Retail Musings
In my previous post I had asked a query as to what are the activities that occur during store opening processes.
lets understand the same in detail in this post.
Store opening process:
Every retailer ensures that his store is properly secured and proper safety and security has been taken care of. It is a very critical responsibility of store operations managers to take care of the store so as to ensure that all the merchandise and valuables inside the store is properly arranged and safe at all times.
Every day hundreds of customers enter the store for shopping hence it becomes very important to open and close the store at a fix time so as it does not cause any inconvenience to a customer. To ensure this is in place a proper process needs to be followed during the store opening and closing time.

It is very important that the store is ready and spick and span before opening for trading for the day. A customer judges the service provided by the store by the ambience it provides to one. Hence to take care of all these the store should be opened one hour prior to trading.
Responsibility: Only the management team is responsible and authorized to handle the store opening and closing process. It is the store manager’s responsibility to ensure that a register is maintained to track the store opening and closing process.
The store manager needs to prepare a schedule as to who will do the store opening and closing. He should only designate an employee at the managerial level within the store for this activity. The designated manager for the store opening and closing process needs to ensure that the register for the same is updated, checked and signed on a daily basis. He is also responsible for the store keys and needs to log the same in the key register on a daily basis. Managing keys at the store is a critical and sensitive operational function, which needs to be handled in a secure manner. Being inattentive to these critical areas will expose the entire store resources to serious risk.
The store is responsible for minimizing the risks involved in movement of keys and providing complete security for all the resources at the store.
The store opening and closing register lists the details of timings, signatory of authorized person, key details, etc. Any deviation in the process is noted in a separate log book. A check list also is in place which the manager needs to adhere to accordingly. The check list acts as a guide and ensures nothing is missed out during the opening and closing process.
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. 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, (role of head cashier to be inserted) 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 and stationary required at the cash desk and hands over to all the individual cashiers. (what is a float- explain the same in cash management process later to be inserted)

The customer service desk in charge opens his cabin and logs on 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