Key issues affecting productivity in the retail sector

Can you identify with some of the following issues in your own business? They’re typical of the problems brought to us by our customers in the retail sector.

  • We don’t have “true time standards” across our stores and we need a corporate, standard measure so that we can accurately staff and benchmark performance company-wide.
  • Solve this dilemma: we’re very sensitive to both margin and price but must still meet our high service standards. We need to ensure we’re taking every opportunity to drive unnecessary costs out of the business and concentrate on adding value.
  • We want to do more to establish successful models for our large network of franchisees and provide them with all the necessary detail including optimum staffing for the varying mix and levels of business.
Productivity issues in retail

If you share similar concerns, perhaps together we can find the solution for you. We did for every one of these.

Take the productivity challenge here

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Scott-Grant’s experience in the retail sector

Here are some recent examples of how we’ve helped businesses in the retail sector

Example 1

A large high street retailer had developed a staffing model with typical average times for activities in its several hundreds of retail sites. However, the staffing model needed to be applied to each specific store so a team of our Industrial Engineers was assigned to collect the data, determining store parameters including layouts, distances, frequencies, sizes and product range. The retailer now has accurate staffing models for each store across the UK, rather than just the averages.

Example 2

A leading supermarket chain was challenged by the constant need to change or adapt time standards to reflect different work content according to volume and product mix caused by seasonal or promotional activities. Such activities affect all the different specialist departments within each store. To address this we created a database using the MOST® technique, covering every activity in their stores. The information was then collected using a team of our Industrial Engineers to create frequencies and volume drivers for each type and size of store. Applying these time standards and store parameters through a new staffing model has now enabled the retailer to identify the impact of all activities or mix changes on their staffing levels and budgets for every store.

Retail productivity

How to learn more about Productivity Improvement

Productivity can be improved in every department of every organisation. We offer opportunities to learn at an appreciation or awareness level, through to individual qualifications, or with guided learning on a live project in your workplace.

Some suggestions for studying productivity improvement

What to do next

If you need to improve capacity or reduce costs, or you need accurate data to determine how best to cope with change, we can provide the right way forward – cost-effectively. Remember that improving productivity is about making the better use of all your resources and vitally, making much better use of the critical ones.

Whichever business sector you operate in, the chances are we’ve helped people to address their productivity issues and improve the way they operate.

Scott-Grant can really help you improve your productivity and become more streamlined.

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Productivity Improvement

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