Are you ready to optimize the reach and efficiency of your retail store? 

Whether you sell in international ecommerce markets, or focus exclusively on domestic online and in-person sales, one fact remains the same: You need to make the most of every minute of your staff’s time. 

Keeping people busy even when sales are flagging will ultimately elevate your store, improve morale, and raise your profits.

Expand the scope of worker tasks

You don’t need to be the only one who takes on multiple jobs at work. When employees expand their repertoire, your load becomes lighter while team performance rises.

It’s all too easy to become rigid in the way you view workers’ responsibilities. However, your success in retail just might hinge on your ability to be nimble, including the nature of the work that you delegate to your staff.

For example, assign alternative duties to your associates when customers are scarce. In other words, you don’t need to take on all of those undesirable chores when others have time on their hands. 

Believe it or not, doing so can create a sense of camaraderie and loyalty that can make your entire team more united.

Discuss improved time management with your staff

One of the most effective ways to grow your online retail operations, as well as your in-person ones, involves learning from your staff. What may initially appear to be employee downtime might actually be the result of inefficient systems that lead to more standing around than you ideally want to see.

Solicit input from your employees. Doing so enables you to gain their buy-in through questions about what is working, what aspects of sales and payment transactions are frustrating, and what resources they may need to have to improve.

To that end, ask them directly what could be done to improve their productivity. You just might be amazed at the insights you gain by simply listening.

Capitalize on their social media savvy

When nothing is happening in your store, the truth is that your employees will look to their mobile devices to fill the void. Instead of fighting this tendency, make it work for you by inspiring workers to use their social media influence to provide free advertising for your shop.

Some people will love the chance to get creative. Encourage them to come up with engaging product videos and testimonials to be shared on the social media sites favored by your customers. 

You could even sponsor a contest with an appealing prize to generate a healthy spirit of competition among associates. In the end, both staff and customers will be more engaged in promoting the success of your brand.

Get in touch with customers

Those calm moments also give you an opportunity to reconnect with past patrons and encourage them to make additional purchases.

Point of sale retail payment solutions keep thorough records of all purchases made. They also have database capabilities that can store a list of customer names and contact details. If you run an effective loyalty program, your system is already performing this vital task.

Put this information to good use during downtimes by enlisting your staff’s help in sending emails to these potential brand ambassadors. Use your software to learn what each client has bought in the past, so that you can make personalized recommendations and pinpoint the best sales and promotions to send their way. 

Doing this is a terrific way to reignite excitement about your products in the minds of people who have already demonstrated their willingness to entrust you with their money.

Encourage professional development

Your challenge is to find ways to inspire staff to enhance their work-related skills. Making time for group information-sharing meetings provides additional ways for everyone to benefit from what each person has learned.

Instead of twiddling their thumbs during slow periods, your workers can enhance their personal and professional growth by viewing webinars, reading blogs, viewing podcasts, etc. The more they know about your industry and the products you sell, the better qualified they will be to pass on this information and passion to your customers and to each other.

The next time your store appears to be in a slump, turn it around by giving associates an expanded role in your future success.