| In this article you will find the things that a manager | | | | attitude; stop giving orders and start asking for |
| in charge of a Merchandising Team expects to find in | | | | results. Give them the chance to take the initiative. |
| the Merchandising Supervisors Team. | | | | Give them the tools to succeed, which is also going |
| To be able to achieve effectiveness in the daily | | | | to reflect on your personal success. |
| duties, as Merchandising Supervisor, you need to | | | | A one hundred percent positive attitude is necessary |
| manage properly the three areas of professional | | | | to be in this career. Competing and keeping a quality |
| knowledge: | | | | service to clients and customers are sometimes tiring |
| *knowledge itself | | | | and hard activities. You need to recharge through the |
| *know-how | | | | day, make good pauses, rejuvenate, if you have the |
| *know-how to relate | | | | chance take a bath at home before going out again, |
| These aspects that are going to be described next | | | | refresh. |
| are not in any type of order. All of them are equally | | | | Enjoy what you do |
| important to get the job done properly. Also, some | | | | This is true for every thing in your live. Make clear |
| of these aspects will not apply to every | | | | that this is the profession you want. If you are |
| Merchandising Supervisor, it will depend on the size of | | | | confused or undecided about it, you will not be |
| the company you work for and the kind of | | | | focused on getting the results and later you can find |
| responsibilities you have in it. | | | | yourself without job. If you are in this, you need to |
| Personal presentation skills | | | | love it, because it is a really demanding career and |
| This is a very basic aspect and also very important | | | | you need to be creative and get ideas, none of this |
| for your job, that is why I needed to mention it. To | | | | will be possible if you are wondering around. |
| be able to supervise Merchandisers, you need to be | | | | Create the habit to work in a fast pace |
| in the point of purchase, you will be visiting the | | | | We work in a marketing environment, which means, |
| client's stores, and you will be meeting with clients | | | | we are always surrounded by competitors who want |
| and consumers. Remember that you are also a | | | | a share of our market (if you are the market leader) |
| representation of your employer and of yourself too | | | | or who do not want to share their market (if you |
| (as we all are in the market for better opportunities). | | | | are a follower) and of course if you are there for the |
| Personal presentation includes to be very well | | | | competition you need to move fast to reach shelf |
| identified with an ID card from your employer. | | | | space and floor space. |
| A professional look will earn you the respect of | | | | Remember that every store has a limited amount of |
| those that you are supervising. | | | | space to be exploited, retailers have their own |
| Human relations skills | | | | agenda but if you know how to approach a manager |
| The capacity to relate with other; to avoid getting | | | | you can be the supplier to get the space to build a |
| too personal with someone; to treat each and every | | | | nice and big exhibition. In other terms, news run fast |
| member of your team with the same level of | | | | so your plans are needed to be put in place ASAP |
| respect and professionalism. | | | | before you get blocked by a competitor. |
| The ability to create a good and healthy relation with | | | | Apply this suggestion for every thing, you will |
| the personnel of your clients (the stores | | | | understand or already understand if you have some |
| supermarkets) is going to pay good results in your | | | | experience in this area. |
| daily duties. Many situations, small problems that can | | | | Do Random visiting |
| become a huge wall between you and your | | | | If you supervise Merchandisers you have to learn |
| strategies can be solved in very little time if you | | | | how to reach them unexpectedly. Not that you do |
| accomplish to have a good treat with the managerial | | | | not trust them, but they need to feel that you can |
| staff of the stores or supermarkets you visit. I | | | | show any time any where. That helps them to do a |
| always stress to my Merchandising Supervisors Team | | | | better job and to be on time. Merchandisers do a |
| to build this kind of approach with the store | | | | route of stores (unless they work for only one); |
| managers, not that the other floor personnel is not | | | | many of them go directly from home to their route |
| important, they are, but they wont be able to take | | | | (that is the system we use where I work) so there |
| decisions so better go to the trunk and not to the | | | | is either a costly system to check their timing or you |
| branches. | | | | supervising it. But, even when you do have an |
| Communication skills | | | | electronic system put in place, you need to be there |
| Merchandising can be called a way to communicate | | | | and see how are they doing things, not every day, |
| with consumers in the point of sales, also, in your | | | | not the whole day, but you will know how often |
| daily activities you will be communicating with the | | | | depending on the Merchandiser and how reliable, new |
| staff of the client (store or supermarket) to explain | | | | or expert he/she is. |
| the different objectives and promotional plans your | | | | Keep notes and tracking of your daily supervision |
| company has. You will be talking to your team and | | | | Every little piece of information you can keep will be |
| with your peers in the company. | | | | of some importance to you and your job. Many of |
| Now, what are these communication skills? | | | | them will be good also for your employer, but do not |
| I am referring to the ability to express yourself in a | | | | take notes only for your superiors. There are many |
| fluent way, with ease and consciousness. The | | | | things that will not be of importance for them but will |
| capability to construct ideas in your mind and express | | | | serve you later. |
| them. To say what is needed to be said and to | | | | You can see things they do not see, you are right in |
| make yourself clear to your audience. | | | | the middle of the purchasing action. A note today |
| I am not talking about standing in front of a TV | | | | can be linked to a note from tomorrow, linking and |
| camera or to narrate the news, that is something | | | | linking can bring to a great idea, and the idea that |
| else. In your language you need to include the regular | | | | you present to your superiors will be more |
| market expressions and terminology. | | | | appreciated if you have backup information to |
| Training and teaching skills | | | | support it. |
| As every supervisor you will deal with people who | | | | Also, notes are the way to prevent a bad habit in |
| are learning a profession, your profession. You are | | | | your Merchandising Team. Maybe you will find a |
| going to be teaching and training, it is not very hard | | | | behavior pattern among them. Something you will not |
| to understand this. You are going to be visualizing the | | | | be able to notice if you do not keep a track of |
| job of your team and giving them feedback to | | | | things. |
| become better and better in time. Make sure to have | | | | Be prepared and do your homework |
| a board in your office for those days you are going | | | | Research, revise your notes at the end of the day. |
| to become a teacher. Understand that training and | | | | Prepare for next day. Make an action plan. Think of |
| teaching will reflect directly in the results, your results. | | | | the way you will approach your team. If you need to |
| So buildup a good pack of patience, pickup at least | | | | present expenses, prepare them the night before. |
| one day every two weeks produce a meeting with | | | | Have always a good notepad and pen. Use your |
| your team and teach, spend a day with any member | | | | cellular phone to make picture to enrich your reports. |
| that need some training and train him/her. | | | | Check your car condition before going out. Recharge |
| Keep yourself up-to-date | | | | your cellular phone. |
| Research, watch the competitors (also bring that | | | | Keep a good communication with your superiors |
| information to the office) learn something every day | | | | Be open, be sincere. Your superiors are there to see |
| in the field. Read marketing books, advertising books | | | | you succeed (in a good team environment), they are |
| and business books. Read about team work and | | | | your coach that will push you to the best you can |
| human capital. Those things you learned last year | | | | be. Inform of every situation, good and not too |
| might have changed to this date. This aspect is much | | | | good. They will appreciate been aware of your |
| important because is going to give you the chance to | | | | advances because those are their advances too. |
| grow too and be better paid. | | | | Well that is about it for now. I really hope that this |
| Build a leader attitude and a positive attitude | | | | article be of good help, take it from someone who |
| These days the idea of a boss has passed out. | | | | works with Merchandising Supervisors. |
| Today you need to become a leader to get the | | | | If you need any special help with your team drop me |
| results out of your team members. Build that kind of | | | | an email and let me see how I can help you. |