Today's frontline workers in retail clothing stores are busier than ever before. The current industry situation requires business managers to consider customer satisfaction and the needs of the staff. In small apparel shops, workers are requested to multi-tasking, covering different job roles at once. At the same time, large chain workloads have been increasing exponentially over the past years.

Then, how can business owners ensure their workers are engaged and productive without overwhelming them？

In this article, we will look at the crucial points that staff needs to successfully manage in a clothing store. Our focus would be on presenting the problems and their solutions. Let us take a look!

Retail Clothing Store Management Solutions

According to the National Retail Federation, in 2021, the U.S all industry's employee average turnover was around 19%. However, if we look at the retail industry, the percentage reached above 60%. Needless to say, an increase in employee turnover has an extremely negative impact on retail stores. A business owner needs to continually rehire and retrain new workers resulting in extra costs.

So, what causes high employee turnover?

Such a situation is often the result of a lack of communication, support, and company culture. In this regard, clothing store managers should provide staff with the right tools to be more efficient and less stressed.  

Here we have listed 4 of the main aspects that need to be successfully managed in the apparel business.

1. Faster navigation

With so many new tasks to accomplish on their shifts, your employees don't have the time to navigate through a confusing store layout. Often workers need to go from the shop to the warehouse. Other times with stationary computers, workers are forced to engage the customer and to go back to the terminal to find the information needed. This kind of problem can be particularly evident in a large department store. A possible solution is providing the workforce with mobile computers or tablets. PDA devices offer information on the go through a simple interface. For example, when a customer asks for information regarding the clothes size, the sales associates can use PDAs to scan the item and provide the information within seconds.

2. Visibility in real-time

Having outdated data on hand does not help store employees. Management and staff need real-time data to plan for the upcoming curb, collect orders in-store (BOPIS), or handle a late truck arrival. Under these circumstances, the back-end task management software and mobile computers can quickly scan for assets by reading barcodes. At that point, information can be updated on the devices to keep everyone informed in real-time. This kind of solution supports manager`s decision making and workers daily operations.

3. Tasks prioritization

With fewer employees available to handle more tasks than ever, it is critical to find the most efficient management method. For many companies, it is common to see employing questioning task priority or finding themself in the wrong location. Mismanagement can lead to additional costs, even to business downfall. In this regard, we can easily manage and prioritize tasks with a real-time task management solution integrated with PDA devices. For example, mobile computers can notify employees of the task ahead, prompting them to pick up commodities or restocking. In this way, companies can speed up the process, and human errors are minimized.

4. Collaboration tools

Communication is a critical aspect of a successful retailer's sales operations. Associates need to find the right person when they require assistance to complete tasks. Additionally, managers need to reach out to workers right away if the task is not properly completed or there is a need for further corrections. Neglecting these aspects can negatively impact the customer experience. With software solutions (UMS) integrated with PDA devices, workers can be updated on ongoing tasks. For instance, associates can use mobile devices to take pictures of items. At the same time, they can use handheld computers for audio communication with other colleagues.

Urovo Product Recommendation: DT50

If your business is looking for a solution to better manage employees, you do not need to search further. Urovo DT50 mobile computer is equipped with a 4300mah large-capacity replaceable battery with an autonomy of 8-12h. The device supports fast charging technology, allowing full recharge within 3 hours. Employees can scan all kinds of barcodes and QR codes within milliseconds response speed. The result is higher productivity due to the absence of work downtimes.

Our solutions come with many additional features, including rear/front cameras, GPS, and 2x2 Mu-MIMO multi-channel input/output. These additional functions improve communication, high-speed data transmission, and multi-party information sharing.

Conclusion

You can take away some of this pressure by equipping associates with an execution and communication solution that makes their work easier. As a result, employees and your customers can go home happier each day.

If you're interested in learning more about how to empower your store associates, check out Urovo's PDA solutions or contact our team. We would be glad to discuss the challenges your employees face and what we can do to help empower your staff.