Retail Management Workshop

Menu
  • Home
  • Free Stuff
  • Customers Say
  • Online Training
    • Online Workshops
    • Webinars
  • Courses
    • AI Applications in Retail
    • District Management
    • Max ROI Store Visits
    • Retail Product Management Program
    • Sales & Operations
    • Brand & Category
    • Retail Leadership Solution Course
    • Store Management
    • Sales & Customer Skills
    • Online Marketing
    • eCommerce with WooCommerce
    • Retail Success Choice
  • Retail Business Academy
  • Success Guides
    • Success Guides List
  • Mgmt. Quiz
  • In Person Workshops
    • The Retail Management Workshop
    • Other In Person Workshops
  • Ultimate Collection
  • 33% Increase Formula
  • RFID Primer
  • Coaching/Consulting
  • Partner With Us
  • News
  • Blog
  • Articles & Tips
    • List of Retail Articles
  • About
    • Privacy Policy

Retail Company Culture

Retail Company Culture

Having worked for several prominent retail organizations I have seen the impact of both positive and negative cultures on the workforce, the customers and, of course, the success of the business.

Have no doubt whatsoever, the head of the organization dictates, through words and actions, what the culture will be.

I want to tell you about the incredible culture created by a CEO, and a gentleman, I’ll call Sam.

For three years, I had the opportunity to work for the company that this man headed up  before he decided to sell his successful enterprise to a large, old school retailer.
We were all very happy for him.
This sale was going to mean a lot more time for he and his wife to travel and generally enjoy life after a lot of years of hard work and dedication to their business.

We were saddened to be losing such a great leader but we knew he deserved the rest and we wished him well.

Those three years were perhaps the most rewarding and educational years of my entire career, one that spans over twenty years.

The company was managed in such a way that  you had no choice but to feel like an important part of it.

No employee was ever treated like a number, unworthy of receiving up to date communication on what was happening within the company.

The executive were always aware of the impact their actions would have on store personnel and customers.

In this company everyone understood where, and by whom, sales were made and every effort was made to include input from the field whenever important decisions were being made that would affect employees or customers.

The man I speak of did not always have a successful company on his hands.
At one time, as I understand, the company had been on the brink of failure.
He, and his loyal employees managed to save it.

It was quite a feat, requiring dedication, a new direction and a new way of being. Sam did many, many things to move his company in the right direction.
To detail all of them would require a book, which I hope he will write some day, and a lot more information than I have available to me.

I did not know this man as well as some of my colleagues did but I know, for certain, that he is a man with integrity.
If he says it, you can take it to the bank.
By the time I came on board the company was doing very well. A brand new culture had been built. That’s right…built.

Culture is something you build with every word you say and every action you take. A positive culture does not come about by accident.
It takes a lot of soul searching and checking with people and just when you think you have it all figured out you have to check again.

It takes the ability and the willingness to know and admit that you don’t know everything and you don’t have all the answers.
It takes a desire to get input and feedback from the people affected by a given situation.

It takes the guts to take action to fix something that’s not working. It takes coaching and loyalty and lending a hand to those who need it.
It takes understanding that people don’t make mistakes because they want to.
It takes a firm, but kind, word to someone who messes up. It takes the ability to foster a feeling of belonging among those who are in your business family.
Sam certainly did all of these things and he worked tirelessly to ensure his executive and management teams did also.

Store Managers were invited, and expected, to have an impact on the whole organization and not just their own store.
If she made a request there were only two acceptable outcomes.
1) The request was granted and a date for completion was to be given or
2) The request was not granted and the reasons were explained.
It did not stop there if the Store Manager was not satisfied with the outcome. She was never expected to settle for an answer that did not satisfy her.
The process that ensued was one of open and on-going dialogue until either the Store Manager became convinced and was satisfied with the reason that her request could not be granted or she managed to convince her Manager that the request should be granted.

It wasn’t over just because someone said it was over.

And the company flourished. Following the news of the sale of the company, most field management stayed in place for some time.
Unfortunately, as with all good things, the culture we had come to know and love ended.

It was like a period of mourning. Executive and management moved on to new challenges and the business went straight down, at least for the short term.

The new owners will never understand what happened. There will be reasons and excuses but they all amount to nothing.
The truth, that they probably do not even realize, is that the great culture was run out of town; obviously deemed unnecessary and not worth saving.

It’s that simple and it’s such a shame.

Those of us who lived in Sam’s environment clearly understand what happened when he and his carefully chosen team were no longer at the helm.

The key to sustaining a successful business is to RESPECT the culture – after all, the business is secretly thriving on it; OBSERVE carefully, for a time, and then ACT appropriately.
If you want to get more relevant articles, tips and information please subscribe to our free newsletter RetailWise: Join RetailWise

Search DMSRetail.com

Retail Math Workshop Online

Retail Math Online

Categories

Retail Success Solution

Retail Success Solution

Recent Posts

  • Visual Merchandising Fundamentals
  • Maximize Visibility and Interest by the Customers
  • How AI is Changing Retail
  • Artificial Intelligence in Visual Merchandising
  • Mastering Inventory Management with AI
  • Revolutionizing Promotions Management
  • Importance of Signage in Visual Merchandising
  • Effective Leadership
  • Managing Retail Employees
  • Sales vs Task Orientation

Retail Product Management

Retail Product Management

Pages

  • 22 Ways of Highly Successful Retail Managers
  • 33% Increase Formula
  • 33% Increase Formula Webinar
  • About
  • Advanced Category Management Workshop Online
  • Artificial Intelligence Applications in Retail YourTime Study Course
  • Best Foot Forward Bundle
  • Best Practices for Managing a Multi Unit Retail Operation
  • Blog
  • Category Management Workshop Online
  • Customers
  • Dominate Holiday Sales
  • eCommerce with WooCommerce
  • High Performance Consulting
  • Home
  • How to Profit from AI in Retail Business
  • I Succeed Retail Employee Evaluation System
  • List of Retail Articles & Success Tips
  • Loss Prevention & Profit Protection Workshop Online
  • Magnetic Selling for High End Retailers
  • Managing for Higher Retail Success
  • Max Retail Profits Through AI
  • Max Retail Profits Through AI PowerPoint Presentation
  • Max ROI Store Visits Workshop Online
  • Max ROI Store Visits YourTime Study Course
  • Online Marketing for Retailers
  • Online Workshops
  • Online Workshops List
  • Open to Buy Planning Online
  • Partner Business
  • Retail Analytics
  • Retail Brand & Category Management YourTime Study Course
  • Retail Business Academy
  • Retail Company Culture
  • Retail Consulting & Coaching
  • Retail Customer Experience Fundamentals-2nd Edition
  • Retail District Management Workshop Online
  • Retail District Management YourTime Study Course
  • Retail Leadership Solution Course
  • Retail Leadership Solution Webinar
  • Retail Management Style Quiz
  • Retail Management Webinars
  • Retail Managers Exclusive Video Collection
  • Retail Math & Analytics Workshop Online
  • Retail Math Made Simple
  • Retail Math Test
  • Retail Math Webinar
  • Retail Operations Management Workshop Online
  • Retail Operations Management YourTime Study Course
  • Retail Product Management Program
  • Retail Product Management Workshop
  • Retail Reality Check
  • Retail Sales Skills for Good and Bad Times Online Training
  • Retail Selling Skills & Customer Service Fundamentals YourTime Study Course
  • Retailer’s Guide to Emotional Hot Buttons
  • Retailer’s Guide to Online Marketing
  • RFID-Radio Frequency Identification Device
  • Self Study Courses
  • Store Management for Maximum Success
  • Store Manager’s Organizer/Planner 2nd Edition
  • Success Choice
  • Success Guides List
  • Super Retail Success Bundle
  • The Retail Management Workshop
  • The Retail Management Workshop (Virtual)
  • The Retail Management Workshop Intro
  • The Retail Management Workshop Venues
  • The Retail Standards, Benchmarks & Execution Seminar Online
  • Ultimate Retail Success Collection
  • Using Store Manager Organizer
  • Webinars List
  • Webinars Online
  • What Do Customers Say?
  • Winning at Store Management
DMSRetail

DMSRetail provides consulting, training, tools and know-how on various topics of retail management including retail technology, operations and merchandising. Most of the products and services we offer can be found on this website, but to take a quick look at complete list of products and services you can go to Retail Business Academy page.

Recent Posts
  • Visual Merchandising Fundamentals
  • Maximize Visibility and Interest by the Customers
  • How AI is Changing Retail
  • Artificial Intelligence in Visual Merchandising
  • Mastering Inventory Management with AI
Get in Touch

Phone:    +1 (312) 239-0919

Toll Free: +1 (800) 953-4501

Fax:         +1 (647) 370-0265

eMail:       info@dmsretail.com

Address: PO Box 500, Innifil, Ontario, CA

About DMSRetail

DMSRetail is in the business of Making Retailers Successful through an enhanced set of capabilities. Through meticulously designed products and services, DMSRetail makes a positive impact on the operations of retailers spanning diverse product lines and various formats. [MORE]

Copyright © 1991-2023, DMSRetail Inc. All rights reserved
Design by InternetHatch
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT