In yesterday's post, we provided the first part of an article that explains 4 tips to help retailers help more customers, faster during the holidays. We hope you enjoyed learning the first 2 tips. Today we provide the final 2.
If available in your POS system (and most have this feature), implement Touchscreens. Why does this make a difference? Two factors: first, POS clerks learn faster and can process tickets more quickly on a Touchscreen. The days of a keyboard driven system that requires you to remember Alt+F2 as a command on a POS system should be long gone. Shorter training times and higher retention of information means more productive time in the store stocking the shelves and focusing on customer service. A touchscreen should also allow you to set up “buttons” for items in inventory that can’t be barcoded. Services and items sold in bulk (neither can be barcoded) are two examples of how a “button” can help speed up the customer’s experience.
The last item is, unfortunately, the most often overlooked one and that is employee training. No matter how long your POS system has been deployed, you will have new clerks working during the holidays. Make sure they have a “sample” or “play” company set up in your system and they are comfortable with all the common things they are going to be asked to do.
- Make sure they know how (or if) you take a personal check
- How to ask the customer for a different form of payment, if a credit card is declined.
- How to void a line on a ticket, if customers changes their minds about something during checkout
- How to sell a gift card
- How to print a gift receipt
These may seem obvious, but new clerks (and sometimes old ones) need to be “refreshed” on all the basics. Don’t lose a sale because a clerk is asked to do something that they’ve simply forgotten how to do quickly.
Most retailers will make at least 40% of their overall revenue in 60 days. The holidays will be determine if your bottom line is green or red. Don’t lose a single dollar of sales because your check out was slow. Here’s to a happy, healthy and check out fast holiday season.
Author: Lombardi, J., Contessa of CounterPoint, Soft Intelligence, Inc. October 2014.
Contributing Author: English, William S., President of English Management Solutions, Inc. October 2014.
