How to offer the best standards in your stores, as well as how to offer them consistently across several locations – that’s a daily effort for all retail managers.
One simple way is to regularly go through pre-defined store inspection checklists, using an app to enable digital self-inspections. This allows to conduct checks much more frequently than with external inspections. The store team get a clear structured process, and the head office gets immediate visibility on results.
Implementing a top-down approach ensures that all stakeholders -managers, supervisors and floor staff – are aware of the company’s expectations, protocols and quality standards.
At GoAudits, we offer templates for retail inspection checklists. Retail managers can use them to maintain standards across several areas:
Store inspection checklists for operational standards
On a scale of one to ten, how good do your stores look? Are the premises clean, facilities in good repair, the POS uncluttered, staff trained? If you don’t know or your answers are months old, it’s time to get inspecting.
Require your staff to complete daily, weekly and monthly checklists to go through all the major points. While the daily checklists can assist with opening and closing procedures, weekly and monthly ones cover more general quality assurance.
Any issues can be immediately flagged and assigned to the relevant person to resolve. Non-compliance items and resolution is tracked in real time, so management has visibility on any recurring issues. Additionally, this is a two-way lane: staff also communicates any issues they have, which may require wider operational or training improvements.
Checklists for merchandising and branding consistency
Rolling out a new promotional campaign in the stores? You want to make sure that staff are aware of the details of your plan, especially when it is time-sensitive. Otherwise all the painstakingly planned marketing ideas may go astray due to poor execution on the ground.
Using digital checklists you can easily communicate the step by step priorities, so that even the busiest stores know where to start. Using descriptions and images, communicate everything: new signage and product displays, updated pricing or rotating featured products. Verify completion and control compliance with photos, and enable stores to communicate any issues back in real time.
Checklists for health and safety
In addition to your brand standards, there is a number of mandatory legal requirements. While it’s paramount in the food industry, health & safety inspections benefit all employers. With regular audits, catch any problems before they cause harm to your employees, customers and brand.
For example: do aisles present a tripping hazard, any exposed wires? Are fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems functional? Are heavy items placed on lower shelves to prevent injury? The list goes on.
To manage all these store inspection checklists, opt for a professional mobile app like GoAudits. Capture all data on a phone or tablet and automatically generate detailed reports. It’s easy to roll out, adaptable to your specific needs, and empowers you to audit much more effectively and cheaper.
When the auditing process is more effective, you can collect more data, and take action quicker. Corrective action plans, total visibility and real-time follow-up, all within one tool: this will change the way you manage your stores.
Seeing is Believing
Download the GoAudits mobile app and discover the store inspection checklist templates that you can customise to your specific needs.
