“In business, you don't get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate.” - Chester Karrass. Negotiating successfully is an essential skill for any business owner, as it is integral in working out mutually beneficial agreements or resolutions with partners,...
"Entrepreneurs don't ask for permission. They act per a mission." - Ryan Lilly. As a business owner, having an effective mission statement is essential for shaping your company's focus and direction. A mission statement can serve as both motivation for you and...
"Surround yourself with people that push you to do and be better. No drama or negativity. Just higher goals and higher motivation. Good times and positive energy. No jealousy or hate. Simply bringing out the absolute best in each other." ~ Warren Buffet Successful...
“...excessive meetings are the blight of big companies and almost always get worse over time.” - Elon Musk Business meetings can be a valuable part of any business owner's day, but they can also become unproductive if not organized correctly. Enter Elon Musk—the tech...
"Individuals high on the dark triad traits appear to exhibit an empathic profile that allows them to retain their ability to read and assess others' emotions, and subsequently utilize this sensitive information to formulate strategies with which they can acquire what...
"When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things that would change the world." - Elon Musk. Running a successful business takes more than hard work, dedication, and excellent leadership skills — it requires innovation. So many entrepreneurs have achieved...
“The tribe often thinks the visionary has turned his back on them. When, in fact, the visionary has simply turned his face to the future.” ― Ray A. Davis Groupthink is a phenomenon that can cause even the most successful organizations to stumble. Groupthink is a set...
"Competitive advantage is a company's ability to perform in one or more ways that competitors cannot or will not match." - Philip Kotler. Are you a manager or retail salesperson looking for ways to give your business a competitive edge? You're in luck. In the digital...
"It's no longer about interrupting, pitching, and closing. It is about listening, diagnosing, and prescribing." – Mark Roberge. Retail operations can be challenging. While it may seem like the process of selling goods and services is straightforward, there is much...
Retail and service sector businesses must have a predictable and reliable employee schedule to meet operational needs. Finding the perfect balance between having enough staff members to provide top-tier customer service without exceeding your budget is challenging....
"When given the proper tools and the trust to be empowered and make decisions, HR can be one of the most vital voices at the table." - Steve Wynn Human Resources Managers are responsible for coordinating the team of individuals within a company, as well as working...
"Marketing is telling the world you’re a rock star. Content Marketing is showing the world you are one.” - Robert Rose Are you searching for an effective way to attract more customers? With the right retail marketing funnel, you can create a customized pathway for...
Wishing You & Your Family A Happy New Year From TimeWellScheduled!!! About TimeWellScheduled TimeWellScheduled is a secure online time and attendance software that is 100% tailored to meet your scheduling needs! In addition, TimeWellScheduled facilitates...
“A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.” — Sundar Pichai Working in an English as a Second Language (ESL) workplace can bring many challenges, particularly regarding communication. Effective communication is...
"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress." - Mahatma Gandhi. It's inevitable that you will disagree with colleagues in the workplace, but there's a professional way to express your opinion. As a business leader or employee, understanding how to...
"Your first blog posts won't be perfect, but you just have to do it. You have to start somewhere." – Shane Barker An efficient and strategic business website is essential in today's digital age. But few businesses understand the power of blogging as part of their...
"Treat your business relationships like friendships (or potential friendships). Formality puts up walls, and walls don't foster good business relationships." - Steve Pavlina. One of the essential factors in success is knowing how to maintain positive working...
"Loyal customers, they don't just come back, they don't simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you." - Chip Bell. Customer loyalty is critical for businesses to succeed in today's hypercompetitive marketplace. It drives customer repeat...
Loblaw Companies Ltd. and Gatik of California have launched a test pilot fleet of five driverless box trucks that deliver grocery orders for Loblaw's online PC Express service. These driverless trucks have been cleared to travel on fixed, repetitive, and predictable...
"Whenever you conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude." - William Jame. Conflict resolution in the workplace can be a challenging task for any business leader....
"Human resources are like natural resources; they're often buried deep. You have to go looking for them; they're not just lying around on the surface." - Ken Robinson. As the search for talent intensifies in today's hyper-competitive job market, HR professionals and...
"Time spent on hiring is time well spent." - Robert Half. Are you struggling to create a successful applicant screening strategy? You're not alone. Many organizations find identifying the best candidates when filling job vacancies challenging. But with the right...
"We all need people who will give us feedback. That's how we improve." – Bill Gates Online customer reviews are essential for business owners and managers. They provide a public forum for customers to share their thoughts and experiences with your company; customer...
"Gratitude is not a limited resource, nor is it costly. It is abundant as air. We breathe it in but forget to exhale." - Marshall Goldsmith. As a business owner or manager, you know it's important to express gratitude to your customers. But sometimes, it can be tough...
"TimeWellScheduled is very easy to use and well worth the low cost for the time it saves me. I can get in (to the system) quickly, do what I need to do quickly, and get off so that I have lots of time to attend to my clients." – Colin R. Manager, Information Services....
"The future is electronic. It's radio, television, and the Internet; it's not really newspapers anymore." - Will McDonough. In the past, legacy advertising methods such as television commercials, direct mail and radio spots were considered mandatory for businesses of...
"Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber, and as deadly as a hit man." - Ronald Regan. If you are in the retail business, you have likely experienced price increases from suppliers over the past several months. For retailers in 2022-23,...
"We do one webinar and get between 500 and more than 1000 leads... with an hour of live webinar and a little promotion." - Patrick Whatman. Are you looking for an innovative way to develop sales leads and promote your products? If so, consider hosting a webinar....
"TimeWellScheduled (Software) has been an excellent tool for our scheduling and HR purposes. It's easy to use, and the support team is always responsive. They have also been open to building the infrastructure we need for our reporting purposes." - Jon Wilcox,...
“Memes just show that people are engaged about something. A meme is just a little inside joke for a group of people that care about a certain thing.” - Anthony Fantano Meme marketing is a fun and effective technique for boosting content exposure online. Memes are...
"If there is a viral video on the internet, you know it's on YouTube. You can search for it, find it, see the view count, and then take that link and share it with whomever you want. That's what we are doing for images." - Alan Schaaf. A well-executed marketing...
"The key to competing and surviving against Wal-Mart is to focus your business on a niche or pocket where you can leverage your strengths in the local marketplace." - Michael Bergdahl, former Director of People at Walmart. Many factors go into making a successful...
"A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time." - Annie Dillard. If you're running a business, it is critical that your employees work as...
"Take risks now and do something bold. You won’t regret it." - Elon Musk The Value of Inspirational Leaders & Managers Inspiring others is an important personality trait for leaders. Inspirational leaders and managers can revive burnt-out employees and peers....
Which retail companies are the most successful in 2022? What factors have contributed to their success? Retail Information Systems (RIS) partners with wRatings to rank the industry's most powerful retail organizations. Theses rankings look at market share, how it...
If you are a new manager, congratulations! It can be an exciting and challenging role. There are many things to learn in your first week on the job. Moreover, first-time managers often find it challenging to transition from the role of a coworker to that of an...
"We don't want to push our ideas onto customers; we simply want to make what they want." -Laura Ashley. In today's digital age, customers expect a smooth and effortless shopping experience, regardless of whether they purchase online or in-store. Unfortunately, many...
"The goal of many leaders is to get people to think more highly of the leader. The goal of a great leader is to help people to think more highly of themselves." — J. Carla Northcutt When most people think of leadership, they think in terms of "commanding," "being in...
"Millennials became the first generation to fully conceptualize themselves as walking college resumes. With assistance from our parents, society, and educators, we came to understand ourselves, consciously or not, as "human capital": subjects to be optimized for...
“If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.” Jeff Bezos, CEO at Amazon.com You're missing out if you're not using hashtags to market your...
“My goals are to travel and become a founder of an organization to help people.” –Anonymous Female, 14 As the current business landscape evolves, more and more businesses are having to adapt to the needs of Generation Z. Born between 1995 and 2012, Gen Z is unique and...
“Research is creating new knowledge.” - Neil Armstrong A focus group might be the perfect option if you're looking for a way to dig deeper to assess how a product or idea will do in the marketplace. This method allows you to gather feedback from potential customers...
"When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become wiser, more inclusive, and better as an organization." – Pat Wadors A vital component of a successful company in 2022 is creating an organizational culture that fosters inclusivity. Employees...
"If you don't build your dream, someone else will hire you to build theirs." - Bill Gates. Are you an entrepreneur? If so, there's a good chance you have some of the same characteristics as other successful entrepreneurs. Although there is no one-size-fits-all answer...
Are you still tracking employee hours with spreadsheets and paper time cards? If so, you're missing out on many benefits cloud-based time and attendance software can provide. Here are five solid reasons to make the switch: Optimize Employee & Managerial...
To our Amazing Customers & On Behalf of the TimeWellScheduled Team We wish you a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving Canada!! About TimeWellScheduled.com Thank you for reading our article! TimeWellScheduled.com is a secure, online time and...
“Email has an ability many channels don’t: creating valuable, personal touches—at scale.” – David Newman Are you managing your formal email and signature effectively? Many people don't realize how important it is to have a well-structured email. It's essential to...
Our TimeWellScheduled team was on site in Toronto for the 2022 Canadian Tire Convention this weekend. We were excited to meet the dealers, partners and senior staff of the 385 stores we have on our solution. And soon we will welcome more stores whom we met over the...
W"Americans plan to spend more than ever to make this (2022) Halloween a memorable one," - Matthew Shay, CEO National Retail Federation (NRF) It's that time of year again! Halloween is an excellent opportunity to have a little fun and, at the same time, increase...
In order to make the best hiring decisions, employers must, within reason, use predictors of job performance during the recruitment process. For example, certain personality traits and work habits can be good indicators of future success. By understanding these...
"Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters." – Albert Einstein. An ethical company is an organization that has clearly defined environment, social, and governance principles. Ethical companies have policies and...
"Our reputation is more important than the last hundred million dollars.” — Rupert Murdoch Maintaining a positive reputation is an essential career management skill. Whether you are just starting in your career or have been working for years, following...
"You may delay, but time will not." ~ Benjamin Franklin Time management is an essential skills in the professional world. However, many people struggle to stay organized and productive throughout the day. If you're looking to improve your time management skills, there...
“Everyone needs a coach. It doesn't matter whether you're a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast, or a bridge player."-Bill Gates, 2013 Coaching is a proven resource for small business owners who have hit a roadblock in their business. The structure and...
Case studies are a great way to show potential customers what your product can do to solve their organizations' problems. A Case study is a form of marketing that B2B advertisers or salespeople can use to promote product solutions. Case studies build customer...
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” - John F. Kennedy, 1963 Identifying and developing new leaders who can replace senior executives when they retire or leave an organization is critical. Succession planning is the process of training and...
A job posting is an advertisement for an open job position within an organization. The purpose of a job posting is to inform potential job candidates about new job openings and attract them to apply. Using different components, recruiters can create a job posting that...
“Facts are approximately 22 times more likely to be remembered if they are part of a story” - Jerome Bruner The art of storytelling is about having the ability to connect and inspire people to change their minds or take a particular action by presenting a narrative...
How do the different generations think about work? What motivates them? How do they prefer to communicate and collaborate? To answer these questions, you must understand the generational values and attitudes that drive their behavior. The current workforce engenders...
“Going viral is not an outcome; it’s a happening. Sometimes it happens; sometimes it doesn’t. Just remember, fans are vanity and sales are sanity.” – Lori Taylor Social media optimization is critical to increasing brand and product awareness. When businesses...
"Humans are hard-wired to enjoy games and have a natural tendency to interact more deeply in activities that are framed in a game construct." - Gartner Organizations are looking for ways to be more innovative and engaging. Gamification has been proven to do just that....
“People don’t leave jobs, they leave toxic work cultures” - Dr. Amina Aitsi-Selmi A toxic workplace can manifest in many ways, including low morale, gossiping, bullying, and general unhappiness. However, the catalyst for a toxic environment often begins when workplace...
Introduction The wave of people leaving their jobs over the past several years shows no sign of letting up, and for those who choose to quit, a massive re-evaluation of their work values and expectations has begun. While the pandemic was the catalyst for the great...
"A good leader leads the people from above them. A great leader leads the people from within them." -M.D. Arnold Managers and leaders, if you want to be successful, you need to start thinking like a boss. That doesn't mean being demanding or ruthless; it means being...
As a business owner, you know that conducting thorough market research is essential to your success. Retail market research gives you insights into the size of your target audience, how competitive the environment is, and where there's room for improvement. This...
“You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless they are willing to climb.” –Andrew Carnegie There's no question that HR is a critical piece of any retail operation. But with today's competitive landscape, it can be tough to create an HR strategy that works well and...
“Let’s go invent tomorrow instead of worrying about what happened yesterday.” – Steve Jobs As retail managers, it is vital to stay up-to-date on the latest technology trends. Not only will this help keep retail stores operating smoothly and efficiently, but it...
"Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and business success." — Paul J. Meyer. A recent study conducted by the Harvard Business Review found that poor communication leads to workplace conflict, damages employer-employee relations, reduces...
Have you ever felt you're not being heard in meetings or conversations with your peers? If so, you likely need to work on your assertive communication skills. Assertiveness is a key ingredient for success in the business world, and anyone can learn it. In this post,...
The Canadian Tire Corporation is a Canadian retail staple that operates 503 stores nationally in the automotive, hardware, sports, leisure, and housewares sectors. The company has been successfully providing Canadian consumers across the country with everything from...
The main retail principle to guide your decisions is the value proposition you provide for your customers. The customer is the focal point of your retail operation, and everything you do must revolve around serving them. When in doubt, remember the customer came in to...
"First, you must have entrepreneurs who fully grasp their customers. They understand their product so well because they themselves are customers. The second thing is having an awesome value proposition." Craig Sherman As a business owner, you know that your success...
Just as customers provide referral marketing for businesses they like and trust, companies can return the favor by referring customers to other firms. In the business context, this is called a referral program. 78% of B2B marketers say that referral marketing programs...
If you own or manage a retail business, it is useful to know the four social styles. When you understand an individual's default social styles, you can create more meaningful customer interactions resulting in improved customer experiences. In this post, we'll...
As a business owner, one of your top priorities should be to build customer trust. As will be shown in this article, data from many studies have concluded that organizations that earn the trust of their customers enjoy customer retention rates that are six times...
"The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment." - Anthony Robbins When interviewing candidates for your business, it's important to ask questions that will reveal their level of commitment. Lack of commitment can lead to high employee turnover and...
If you're a retail business owner, you probably know that finding and working with a suitable vendor can be essential to your success. However, before you commit to a partnership, you must ensure that your vendor can align and support your mission and value...
Although the self-checkout kiosk has been around for a while, the pandemic has further accelerated their acceptance, usage and application. As retail business owners and managers, staying up-to-date on what customers expect from these machines is essential. This blog...
"They (labor unions) have raised wages, shortened hours, and provided supplemental benefits. Through collective bargaining and grievance procedures, they have brought justice and democracy to the shop floor." -John F. Kennedy As the owner or manager of a retail...
Canadian employment law for retail businesses is relatively straightforward; there are a few key points that business owners and managers should be aware of. This article examines Canadian employment law essentials for the retail sector. In addition, it provides an...
No question that managing remote employees can be a challenge. But with the right tools in your toolkit, it's doable. This blog will share tips and strategies for keeping tabs on your remote team and ensuring they're productive and happy. Let's get started! Managing...
"The average duration of a bear market since 1950 is roughly 418 days." -Anthony Saglimbene Four Tips to Managing your Retail Business through Fluctuating Demand As a business owner, you are likely familiar with the ups and downs of demand in your industry. When...
Retail Shift Coverage: 5 Practices to Ensure Shifts Are Always Covered Whether you're a small business owner with just a handful of employees or run a large retail chain, having adequate coverage is critical to keeping your customers happy and your business running...
Large and small retail businesses often do not consider incorporating learning styles into their training programs. This article explains how learning efficiency and retention are improved by understanding how people learn and retain new information. The key takeaway...
Like most retail business owners, you're always looking for ways to make your organization run more smoothly. Perhaps one of the most important (but often overlooked) ways to do this is by implementing a Time Off Bidding system. Implementing the right system can help...
We've all been there. You're sitting at your desk, trying to focus on the task at hand, but you can't help but feel overwhelmed by the ever-growing pile of work waiting for you. Your stress levels are through the roof, and you can't shake the feeling that you're...
“The legend of Steve Jobs is that he transformed our lives with the strength of his convictions. The key to his greatness, the story goes, was his ability to bend the world to his vision. The reality is that much of Apple’s success came from his team’s pushing him to...
What is a 9/80 Work Schedule? The 9 80 is a compressed work schedule that takes a two-week pay period and splits it into eight nine-hour days and one eight-hour day. But, employees are still paid for the entire 80-hour work week. This means employees work nine hours a...
Employee time and attendance software allow for more effective workforce management. Time and attendance systems enable managers to know who is present or absent for their shifts and simplify collecting information for payroll and other purposes. If an employee is...
No matter how great your product or service is, you won't make any money if you can't close the sale. In this blog post, we'll share five proven methods to close a sale in retail. Implement these techniques, and you'll see an increase in sales and profits! What are...
“Employees are a company’s greatest asset – they’re your competitive advantage. You want to attract and retain the best; provide them with encouragement, stimulus, and make them feel that they are an integral part of the company’s mission.” – Anne M. Mulcahy, former...
A recent Gallup report found that only 36% of people in the United States are enthusiastic about their work. This means that 64% of the workforce is either bored or unhappy with their job. Employee Engagement Engagement: "to establish a meaningful contact or...
"Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success." - Dale Carnegie. As a business owner, you know that tracking employee time and attendance is critical to running your retail operation smoothly. However,...
In the retail business, shift changes are a regular occurrence. And while they can be a bit chaotic at times, they can also run smoothly with the right scheduling system, policies, and best practices. This blog outlines essential tips for ensuring smooth shift...
"The truth is that stress doesn't come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances." - Andrew Bernstein Too often, we become bogged down by the negative aspects...
"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!" ― Benjamin Franklin. When it comes to retail, one of the biggest challenges for business owners and managers in planning the product assortment. What should be carried in the store and what shouldn't? How do you decide...
Like most small business owners, you don't have the time or resources to write an employee handbook from scratch. But that doesn't mean you can't create a powerful and practical manual for your business. Check out the sample handbook, covering ten essential policy...
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” ~Abraham Lincoln "Comp" is an important term to know and understand in the retail business. Comparable sales, or comp, refers to the sales of a retailer's comparable stores or same-store. To...
"We look at the brand not as a piece of advertising, but everything we do communicates who Starbucks is. The place, the physical environment, really has become an extension of the brand and it's very important to the success of the company." - Howard Schultz Is retail...
Are you looking for ways to optimize your staff scheduling? If so, you'll want to read on! Using point-of-sale (POS) data, you can determine the peak business days/times and adjust the staff schedule accordingly. Take it a step further and integrate TimeWellscheduled...
