STORE OPENING PROCESS CONT'D...

Process:
· The opening and closing of the store is done by two different managers according to the schedule provided by the store manager. Every organization has a fixed process which is followed and adhered to.
· The main entrance to the store is never opened first.
· The back door namely staff entrance is the first door to be opened.
· The store should be opened for the day for trading by a management staff along with the security guard.
· The person assigned for opening the store checks the lock if it is sealed properly, and not tampered with.
· The seal to the lock should have the following information:
Date of closing
Time of closing
Closed by
Signature

It is very crucial for the manager to observe these information mentioned on the seal before opening the lock. The signature should match to the one disclosed by the core member, assuring no other initial or signature is present. The time of closing should be the same informed to him by the closing manager the previous day.

· He then opens the door, gets in along with the security guard and puts in the entry time and signs in the store opening/closing register.
· He then immediately needs to check the checklist and see for any remarks entered in it the previous closing time so as can act accordingly
· He switches on the minimum lights as required.
· He has to then check all the sensitive rooms such as the cash room, the server room, the panel room, etc. whether they have been tampered with or not and accordingly note in the register.
· All the doors to these rooms will be sealed the previous day.
· He will then allow the security guards to enter the store.
· All the security guards will get stationed at their respective posts as decided by the security supervisor.
· The guards get posted at the main entrance, at the customer service desk, at all the trial rooms, the entrance to the back office, the main entrance to the store, the ware house exit/entry door, and at all the other necessary place as required by the manager.
· The housekeeping supervisor will then allow his men to enter the store to begin with the house keeping activities.
· The team gets divided floor wise, department wise, and section wise.
· As per retail standards the floors are first swept, and then wet mopped and then followed by dry mop.
· If the floor is having carpet it is vacuum cleaned thoroughly twice in a day.
· All the washrooms are then cleaned, water tanks are filled.
· The cooler for drinking water is kept ready, back office computers, desks and cabins are cleaned.
· The food and grocery section is thoroughly cleaned, and the chillers are also wiped.
· All the fixtures, browsers, wall panels are also wipe cleaned.
· All the trolleys are also cleaned and then counted and taken out of the store and parked near the entrance to the store.
· The shopping baskets are also cleaned and placed at the entrance to all the departments.
· Trolleys and baskets are cleaned on weekly basis or as per requirement.
· This entire process should take one hour before trading begins. One has to ensure that proper cleaning materials are used to clean the fixtures and other materials in the store. Care should be taken when cleaning all wooden fixtures. Proper polish especially meant for polishing wood should be used for the same. Separate solution is used for metal and glass fixtures. Room fresheners also need to be used whenever necessary.
· Half an hour before trading the staffs is allowed to enter from the staff entrance.
· The security guard present does the frisking of the staff as mobile phones and other valuables are not allowed to be carried inside the store.
· Lady employees are frisked by the lady searcher. The valuables are all placed inside the locker of the individual staff.
· The staff then signs in the in/out register and settles in his respective department.
· The head cashier opens the cash room,, the systems personnel opens the server room and the maintenance in charge opens the panel room.
· The maintenance person switches on all the lights and air conditioner.
· The systems person switches the server and computers on and the head cashier takes out the float money float and stationary required at the cash desk and hands over to all the individual cashiers.

Float money is fixed amount of change given in all denominations less than INR. 100/-. to all the cashiers at the beginning of the individual cashier’s trading period on the till. Mostly the float money ranges from between INR.1000/- to INR.2000/-. The cashiers are supposed to hand over the float money back to the head cashier separately at the end of the shift apart from handing over the day’s collections.











· The customer service desk in charge opens his cabin and logs onswitches open his computer.
· Once all the cashiers have logged on their point of sale machine and ready the main entrance to the store is opened for customers.

Any deviation from the above process is immediately recorded in the log book. Also if any untoward incident occurs and is observed by the opening manager he immediately informs the store manager and necessary action is taken accordingly