subject: Control Labor Costs for Success with Dollar Stores [print this page] Control Labor Costs for Success with Dollar Stores
Success requires constant attention to the business details. For those running a dollar store that means always looking for opportunities to reduce costs while also looking for better strategies to build sales and profits. One of the costs that must always be watched is associated with labor. Given the busy day-to-day environment of a dollar store, there are plenty of tasks to be performed. From aiding shoppers to operating cash registers, receiving incoming freight to stocking the sales floor shelves, and maintaining the appearance of the store the list just keeps going. Yet labor costs associated with performing all of these tasks must be controlled to insure success with dollar stores. In this article I present strategies to use in keeping your payroll in control.
#1) Use part-time support
One of the most obvious and most effective strategies to limit payroll costs while providing coverage during high-sales times is using part-time support. Even better is to develop a fair on-call process as well. Rather than being tied to full-time shifts, coverage can be limited to only those timeframes when support is really required.
#2) Cover slowest times yourself
Running a dollar store requires that you wear many hats. One of those hats needs to be cashier during the slowest sales times. Why add payroll overhead during periods when only a few shoppers enter your store each hour? If you need to be there anyway, step in and handle the sales tasks yourself?
#3) Call on your family to help
The help of a spouse or other relative can really make all the difference during both slow times and when you need just a little extra help. In many cases all that is required is a little advanced notice and you have the extra support you need to keep things running smoothly.
#4) Multi-task stock workers to also cover cash registers as needed
As your business grows those running a dollar store will find they need dedicated support to handle the constant inflow of merchandise. They may end up with dedicated stock workers who handle these tasks. Why not train these employees to cover cash register sales during cashier breaks or during periods of very high sales?
#5) Multi-task cashiers to price and stock merchandise
Just as your stock workers can help at the cash registers so too can your cashiers help with stock work. They can easily price merchandise and stock immediately around the cash register area whenever they have time.
Success with a dollar store requires that you examine every option to multi-task yourself and your employees.
