Retail Supervisors
Supervise and coordinate the activities of retail sales workers.
Saturday rush with one person short
You are the retail supervisor on duty for a busy Saturday, with a team of five and a full shopping centre outside the door. It is 9:15am and the doors open at ten. One team member has just called in sick and the sales target for the day has been sent from head office. A delivery is waiting on the floor.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
I made a mistake last night. I gave a customer the wrong change and she was short by a bit. I only just realised. I am so sorry. Should I just put my own money in the till so the count is right?
Tell Chloe to put her own money in, so the till balances and the matter is closed
The till balances, but the customer is still out of pocket and the mistake is now hidden. Chloe is also paying for something that was an honest error.
Thank her for owning up, record the shortfall and try to contact the customer
The mistake is on record and handled. Chloe relaxes, and the team sees that owning up here is met with support, not punishment.
Tell her not to worry about it, and do nothing further
You were kind, but the records and the customer are both left unresolved. A small unspoken error can become a large problem at audit time.
Our target for the weekend is higher than last year. I know you are down a person, but I need every staff member on the floor selling. No breaks until the afternoon. Can you make that happen?
Agree and tell the team no breaks, because the target is the target
By noon your team is tired and cranky, and a customer complains about a rude reply. Fatigue costs more in sales than a short break would have.
Say you will do your best, then give the team their proper breaks in rotation as usual
Staff get what they are owed, and sales hold up. But Mr Ellison was left with a vague promise and you did not tell him about the real constraints.
Explain the staffing gap, offer a plan with breaks and ask for realistic goals
Mr Ellison is not delighted, but he accepts a plan that keeps the team healthy. The day goes well, and he now knows your store's limits.
I bought these boots eight months ago and I want my money back. They are completely worn out. I know it is outside your policy, but I think I deserve something. I want to speak to the manager.
Listen, explain the policy, and offer a goodwill option within your authority
Ms Bianchi did not get her money back, but she accepts a discount on a new pair. She leaves less angry than she arrived.
Refund her to stop the complaint, even though it is outside the policy and your authority
The refund breaks the rules you apply to every other customer, and your manager has to answer for it. The next customer with a worn pair is not so lucky.
Tell her you are the manager on duty and the answer is no
You are within the policy, but Ms Bianchi leaves furious. A quick hearing and an alternative would have cost very little.
How it went
The shop got through the Saturday with one person short, honest records and no staff in tears. Retail supervisors are teachers, referees and sales people all at once. Could you coach a team under pressure?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: Coaching Kofi at the register
A fictional case set in a fictional shoe and clothing store in a regional shopping centre, with a team of eight on weekends.
The situation
Lena was a retail supervisor at a shoe store. A new team member, Kofi, was nervous at the register and made small mistakes: a wrong discount, a voided sale, a long pause when a customer asked a question. Customers had started to look frustrated, and a few other staff rolled their eyes. Lena felt the urge to take over his register, or to correct him on the spot in front of the queue so that customers would see she was handling it.
What they did
Lena let Kofi finish the sale he was on, and then asked him to come to the back room when the shop was quiet. She asked what part of the register worried him, and he said he was afraid of pressing the wrong key. Together they practised the common sales and returns on a training screen. After that she stood nearby, and she gave feedback in private.
How it turned out
Kofi's mistakes dropped in the next fortnight, and he began helping other new starters. Lena's team saw that she backed people, and two other staff asked for time with her to practise. The queue at his register moved faster than at any other.
What would you do?
- Why did Lena avoid correcting Kofi in front of customers?
- How would you want a supervisor to help you if you were new?
- What does this show about the job of a retail supervisor?