If there is a fire in your store, do you and your staff know what to do? How about if you suspect a customer of stealing. How do you tackle the subject (pun completely intended!)
No one wants to find themselves in an emergency situation. And for that matter, what actually constitutes and emergency situation? And just exactly what steps should you and your staff take, when the situation arises?
As a small business retailer, there’s a good chance that you’ve overlooked some processes. Not deliberately of course, but simply because you’re so busy doing so many roles in the business, and no one has brought them to your attention.
Until now.
It’s your legal responsibility to ensure a safe environment for your employees, and your customers, so I’m asking you to mark a date in your calendar, where you will sit down and map out your emergency procedures.
We all think that we’ll know what to do in an emergency, but in the heat of the moment, it’s easy to be flustered, stressed and unable to think straight.
You shouldn’t expect to rely on intuition in the event of an emergency. By having a simple check list or flow charts, you and your staff will know exactly what to do.
It’s obvious that you should have a first aid kit readily available, but also ensure there is a way for staff to communicate and report an incident – it can be as simple as a dedicated notebook and pencil.
And remember, not all emergencies are physical.
What happens in the event that your phones go down, or your POS system, your website, or your internet? How should your staff react in those situations?
If you’ve found this information useful, come and join the Bringing Business TO Retail community. You’ll find a bunch of retailers from all over the world, chatting all things business. Best of all, it’s free.
Until next week, be profitable
