Batter Up Retailers

By Doug Fleener(Doug Fleener)
You want people who have great visual skills or are awesome at inventory management - but they still have to be pretty good

with customers. You want people who excel at selling - but you don't want them to be a liability in other areas. ...

Happy Opening Week! Yes, it's the start of the 2007 baseball season. In our house it's practically a religious holiday.

So as a salute to baseball and retail, consider these four attributes winning baseball teams and winning retail store teams share.

1. The key to winning is consistently executing the fundamentals. Whether it's major league baseball or Little League, teams win because they pay attention to the fundamentals of the game every single day. Teams that get sloppy lose. The same is in true retail. Although many retailers are always looking for some magic "instant success" formula, winning retailers know that they win and lose by the fundamentals. That means welcoming the customer, keeping glass free of fingerprints, keeping the store well stocked - all those little details that add up to a big picture. Retail teams that get sloppy lose, too.

2. The more you win the more fans you have and the more loyal they are. The best part of opening day is that all fans feel good about their team. Almost every team sells out opening day. But as the season goes on some teams will begin to fall behind and some fans will begin to lose interest. Winning teams will continue strong and may actually grow their fan base. The same thing happens in retail but in reverse. Winning retailers try to make a fan out of each customer and when they do, not only are those fans more loyal but they also help create other fans. The more fans they create, the more retailers win.

3. Winning managers in both baseball and retail know how to use the strengths of each person on the team. For a baseball team to win, each individual must be able to not only understand and execute his specialty but be able to contribute in practically all areas. Consider non-pitchers. Each position player brings unique skills and abilities to the team. One player's specialty might be to get on base while another's is to get the first guy home. And unless they're a designated hitter in the American League, they can't be defensive liabilities. A player who is used because of his fielding abilities can't be such a poor hitter that it hurts the team. It takes a well-rounded team to win in retail, too. You want people who have great visual skills or are awesome at inventory management - but they still have to be pretty good with customers. You want people who excel at selling - but you don't want them to be a liability in other areas.

4. Practice leads to winning. Whenever I'm training store managers I always emphasize how important it is to practice sales and engagement skills with the staff. Baseball players don't just show up on Opening Day and start playing. They have over a month of spring training. On game day they don't just get in to their uniforms and start playing. They take batting practice and work on their defensive skills. They practice to win. Wining retailers do the same thing. They don't just throw new employees on the floor without the right coaching and practice but provide them with their own "spring training." Winning retailers are always practicing customer and engagement skills. They'll take a few minutes of down time to roleplay. When a new product comes in they use it as an opportunity to practice selling skills. Managers don't waste weekly or monthly store meetings droning on but use that time for skills practice. Practice leads to winning.

So let me ask you this coach, do you have a winning team? Play ball!




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