A Beginners Guide to Staffing for Point of Sale

• T-ROC Staff
• Jun 4, 2020
• 7 mins read

 

 

Staffing For Point Of Sale

How to get the right team and system for your POS needs.

One of the most important components of any retail business is the staff onsite helping customers. The point of sale is where the magic happens – or doesn’t – and your store employees have a tremendous impact on the purchase decision. Do customers find what they need? Do they get the kind of service they deserve? Does every employee on your staff bring something important to the customer experience delivered at the point of sale?

Additionally, there are retail management and operational considerations that impact POS performance. For example, staff scheduling and time clocks, team training, and payroll consistency all have a big role in how well your retail business performs, and, therefore, how effectively your business drives sales. 

Managing employees is a monumental task, and this is particularly true when it comes to retail. In fact, many brands and retailers just aren’t equipped to go it alone. Instead, they rely on help from a POS specialist. These companies provide POS systems and advanced resources to simplify the complexities of managing numerous workers.

The whole point of implementing a POS system is to make life easier for you and your employees, and to help convert more customers at the point of sale. The right system and features can dramatically enhance your operations, provide greater customer engagement, and help you avoid headaches at the POS. However, if you choose the wrong POS system, you’ll likely wind up with inferior features that fail to meet your operational needs and, even worse, fail to improve staff performance in your stores.

How many employees do you manage? Is your retail business currently using a POS system? Would you like to learn more about technology tools and best practices that can help you win at the point of sale? To find out more ways to succeed and drive sales, check out our post on How to Make an Aisle End Cap Display that Drives Sales.

 

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Finding the right POS system for your retail business.

There are many options out there. So how do you find the perfect partner – the company that has the POS system with the features you need to get the most out of your sales staff? The truth is, you’re going to have to invest the time to do some thorough market research.

According to Chis Green, Vice President of Business Development, for The Revenue Optimization Companies (T-ROC), “Staffing at the point of sale is mission critical for retail businesses. But doing it right is a lot more difficult than it sounds. There are just so many variables. Where are you finding talent? How are you rewarding them for jobs well done? How are you scheduling employees and holding them accountable to your standards, and how are you empowering them to do the best possible job and drive retail sales? It’s a tall order and that’s where the right POS staffing system can make a huge impact.”

There are a number of features and benefits that every POS system should offer. Make sure any solution you get helps manage your staff and POS operations by delivering real advantages in these key areas:

Scheduling & Time Clocks

One of the greatest challenges in managing POS staff is making sure the right people are on the job at the right time. A solid POS system automates the scheduling process, so it’s easy to staff up during peak hours and staff down when business slows. Changes in the schedule can be done instantly by logging into the system. Additionally, automated time clocks allow employees to punch-in and punch-out with a secure PIN. Each employee can access and track his or her own hours by logging into their profile.

Employee Tracking

A good POS staffing system gives you real visibility into your employees and their performance. You’ll see who’s been putting in the longest hours; who’s been working overtime; who made the sale; who’s getting the job done and who’s not.

Task Management

It’s hard to demand a lot from your staff if you’re not explicitly clear on these expectations. An effective POS system provides employees with clear tasks and time frames, so they know exactly what their responsibilities are, as well as how and when they’re expected to accomplish them. This not only gives you a better idea of who’s performing on the job, it also empowers your employees to continue doing their best by holding them accountable for clear and specific goals.

Customer Engagement

Today’s most advanced POS systems take advantage of mobile technologies that help employees engage customers more effectively. For example, these mobile solutions might provide sales staff with instant access to frequently asked questions, so they can answer them quickly and correctly. They might provide important information about product features and benefits. They can also be used as a resource to capture customer data during the engagement – phone numbers, emails, addresses – that can be used to continue the relationship later on with special sales, announcements, events and other offerings. This drives customer loyalty and can help build lasting relationships.

Employee Training

Training is essential if you want to get the most out of your sales staff. Many POS systems double as training tools, providing new employees with information on product features, standard operating procedures, customer service, return policies, exchanges, etc.

Controlled Access

Choose a POS system that allows you to protect your valuable data by limiting access to sensitive information. For example, payroll and financial transactions can be limited to managers and select personnel, while things like scheduling and training can be accessed by the entire staff. Get a POS system that allows you to set parameters to meet your specific management needs.

Performance Rewards

An effective POS system will not just motivate your best employees, it will point them out. Identify top performers based on sales generated, tasks completed, quotes met, hours worked, commissions earned, and other factors. The point is, you’ll see those excelling and who you need to reward. Likewise, the system will point out less productive employees, so you can address the situation. Sometimes identifying the problem and providing a little extra help can transform an employee who’s struggling into a sales leader.

 

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Does your POS system get the job done? Maybe you’re considering a system but are still unsure? Find answers to your point of sale and retail management questions by speaking with the experts.

Here’s one more thing to remember. Even the best POS system is bound to fall short without the right team in place in each store. That’s why it’s wise to choose a POS partner that also brings a full range of staffing and recruiting solutions to the table. After all, it’s easier to feel confident in a point of sale system when you know your partner is also bringing you the most qualified people for the job.

If you found this article helpful, learn more about POS and successful retail management at www.trocglobal.com. To keep up with the latest happenings in retail subscribe to T-ROC blogs.

 

TROC is the leading provider of premier staffing outsource, software, managed technology services, and consumer insights for the top global brands, retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and distributors. The company’s distinctive solutions address the entire lifecycle of brick and mortar brand and retail operations by combining retail expertise, best practices, and technology to help its customers achieve sales and operational excellence as well as a sustainable competitive advantage. As a Retail 4.0 thought leader, T-ROC enables companies with high-value products in the physical world to thrive through the digitalization of the physical shopping experience. To learn more about T-ROC, visit www.trocglobal.com.