A Communications Book is essential in any retail business, especially a newsagency. regardless of the size of the business, a Communications Book keeps everyone in the loop.
It can be a record of news relevant to the business and those who work in it, document to do lists and record progress on these, a place where owners remind themselves of things to be done and a place for recording feedback.
I recommend every newsagency have a Communications Book and that it is used every day. From a management perspective, the book allows you to set the agenda in a way that can be measured against. It gets everyone on the same page (excuse the pun). Plus it documents expectations.
Here are some tips for successful Communications Book use.
- Be clear in your communications, black and white.
- Set your expectations in what you write.
- Measure people by what they do based on what you’ve put in the book.
- Note tasks for every day.
- Draw attention to new products in-store.
- Encourage all team members to add notes about issues during the day.
- Train people to read the book at the start of every shift.
- Use the inside cover of the book for key contact details.
- Make the book the only place you put things in writing. i.e. not on post-it notes on the register or scraps of paper on the counter.
Have the book always in the same place. Train your people on how you want the book used.
Essential, particularly when there are a lot of rosters and staff often don’t see each other.
We have used a diary behind the counter for a while now. It is a very valuable tool to use for both us and the staff. Sometimes as CraigL said staff dont always see each other so its good to know where your wormates are up to with certain jobs or tasks instore.
My wife says I shouldnt use so many swear words in my entries though…..!
This book is most important but I still like reminders for my self using sticky note in my computer screen. When I turn it on in the morning it telling me don’t forget this. or do that urgently. Now where can I get one that actually yells at me when I do forget.
Carol, I use outlook calendar for my own reminders: run customer billing, last magazine return day, deliver mag returns, anything I need to do. I find this much better that notes as they get lost too easily and outlooks keeps bothering me until I do what I need to.
We also use a diary at the counter but but as well as what Mark is describing. All staff will now be advised that there are new, more thorough requirements in future.
We use Outlook here too Brendan. Calendar for appointments + an overview of delivery schedules and Tasks for all our daily and recurring tasks.
We also flag all emails that need to be actioned so it turns them into a task.
We’ve recently purchased a tablet that we’re about out to start using for communication and long term notes (eg seasonal reviews or instructional notes). We’re using OneNote for this because it syncs nicely across all our computers
I have produced a document called LOTTD, List of things to do. It covers the things we (I) have to do, listed by days of the week, like order scratchies on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, send IPS return on Tuesday etc etc. Each day is listed as a specific set of activities and before I leave each day I check the LOTTD entry for that day to make sure all is done.
For the staff we produce a sheet of paper and all sign it and make comment as needed. The papers are later filed and can be looked back on by the staff.
It’s good to see the different approaches people take. I can’t see how a newsagency runs without something like this.
looks like I will have to stretched my poor old brain to learn about out look calendar. I don’t use physical notes there is sticky note in Outlook that you post on your screen that looks just like a real sticky note.
Carol, if you have someone familiar with Outlook get them to teach you.
It’s a relatively easy program to use once you know how. Even our more computer wary team members pick it up quiet quickly.
I used to use Outlook for all appointments, reminders etc. I use my smart phone now instead, but the principle is the same.
I could not function without it.
Although I use Outlook for my own daily/weekly/monthly agenda, hard copy lists are still to be found in our Front Counter manual. Certain jobs are date and initial eg cleaning the confectionery and checking out-of-dates should be signed off at least once a month and I can pretty well see who is conscientious enough to do the job AND WHO NEVER DOES IT ! We also use the Tower notes section for putaways extensively and note all phone calls to customers so there is no doubling up.
We have migrated all of our communications across to an internal website. This site houses training videos, daily notes, check-lists, time sheets etc, basically Everything we and the staff need access to.
The benefits are many over our old hard copy diary. It can be accessed from any PC in any store or remotely. It does away with a heap of manuals and folders and holds information indefinitely its also very easy to keep up to date.
We can include links to relevant websites and information. We can restrict or allow access to any of the information and ultimately control our business in a more efficient and consistent way.
Outlook is also used by managers for personal reminders and the like.
Cant imagine life without these tools.
For newsagencies without anything I urge you to go with the manual book as a first step. It can demonstrate the value of centralising communication.
We use a diary at the counter for all communication between staff – change of address for home delivery customers, magazine/stationary/gift orders for customers and staff holidays/roster changes.
But post-it notes are still left on front screen occasionally.