While most people are lost in their shopping lists or the allure of the newest sales while wandering the aisles of a bustling store, they probably don't give much thought to the logistics of product sourcing.
On the other hand, managers of retail development and operations are tasked with coordinating the intricate dance that occurs behind the scenes. They encounter numerous obstacles and must make critical decisions that impact customers' purchasing experiences.
Research shows that 70% of purchases are completed in person, and around 70% of customers would rather leave a store with a physical item in hand.
Similar to how slotting fees influence which items are sold in stores, several elements can determine the success or failure of a store's retail operations manager and retail development manager.
These unsung heroes of retail play a vital role in providing consumers with a seamless and enjoyable experience by managing inventories and adapting to ever-changing retail trends. Let's look at what does retail execution mean?
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What is Retail Execution?
The term "retail execution" encompasses all the measures taken by a business to ensure that a customer reaches the checkout.
Retail execution, therefore, revolves around timing and ensuring the right products are placed on the correct shelf.
Moreover, the retail execution process helps materialize the brand's vision for the in-store consumer experience. It serves as the driving force behind the relationship between a brand and its consumers, whether through product placement, promotional displays, precise pricing, or maintaining full inventory.
Common Aspects of Managing a Retail Business As a Manager
It's common knowledge that retail execution is both crucial and challenging.
Obstacles have always existed; we'll delve into them later on this page. However, ensuring uniformity and compliance across hundreds of locations is no easy task.
Every time this vision is realized, there are usually three things that work together to make it happen.
The following could be among them:
Manufacturers
When it comes to the appropriate execution of their company's goods and placement, several businesses employ a committed team of direct-to-store distributors.
Workers in this industry return any things that go unsold beyond their expiry dates, put up displays, and replenish shelves for businesses ranging from soda to cosmetics.
Retailers
If the manufacturer's team isn't involved in the product's handling upon receipt, the retailer should consult planograms or merchandising guidelines for displays.
Retail shelves are always stocked and consumers can always locate what they need when everything goes according to plan.
Service Providers
When it comes to managing the retail stores that carry their goods, some corporations rely on third-party labor suppliers.
These companies may oversee the needs of several brands, ensuring that their items are available and simple to find at every retail location.
Every single person contributes significantly to the retail execution management process, regardless of your role.
Why is this Crucial for Retailers?
Customers usually have their wallets out and ready to buy the moment they step foot in a store, yet bad retail execution methods cost businesses 25% of their sales every year.
A robust retail execution strategy benefits retailers in several ways:
- Enhancing the in-store experience by efficiently translating vision into reality, thereby accelerating implementation.
- Improving the customer experience as a whole to increase conversion rates in-store and boost revenue.
- Increasing agility, responsiveness, and competitiveness by facilitating the experimentation of new concepts.
Moreover, such a strategy supports store teams by:
- Giving them the freedom to concentrate on what really matters, which ultimately boosts sales.
- Providing a clear roadmap for success, thereby improving performance.
- Boosting employee happiness and engagement helps increase revenue and delight customers.
For consumers, a strong retail execution strategy results in:
- A more pleasant shopping experience as a result of enhanced service and setting.
- More efficient retrieval of sought-after items facilitated by helpful sales associates.
- Consistent and engaging interactions with their favorite brands across various store locations.
However, when a retailer lacks or inadequately implements a retail execution strategy, several negative outcomes occur:
- Failure to properly execute directives from headquarters, resulting in wasted resources.
- Loss of revenue invested in developing new concepts.
- Decline in customer experience quality.
- Missed sales opportunities.
The Significance of Retail Execution and Monitoring
Retail execution plays a vital role as it sets the stage for an engaging, effortless, and seamless product journey from the assembly line to the hands of the consumer.
In a report titled ‘ Retail Execution: The New Differentiator ’, Deloitte estimates that 90% of companies fail to execute their strategy.
Therefore, it's crucial to be meticulous when preparing for and carrying out these tasks. Ensuring all items are in stock, maintaining designated areas, publicizing and activating planned promotions, and presenting products in aesthetically pleasing displays across all stores are essential steps.
While maintaining uniformity across multiple locations may pose challenges, businesses can take steps to ensure adherence to the plan.
Implementing innovative task management systems for frontline staff provides real-time insights into each store, enhancing customer confidence in the company's reputation and product quality.
Challenges of Retail Execution
There will be challenges along the way to facilitating effective retail implementation for CPGs.
CPGs encounter several obstacles that require thoughtful analysis and preventative measures. These challenges include negotiating the intricate retail environment and handling data, competitive, and in-store operational concerns:
- Complex Retail Landscape: Companies in the consumer goods industry face a high degree of complexity in driving strategy, given their presence in multiple markets, use of various channels, variety of store formats, and different levels of retailer participation.
An extreme challenge for consumer packaged goods companies is managing their numerous retail partners, meeting their needs, and adapting their execution strategies to diverse store layouts.
- Execution Inconsistencies: Consistent execution across multiple retail locations is a common challenge for consumer packaged goods businesses. Issues such as inconsistent planogram compliance, product positioning, and shelf stock levels can adversely affect both brand exposure and consumer satisfaction.
Achieving consistent performance across several sites requires strong communication, training, and monitoring.
- Limited Influence on In-Store Execution: The ultimate power for in-store execution rests with the retailer; hence, consumer packaged goods corporations often have little say in the matter.
When it comes to consumer packaged goods (CPG) efforts, retailers may have different goals, tactics, and limitations on resources. It can be difficult for consumer packaged goods firms to manage this loss of control while still aligning with the interests of retailers.
- Intense Competition for Visibility: Numerous brands compete for limited shelf space and consumer attention, making retail execution challenging.
Companies need to distinguish their goods, acquire shelf space, and stand out among competitors. The field team must exert tremendous effort to continuously monitor busy retail situations in order to maximize placement and visibility.
- Higher Rate of Turnover in Field Resources: Carrying out in-store operations with thousands of field resources every day, CPGs risk disaster with a high attrition rate.
Consumer packaged goods companies frequently experience a drop in income as a consequence of employee turnover, requiring them to retrain and establish new connections with clients.
- Fragmented Retail Data and Data Governance: Obtaining up-to-date and reliable retail data can pose quite a challenge due to scattered data sources.
Information necessary for mapping and aligning business functionality across different business units, data on the field team's performance, details about the brand's presence in stores, and observational data originates from different sources, underscoring the importance of governance.
Strategies for Achieving Outstanding Retail Execution
- Real-time Performance Tracking: When businesses utilize technology to track numerous performance indicators in real-time, they can promptly respond to any deviations from the intended execution strategy. A data-driven approach enables swift improvements and modifications to maximize effectiveness.
- Data-driven Decision-making: Decisions regarding pricing, inventory management, and product placement can be more aligned with market trends and customer preferences when leveraging data analytics. Data-driven insights guide strategic execution decisions.
- Collaborative Retailer Partnerships: Cooperation and alignment in execution efforts are fostered by building solid connections with retailers. By working together, we can make sure that the retailer understands the brand's vision and that their execution plan is consistent and harmonious.
- Leveraging Technology for Monitoring: Retailers can save time and money by using smart technologies that help in inventory management, digital task management, and the execution of promotions.
- Implementing Successful Training Programs: With an average staff turnover rate of more than 60% and an estimated $19 billion lost in new staff costs due to high turnover.
Since field teams are crucial to carrying out the retail execution plan, a Learning Management System that is driven by gamification and micro-learning might be the solution to effective on-site training.
- Make Use of Social Media: If online shopping and social media are on your radar, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest deserve your undivided attention. These platforms are tailored for customer engagement, making them ideal for stores.
Moreover, Pinterest stands out as a go-to destination for gathering information before making purchasing decisions, adding significant value to the mix.
- Maintaining the Displays: Preventing empty shelves and product shortages is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction. Even if there's excess inventory in the back room, shoppers might opt for a competitor if your shelves are empty. That's why utilizing retail task management software to monitor inventory levels and address any gaps is paramount.
- Detect Issues and Make Quick Adjustments: Documenting the impact of implemented changes, both successful ones and failures is crucial. Pay heed to feedback from frontline employees who possess valuable insights into products and customers.
Technology to Help Mitigate Retail Execution Challenges
Retail Execution Solution
Make it possible for field sales reps to use guided workflows to obtain real-time information, gather data, and complete a variety of activities while they are at retail locations.
Integrated CRM
Oversee and supervise the implementation of several facets of retail, such as consumer tagging, promotions, pricing, and merchandising, as well as the planning of territories.
Data & Analytics
Applying analytics to retail execution data on sales, inventory, product performance, promotions, competition, and customer feedback may provide valuable insights.
APIs
Provide on-the-spot prompts and direction to optimize field force possibilities, as well as real-time transfer information from retail execution for improved planning.
Computer Vision
Retail execution systems with built-in computer vision can automate data input tasks for pricing, promotions, inventory, and more, speeding up field trips.
Internet of Things (IoT) Devices
Smart shelf sensors, electronic shelf labels, and beacons are Internet of Things (IoT) devices that can capture data in real time on product availability, stock levels, and customer interactions.
Route Optimization (Geolocation & Mapping Tools)
Assist field representatives in making the most effective use of their time by figuring out the best routes to take, organizing their shop visits, and checking that they visit all of the sites on their routes.
Collaboration & Communication Tools
Help the field reps, merchandisers, sales teams, and administrative staff communicate, assign tasks, and coordinate efficiently.
Collaborate with them to find solutions that benefit everyone. With open lines of communication, employees can promptly inform corporate if the intended design isn't working, providing valuable feedback to improve product setups.
Power up Your Retail Execution With Xenia
Meet Xenia, your all-in-one solution for retail operations execution.
With Xenia, you can skip the chaos of managing tasks and work orders. Our customizable operations templates make it super easy to enforce accountability and ensure adherence to protocols.
Plus, real-time reporting and analytics give you actionable insights at your fingertips.
You can track performance metrics, identify anomalies, and address potential issues with ease. And let's not forget about our mobile accessibility feature, allowing your team to stay productive on the go.
From template-based operations to instant messaging and ready-to-go retail store operations templates, this retail execution program has everything you need to revolutionize your retail processes.
FAQs - What Is Retail Execution
- What does retail execution mean?
Retail execution refers to the process of implementing strategies and activities in retail environments to ensure that products are effectively presented, promoted, and available to consumers.
It involves tasks such as product placement, pricing, promotions, inventory management, and customer engagement to maximize sales and enhance the overall shopping experience.
- What is retail execution?
Retail execution encompasses the activities and strategies employed by retailers to effectively manage their operations and deliver value to customers.
These processes include various aspects such as merchandising, inventory management, store layout, customer service, and marketing efforts aimed at optimizing sales and customer satisfaction.
- How do I choose the best free retail execution software for my business?
To choose the best free retail execution software for your business, consider factors such as ease of use, scalability, customization options, customer support, and integration capabilities.
Evaluate multiple options, test their features, and select the one that best meets your needs and budget constraints.
Unify Team Operations, Maintenance and Safety Compliance with Xenia
Xenia unifies daily operations, maintenance management and quality assurance to help ensure teams and facilities are effective and efficient.
Our customers love Xenia's robust use cases including:
Operational Execution
✔️ Checklists & SOPs
Create checklists, SOPs, Inspections and Data Logs to power accountability, training and staff clarity on every task.
💪 Team Task Management
Assign work digitally to defeat pencil whipping and disorganized teams. Complete tasks, chat with teams on any device, track time, collect photos, and ensure high quality work.
📆 Recurring Tasks
Create recurring schedules for daily opening and closings, performance review meetings, inspections, cleanings and more.
📲 Chats & Announcements
Centralize team communications with in task chats, one-on-one chats, team messages and company wide announcements
📊 Team Performance Reporting
Use Xenia's analytics dashboards to view staff work reports. Filter by asset, location, category or due date and export the report in PDF or Excel
Maintenance Management
🛠️ Work Orders
Create work orders with associated team, asset, location, priority, category and due date. View live progress reports on each work order, chat with teams, and review resulting template submission, images and notes to improve operations.
🧰 Preventive Maintenance
Create a preventive maintenance calendar to ensure asset uptime is not compromised. Attach images, templates, videos and notes to every task and assign to a team or individual for completion.
📲 QR Codes
Generate and attach QR codes to equipment and facility locations to enable fast and accurate inspections and data logs.
⚙️ Work Order Requests
Receive, approve and assign work order requests from tenants, regular customers and vendors. Enable requesters to submit, track, and communicate with your team, without access to operations templates or unrelated work orders.
📁 Equipment Work History
View work history for every asset and sub asset in Xenia. Review performance data and enable corrective actions to improve your operation.
Safety Compliance & Quality Assurance
👍 Concrete Brand Standards
Put your brand standards in a clear and operational checklist to be attached to work assignments.
🔎 Smart Inspection Workflows
Xenia's operations template builder has built in conditional logic into each step. This allows you to trigger actions based on a form response such as creating a corrective action on a failed inspection step, sending a notification to management for out of range meter readings, and much more.
✨ Corrective Actions
Operationalize inspections with fast work order assignment arising from a failed inspection step. All corrective data is stored in the checklist submission for auditing and accountability.
📋 Analytics and Reports
View live dashboard summaries of tasks, employee performance, template submissions and more. Filter, organize and export compliance reports to PDF and Excel formats to simplify compliance management.
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