20 Tips to Become a Better Retail Manager

As a retail manager, the holiday season can be hectic, exhausting and make you dread the holiday season. Here are some tips to make it through this holiday season alive and with most of your hair.

It's all about the customer: Make sure that everyone on your team understands that the customer is the main concern. Despite the fact the customers are annoying and most of the time wrong, remember the phrase "The customer is always right." While you may not always agree with the customer, their point of view or the way they speak to you, you must remember that they truly sign your paycheck.

Doctor your customers: Everyone wants to thing they are special and not more so than the holiday season. When you are with the customer focus on them, and truly listen to what they are saying to you. Even though you may disagree you should try to make that customer feel respected, important and make them want to come back.

Delight the customer: While this practice is often heard, it is seldom practiced. Sometimes the littlest thing can help your customers feel appreciated.

You never have to make up for a good start: If a project gets off on a bad foot, it can be difficult to recover so do your planning beforehand and set off on the right foot.

Train your supervisors: The key to a successful business is productivity. You can't be productive with a weak link. Train the weak link even if it means training your supervisors or managers.

Under-promise and over-deliver: This goes beyond the old adage "don't promise what you can't deliver," but deliver more than you promise. This is a good way to keep your current customers and attract more.

You first obligation is to the customer: Without customers you don't have a business and you should treat them like you, as a customer, would want to be treated.

You have to make a difference: The group you manage should be more effective with you there than if you were gone. If you don't prove to be valuable, why keep you on the payroll?

Your biggest business challenge is your competition: The competition is always out to steal your customers so get theirs before they take yours.

Follow through on sales promises: Nothing loses a customer faster than broken promises. Stay in stock on sale and advertised merchandise and don't tell a customer you will get something in tomorrow unless you really will get in.

Doing it right costs less than doing it over: Save the costs, customer dissatisfaction and lowered worker moral by doing it right the first time.

Don't be a de-motivator: You job should be to keep people motivated and working towards a common goal. Actions often speak louder than words and you can lead better by example.

Keep the flame alive: When people join your organization they are excited and ready to do great things. Do what you can to keep that excitement alive and their productivity will be much higher.

You can't listen with your mouth open: Listening to the people around you can teach you many things. There may be truly be something of value in what they and you can't hear it, if you're talking all the time. Shut up and learn.

Anyone can steer the ship in calm waters: What will show your value most is how you perform when the ocean gets rough.

It is easier to save a dollar than earn one: Remember this when spending; it takes away from your profit. Think first before spending and only purchase things necessary for the business to grow and succeed.

Appearance does matter: Whether it's packaging, merchandising or your teams dress, how you look leaves a big impression.

Get your people involved: It's easier to get your employees to stand behind a decision if they helped make it.

Fix the problem, not the blame: It is more productive and less expensive to fix the problem then to waste time deciding who's fault it was.

Actively listen: Honestly listen and evaluate what people have to say, and don't let your ego get in the way. You can learn a lot about the desires of customers and what your business needs to grow, just by listening.

So, make this holiday season a successful one by stopping to heed this advice before you freak out this holiday season.