6 tips for retailers during shop shutdown

Continuing in our series of blogs created with an aim to help retailers and charity retailers during this period of downtime, we offer up these following pointers that we hope could benefit you and your staff.

Use this time to get ahead, skill-up and get ready to hit the ground running when things return to normal.

1. Time to Train 🤓

Take time to train your staff. Maybe use this time to concentrate on more training where you feel is needed i.e. training you have not had time to do previously.  This way, when things pick up in a few months’ time, both you and your staff will be ready to hit the ground running. Cybertill is currently hosting weekly free webinars for all of our customers on various aspects of retailing which have been very well received.

2. Dive into your back office 📂

Take time to look into your back office. Check stock taking and sales analysis reports, this could be a good time to come across any mistakes that have been getting made realise which stock sold / does not sell best.

3. Move online 👩‍💻

If you do not currently sell online then this is a really good time to start doing so.  As you will be getting less customers visiting your store then it is wise to keep revenue coming in by selling online.  In the future it could be that shoppers who have bought online now for the first time tend to do so again in the future. Selling online can also help you reach vulnerable and elderly customers who may need to shop online now and in the future.

4. Conquer your challenges 📊

Take this time look at your previous and current challenges within your retail operation.  What would you like to happen? Set out intentions for your business and outline how you will achieve them.

5. Plan your return 📝

You have ample time ahead of you to draw up a precise and strategic plan for your return. What does your plan look like? Can you work back from a 30 day plan to return to normal? I.e 30 days away, 25 days away, 15, 10, and 5 days away. You can never be too prepared, and it’s also a nice little project to get stuck into that can take as little or as long as you like, depending on how much detail you want to go into.

6. Positivi-tea ☕

Try to remember that things will slow down, but customers will come back, the streets will be busy and bustling again.  Hence why it is important for us to do what we can now while we wait for those customers to be back with us. View this time as a chance to tick off items on the never-ending to do list, whack on the kettle and get started!