public and the different problems
that can arise as a result. You will also find that certain personalities just do not mix and this is where your understanding of your staff will prove to be rather useful. Spend time getting to grips with what different
people are like and then see about combining those individuals that appear to complement one another, to avoid any problems further down the line.

When you are dealing with issues related to your team you have to address things head on and never just bury your head in the sand. All that this is going to do is delay the inevitable and it will put pressure
on your ability to run and manage the store in an effective manner.

14.4    The Art of Correct Communication

Finally, we look at the art of correct communication, because failing to do this can make certain situations more difficult.

By communication we mean a number of things and it is best to take you through key areas to show the difference it can make being able to talk to people rather than simply believing
that everybody knows what they are doing without too much guidance.

Everybody is reading from the same page

Clear and effective
communication will mean that everybody
involved in the running of the store will be reading from the same page. This creates a unified front and staff members will always know what they are meant to be doing. This means everyone
knows how the store is supposed to operate and knows what to do in various circumstances and situations.

Rules will be easier to follow

Clear communication between the team will also mean that people are always made aware of any rules that are to be followed and the correct procedures. However,
if you know the communication channels that have been set up are working, then it means that you would have to look at other reasons if individuals do not appear to be getting the message. If you know that certain
key points connected
to the running of the store are being passed on, then it could indicate that you have a more serious issue.

Problems
can be resolved more easily

It is important
to stress that clear communication works two ways because it is not only about the way in which you as the manager communicate with your staff, but also the staff knowing that they are able to communicate with you when they have a problem.
It makes it easier and quicker to resolve issues and problems
will not linger too long, causing disruption to the store in general.

Changes to the running of the store will be easier to follow

If you have changes to the running of the store or products that are on display or special offer, then it is important
that there is clear communication so that mistakes
are avoided. It would come across as being extremely
unprofessional if you had different
staff members thinking that different
prices or different
offers existed within the one store and it would hardly make customers want to spend money. You need to be able to communicate correctly or your sales are going to be hurt as a direct result.

Staff will be aware of the correct procedures

Throughout the store there will be certain procedures and protocols that need to be followed
at all times to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible.
If these procedures and protocols
are not followed to the letter, then the store is going to suffer and that is clearly not something
that you can allow to happen at any point. However, how are staff members going to even be aware of changes to the procedures, or the correct
ones in the first place, if you are unable to communicate with them?There are several
key reasons why clear communication is important to your store, but how do you do it? Well, this is something
that is a lot easier than you would imagine
as long as you are well prepared
and ready to take the appropriate action.

Make a regular point of communicating

It will always prove to be beneficial
to you and your store if you are able to communicate with your staff
on a regular basis. We do not mean that you should sit everybody
down on a daily basis for some kind of staff meeting,
but maybe once a week have department heads or yourself
talk to staff and address any concerns.
This will certainly
make your life a whole lot easier.

Talk in a clear and concise
manner

 One thing that is going to annoy your staff and lead to mistakes
occurring is if you are unable to communicate with them in a clear and concise
manner. You have to explain things in an easy to follow manner and address their problems or questions as quickly as possible. If you complicate
things when you communicate with people then you will make the situation more difficult for yourself.

Ask if everything is understood

Whenever you are communicating with a member of staff, or as a team, it is always important
that you ask if everything has been understood
or if there are questions. It will serve you better by doing this at the time rather than waiting for people to think things through and mull over what you have said and then get back to you with their issues. By then, things may have changed and information may be outdated,
so deal with it at the time.

Be prepared to introduce more training

One of the best things about communicating with your team is that it shows you areas where some individuals, or the complete
unit, may require further training
or a recap of what they are supposed to do in a certain
situation. This is primarily related
to the protocols that people should go through whenever
they are faced with issues or handling certain aspects of running the store because you need to make sure that you have discussed
the key issues and that everybody knows what is happening, or else you need to be prepared
to train them better to stop there being a problem.

The most important
thing with communicating with your team is just doing it. You cannot expect people to just think it through for themselves, especially
when it is connected to the running of the store in general.

You have to make sure that you use language
that people understand, explain things in the easiest
terms possible, and get feedback
if necessary.