OPINION: INVEST IN YOUR GREATEST ASSET

To all multi-door retailers—both luxury and moderate—who are undoubtedly wishing for better menswear business, here’s a modest proposal. We’ve seen many changes in the business over the past decade: the decline in tailored clothing in favor of casual dressing, a new generation of shoppers buying online or at discount stores (rather than your outlet stores), less foot traffic in your full-price stores, the unprojected expense of creating your own online business, and unexpected competition from your vendors selling and promoting directly to your customers. As a result of these challenges, you’ve been closing unprofitable doors, making extensive renovations, adding stylish new eateries with trendy ‘foodie’ menus, etc. While these moves are certainly commendable (I hear all the time “we need to create an experience in our stores!”) I maintain that you’re forgetting your biggest asset: your sellers.

Consider this suggestion for “creating a new experience”:

Pay MORE to sales personnel, dress them in current (what’s being shown on the floor!) wardrobes at YOUR expense and train them diligently on SELLING SKILLS. By doing this, your sellers will create that new in-store experience by inspiring with their stylish attire and following up with their vast product knowledge. This will establish trust because, when properly trained and motivated, sellers will instinctively demonstrate what I call my 3 C’s: Concern (good listening), Care (showing merchandise as if it were fine jewelry) and Comfort (once sellers do the first two, shoppers will feel comfortable and confident shopping with someone they now trust to dress them).

Granted, you might be thinking “we can’t afford to do this across the board” but have you been on your selling floors lately to notice how uninspiring your sellers are? So many sales associates (the face of your company) dress in a dated way so why wouldn’t customers assume their advice is also dated? I know business today is driven by technology but we’re in the people business: if you don’t get your sales associates in great outfits, greeting customers with warmth and enthusiasm, you’re running uphill and revenues decline. Remember: profitable sales overcome marketing mistakes every time!

It’s also important to train your managers (who should more accurately be called leaders) on what it takes to be a great seller so they can get out of their offices to become ambassadors to clients and to encourage/support the sellers. A manager records the past; a leader with a compelling vision creates the future. Here’s to the leaders!

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Frank Schipani is an industry consultant and sales training specialist. He can be reached at Frank@theschipanigroup.com.