By cwalters March 11, 2008

For the retail managers lurking here: an analysis of data from a “US specialty retailer” shows that not reducing staff during lean times leads to an increase in profit margins. [The Times South Africa]

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Comments

  1. SaveMeJeebus says:
    March 11, 2008 at 2:24 am

    The article… umm… left a little to be desired.

  2. ChuckECheese says:
    March 11, 2008 at 4:27 am

    @SaveMeJeebus: I was too tired to click on the link. Thanks for saving me the trouble.

  3. mike says:
    March 11, 2008 at 10:18 am

    I went to Best Buy yesterday, like 1pm in the afternoon. There were three people in the TV department waiting for a sales person. Since I knew a bit about TV’s, I helped them out the best I could, but I still left with questions (not about TVs, mind you, but about mounts).

    I left wondering if Best Buy, et al had an appointment system, if they would do better.

    It’s sad…

  4. SeaKaySea says:
    March 11, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    It is the same with Advertising. A decrease in sales is not the time to “save” money by decreaseing your advertising budget…just the opposite.

  5. Gaambit says:
    March 11, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    The bookstore chain I work for is having the same deal. No one has been out right let go yet, but the hours have been cut dramatically, and there are a lot of days where if someone calls out sick, we’re not allowed to call in any coverage. From what I hear, it’s happening nationwide with our company.

    They also just recently announced that they are doing away with most of the “lead” positions on the floor, again, a nationwide move. If the employee currently is in the position, they can keep it. But if that employee were to quit, his or her duties in whatever section was theirs (bargain, trade, cafe, etc.) would be doled out to to a couple part-timers.

  6. diamondmaster1 says:
    March 11, 2008 at 9:13 pm

    @sohmc:

    “I left wondering if Best Buy, et al had an appointment system, if they would do better.”

    Nope–I can tell you from experience that people HATE being told they have to make an appointment in retail–pretty much for anything, for that matter.