Company Blog

You’ve Got To Empower

by Adam Zack — November 12, 2015

Find innovative ways to say thank you

Ok, so last week I talked about why customers leave your business (68% due to employee attitude or indifference, remember?) and how empowering them is the key to the positive attitude and elimination of indifference. I know, I know, it’s an easy thing to say, “Just empower your employees, easy! Done!”, but we are not here to give some blanket statement with no details on how to actually do that. That would be just plain dumb and unhelpful. So, as promised here are some ways to empower (definition: To enable or permit.) your employees to be outstanding, involved, creative honest and caring.

Give them direct contact to management and owners: The grocery business has traditionally been a top-down management structure. The old “You’ll know what you know when I want you to know it” style needs to be turned upside down. They need to be comfortable to contact you with their honest feedback without fear that they will get in any kind of trouble. Suggestion boxes, email addresses, idea exchange groups and employee involvement committees are simple and effective.
Do an annual employee survey: Really think the questions through, give them a choice to make their answers anonymous, give them an incentive to participate and above all, act on the results. Surveymonkey.com is a great avenue for this.
Encourage safe failure: You want and need them to try new things and I guarantee there are at least 10 ideas to improve your store that your employees have that they just haven’t shared because they are afraid of failing or being embarrassed.
Support independence: Everyone hates to be micromanaged. Give them goals and let them go at it. Check on progress, give feedback and recognize them when they shine.
Find innovative ways to say thank you: Public postings, lunch coupons, announcing accomplishments over the P.A., certificates, stars, and trophies all empower employees to care and be better.
Let them “Make it right”: When something goes wrong, as it does frequently when you are dealing with thousands of customers a week, employees should be able to do little things like offer a cup of coffee, give a child a cookie, quickly facilitate refunds and expedite special orders. Nothing is more irritating to customers than when it takes an apparent Act of Congress to get a sandwich remade that has been screwed up or get a refund on a bad product.
Clearly define their responsibilities: As we have discussed before, the grocery business is notorious for communicating with employees. They need (and want) to know what, when and why you expect. Couple that with consistent accountability and you are manager of the year.
Get a strong, positive mystery shopper program in place: Your mystery shop should be customized to your store and your expectations with the results posted to your employees quickly. Reward 100% scores. The best and most affordable I have found is JMRIDGWAY.COM