How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

Hi

I just started my pushcart shop and have one full time assistance. Intending to have one part timer in future. She is pretty good in selling and product knowledge. The only problem is punctuality. She is always late. The peak period for my pushcart is during lunch time and after office hour. We open at 11 am. Eversince she started, she is always late. Now she only come to open at 12 noon plus so miss out some of lunch time customers as it needs about 20 min to open the shop. I have already told her so many times to come on time. She said she will. But she is still late.

Since she is good at selling and quick learner. I do not want to dismiss her.

Can anyone suggest how to manage this kind of staff?

Thanks

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

Ok. Let me suggest a few.

If she is really that good and valuable employee, retain her. But do some of these measures:

1) Incentives

If she late more than 1 time a week, she losses all her commission.

2) Benfits

If she is not late for the day, she will be added $0.50 to her hourly rate. (This have to depend on you)

3) Warning

Give her warning letter or verbal warning. If she is really always late, you have no choice but to dismiss her. In this economic downturn, no worry that you can't find good employee. People are looking for jobs. It is the employer's period. It is the period whereby employer chooses employee and not the other way round.

Consider this: If she late for 1 hour and missed the peak hour, your sales dropped by 30% (Estimate). Even if she is good at selling, your sales will only increase by 20% or so.

Remember this: PEAK HOUR, no matter how good a person sells after peak hour, it can never compare to peak hour's sales.

Hope it helps.

Regards,
Takeshi

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

Read up this articles:
http://www. businessmanagementdaily.com/articles/19229/1/How-to-handle-habitually-late-workers/Page1.html#

Watch this video:

http://www. bnet.com/2422-13722_23-248443.html

http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=_G2xOzExNqs

Hope it helps.

Regards,
Takeshi

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

Thanks for suggestion.

What you said is right. During peak period, even the person who is bad at selling can do pretty well.

Another question is: how do people ensure that the staff come in on time?

I did spot check but I can't always go there to check whether they are on time or not.

Initially, I intended to buy attendance clock to check in & out but it is pretty ex.

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

Let me see...

Tough question...

First:

Time in clock is good. But is expensive.

Second:

When I am attached to a few big companies like Charles & Keith & Cheers, they have pos system. You have to login before work. But I believe pushcart do not have such system.

Ok... I got 1 suggestion.

Do your cashier pos have receipt which has timing?

If you do this will be a great idea.

When your staff arrive on the day of opening, ask her to print a reciept with amt of $0.10 or something. Ask her to keep the reciept everyday. So u can check on her timing of the reciept. =D

Kinda cheap way to do. Hahas... Hope it helps.

Regards,
Takeshi

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

Unfortunely, I do not have cash register.

How much does it cost? Any idea?

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

This you have to check out with the retailer. I don't use a cashier. =X

Anyway, it is good. Reason is you will keep the reciept. This can help in doing your sales revenue and etc. Just in case your staff stole the money. It is a good investment. If you set up a pushcart, do it big! =))

Invest in the necessary equipment. It also helps your biz to build image. Imagine a customer buys from u. A cash register looks more professional or a lady doing the exchanges and put into her pouch? Looks unprofessional isn't it?

Hope this help a bit.

Regards,
Takeshi

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

Incentive is a good way to encourage your staff to work harder.
If you use incentive to make her come early or on time, you may end up
have to keep adding your commission to make her stay.
If she does not treasure her rice bowl adding incentive will not help.
Have a good talk with her and explain how much business you have lost by her coming late.
Tell her frankly that you like her work and will only give her another chance
to correct her problem.
If she continue to be like that I would recommend you sack her.

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

Hi,

Having a talk with her is definitely needed, you should let her your problem. No point doing all those thing and yet she don't know what has she done wrong. Another good way to check on her would be befriend with the stalls nearby you, they are the ones who sees what she is doing at most times. As neighbor they are more likely to help you keep a look out(especially when you give them discounts at times), maintaining a good r/s with them would help you. Sometimes they would notice something that you don't. Hopes it helps (:

Regards,
Corinne

Re: How to Manage Pushcart Staff
 

How much is the market price to engage a pushcart sales girl and is it trustworthy?

Any body can help?