Workforce Management is a powerful tool. Much has been discussed about how it can enhance your retail company’s efficiency in the workplace. Whether you are an HR Analyst, a Regional Manager, or even a Frontline Employee, there aren’t enough fingers and toes to count the ways in which Workforce Management can benefit you. What hasn’t been discussed nearly enough is that Workforce Management not only improves employee satisfaction but also benefits your customers. While there are just as many ways Workforce Management can boost your customer satisfaction, the following three stand out above the rest.
Less Busy Work for Management, More Customer Engagement
It is well-documented that customer satisfaction is significantly enhanced the more hands-on your management staff are in your store. It is also well-known, as I learned from my previous experience as a retail manager, that there is an overwhelming amount of paperwork that comes with the job, particularly around scheduling. It’s common to find entire mornings disappearing as you bounce between your desk and the wall-mounted calendar 10 feet away, trying your best to decipher an employee’s availability notes, often scrawled in almost indecipherable handwriting. Perhaps you are slightly more streamlined and spend that time sifting through piles of request forms to accomplish the same task, or if you’re really organised, an Excel spreadsheet that employees can update. All this time spent trying to solve the endless puzzle that is scheduling your employees is time that could be spent on the shop floor, directing and teaching (or if you’re like me, inspiring) your employees, and offering your wisdom and extensive knowledge to customers who need that extra nudge towards making a purchase.
With the advanced scheduling tools of Pro Workforce Management, you can reclaim your valuable time through a series of automated processes. Employees can submit their time off from their own devices, which means no more illegible handwriting or stacks of paper. All the incoming requests are neatly organised in your dashboard, and once approved, they go directly into the schedule. When it’s time to compile the schedule, the preconfigured scheduling engine will automatically create every shift required for a successful working week and then assign employees to those shifts based on their approved availability. In fact, it will even alert you if an employee is violating scheduling rules, such as entering overtime or breaking laws for minors. With this powerful tool, you eliminate most of the time burden associated with scheduling and can now focus on enhancing customer satisfaction.
Transparent Schedules, Efficient Employees
We’ve talked a lot about management, but what about the frontline employee? The benefits of Pro Workforce Management help managers increase their time on the shop floor and drive customer satisfaction, but we all know that frontline employees are where it all begins. From the first greeting to the first customer of the day to the final “Have a nice day” before closing up, most customer interactions are with the frontline employees, so it is crucial to maintain team morale by supporting them. This can be a challenging task, especially when schedules go awry (and we know they inevitably will). Some shifts can become overcrowded, and others too sparse. Miscommunication, outdated information, and last-minute call-ins can negatively impact an entire day, ultimately affecting customer satisfaction. However, just as Pro Workforce Management reduces burdens for managers, it does the same for frontline employees and more.
With the Advanced Scheduler Module, not only are schedules quickly compiled for employees to know their shifts well in advance, but additional tools also allow employees to take greater ownership of their time off. When life throws a curveball, employees can use the Pro WFM app on their device, select their affected shift, and submit a request. This allows a manager to see the request and choose from a list of employees who are qualified and available to work, and once completed, that employee receives immediate communication and an updated schedule for review. You can even increase efficiency by allowing shift swaps, where employees offer their shift to fellow coworkers or post their shift to a job board for coworkers to choose from, both of which can be automatically processed once completed. With this level of functionality, every employee knows when and where to be at any given time, and numerous scheduling issues are eliminated. With a fully equipped workforce that is both efficient and content with their workload, customers will be greeted, served, and assisted at the highest level of service your store team can provide, leading to a dramatic increase in customer satisfaction.
Planning for the Unexpected with Forecasting
Even with the benefits of the Advanced Scheduler Module supporting both management and frontline employees and boosting customer satisfaction, we all know there is the lurking, dreaded unpredictability of retail rushes. Managers can prepare for some of these as best as possible, such as anticipating potential holiday rushes. But as the saying goes, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Unexpected rushes for certain items that sell particularly well at the start of a season, or annual local events or conventions, can wreak havoc on your scheduling plans. Customer satisfaction is at its most fragile during these times, with customers feeling highly stressed and often in need of staff assistance that is not immediately available. How do we tackle this? No offence to the mice or the men, but we have the Forecasting module of Pro Workforce Management.
With Forecasting, you can automate much of the unknown and unexpected. The system itself will track, monitor, and analyse your own labour standards and sales data, leading to a forecast that becomes more accurate with each passing day. Using this data, accurate headcounts can be predicted down to the specific department in need, and then work with the scheduling engine to create a well-planned schedule that is prepared for the unexpected. With this tool at your disposal, customer satisfaction will reach even greater heights. Customers who might take your help for granted on a normal day will never forget your essential assistance during a busy one.
While these three methods showcase incredible tools to boost customer satisfaction, they only scratch the surface of how Pro WFM can benefit every level of your retail company. By streamlining typical processes into automated solutions, you free up time for team members and managers to interact with customers, increase sales, and provide an overall surge in efficiency and satisfaction for both staff and customers alike.
As experts in Workforce Management for the retail industry, we are committed to helping you unlock the full potential of your business. To discover how our solutions can be tailored to meet your specific needs, we invite you to request a free consultation with one of our experienced consultants. Let us help you transform your workforce management and elevate your customer satisfaction to new heights.
Contact us today to schedule your free consultation and take the first step towards a more efficient and customer-focused retail operation.