It’s easy to whip newsagents into a frenzy about magazine supply, lottery competition or late newspapers but almost impossible to achieve the same attention and comment about employee theft, poor business planning or falling stationery sales.
I am concerned that as a channel we like to complain about the parts of our businesses over which we have the least control while ignoring opportunities to complain about ourselves and our poor stewardship of those parts of our businesses over which we have the most control.
The data reported by our computer systems tell us the truth. They tell us how stationery, gift, toy, card and other sales are year on year. yes, I include cards in this list over which we have control because it’s time newsagents realised that they have more influence over their card sales than their supplier.
My management challenge to newsagents today is – next time you are about to criticise a supplier, pays and think whether you hold your own performance over your business to the same standard. Look at your year on year business data. It won’t lie. If your stationery, gift, card, toy and plush sales are down it’s 100% on you. If magazine, newspaper, lottery and agency sales are down, you;re playing a role in that decline.
Embrace the truth of your data and use it to guide where you need to focus your attention.
Of course we jump on the bandwagon and complain about things that are out of our control, these problems affect so many of us and its good to read others thoughts and situations.
It’s also great to tell the world when we are achieving fantastic results, whether its because we are smart business operators, or we follow others advice or we are just very lucky.
I certainly complain about other issues that are in our control, but privately and I must admit constantly – to my poor husband who is bogged down with his own staff issues and just wants a sleep in! I wear myself out just thinking about what we need and can do better.
We both look at our data a lot more than we used to, him a little bit obsessively lately, and because we are doing better in some areas this does makes us stop and look at the areas that are declining and talk about how to fix it.
I seek out ideas from others but really no one is interested in our problems as everyone is too busy with their own.
Newsagents definitely need to give cards more attention and not just let reps and merchandisers control such an important part of their businesses. I think the biggest problem with cards is that from day one some one else has done all the work and because most newsagents are time poor they just let this continue.
yes Jenny and it’s why we need to shift from agents to retailers.
Jenny, are you in a group?
Yes Allan, same as you, which is why we are looking at our shop differently now.
We were starting to turn into the old couple we bought our first shop from – we were young and keen, they were old and over it.
I remember thinking at the time if they hated it that much why still do it?
Over the last few years I have said if we could take six months away from newsagency and deliveries I would come back fresh and keen. That was impossible but joining a group has given us the positive attitude to our business that we have both lacked for quite a while.
Jenny the beauty of being in a group is the networking with like minded pro-active retailers. I have learnt so much from my peers and continue to learn from them on a daily basis. Whilst yes, we are all busy I would be only too happy to listen to your problems and share any ideas with you. I dont open on Sundays but feel free to call me anytime after 9.30am (thats when I have staff come on)weekdays. You can reach me on 0741940788
Cheers
Al
I am not a member of a group and won’t be. I see so many department in decline. My business is on the market but I asked my self if I would like what I saw as if through the eyes of a buyer. I am slowly making my shop much more attractive. The new gift section has us all excited about the business for the first time in a long time. It is a bit hard to be excited about newspapers that don’t turn up. My last week has been impossible. Mon. Tues, Thurs, Sat received no Couriers or Australian. I would get more satisfaction out of banging my head on a wall.
Thank you Allan for your kind offer, I probably expressed myself in a confusing manner.
What Mark said about we don’t complain enough about ourselves and the parts of the business that we do have the most control, I mean we do complain, but not on this blog. By complaining about or discussing these things at home or with staff (rather than ignoring problems) we do make changes for the better.
And definately being part of a group is helping us achieve so much more.
The shared ideas are priceless, I just need to slow down and stop thinking I must do everything I read about.
Our biggest problem for the last 12 months has been with delivery staff – dropping days, texting (not phoning) late when they cant work the next day (usually a Sunday when we are out of town or we have a house full of visitors), and hiring and training new staff. Then the trips to Sydney with wrapping machines and cars, this takes so much of his, and sometimes my time that could be used doing shop stuff, but these are our problems so we just have to put up with them when they do occur and catch up when all is running smoothly again. But it too is a good business so you have to take the good with the bad.
Carol you can still be part of a group if your shop is on the market. If you improve your business even more it may help you get that buyer.