Store Opening And Closing SOPs

Description:

Goal of the chapter:

In this chapter, we will explain what to do while opening and closing the store. 

We repeat - your company might have more rules that you need to follow. These are the general rules that most stores will follow.

Let us study the SOPs now. 

SOP 1 - Opening the store

There is a store opening team which has 2 or more members. This team will open the store and do all the necessary things in the morning. 

This team will reach the store 1 hour before the customers can come to the store. Sometimes, this duty is given to employees on rotation basis. This means that the same people will not open the store everyday. There will be turns, and everyone will learn how to do it. 

If it is your duty to open the store, you should remember that it is very important to be on time. Punctuality is important. 

You will be in trouble if customers are outside the store and you have not opened it. 

Here are the steps of opening a store: 

1. One person will go inside the store to check that nobody is inside, and others will wait outside. Reason? If there is a burglar inside the store, he can alert the others waiting outside, and the burglar can be caught. This is a common method used to avoid risks. 

Step 1 - Open outside door

Step 2 - Open inside door

Step 3 - Deactivate burglar alarm 

2. After checking the store, other people will enter the store. This step is also important because if there is a fire or anything inside the store, everybody is not harmed. 

3. After every member of the store opening team enters the store, they will carry out the work to make the store ready for the customers. 

• Switch on the lights inside and outside the store. 
  
• Punch in at work in punching machine or in register
• Make sure the sign outside the store is still “We are closed”
• Ventilate the store by opening windows, etc
• Switch on the ACs and set at correct temperature 
• Uncover all the goods and check the signage. 
• Supervise the cleaning staff
• Cleanliness check: floor, walls, ceilings, washrooms, trial rooms - every single nook and corner.

White cloth test - what is it?

Take a white cloth and randomly keep it on any shelf of the store. The cloth should be white. This is how clean the store should be. 

• Check all goods a) whether they are in the correct position and department for b) for price tags c) size sticker (if applicable) d) anti-shoplifting device 

• Repositioning of goods as per the visual merchandising order. (Note - we will explain visual merchandising (VM) in the chapter after next one.) 
• Re-tagging of goods if there is a sale or if prices of goods are changed
• Changing display goods if predecided. 
• Ensuring there is no stray object anywhere on the floor or shelves
• Make sure all personal items of employees are not on the store floor

Cash Counter Check:

Some employees are given permission to open cash counter. They will have to carry out the following SOP:

• Open the till (cash drawer) and compare to closing amount on previous day
• Record petty cash in the register
• Clear any unwanted documents from the cash counter and drawers
• Switch on swiping machine and make sure that it works

Make sure all these steps, and any additional steps that are a part of your store’s SOP are carried out before it is time to open the gate of the store for the customers. 

In the end, when it is time to open store for customers, you can change the outside sign to - “We are open”.   

SOP 2 - Closing the store

Is this how you keep your room? If yes, you will have to change your habits for your work.  

Stores have an SOP for closing time. There is a closing team which will do the closing work.  Given below are the common instructions for the closing team:

Instructions: 

If the store is open for customers from 11 am to 10 pm, you will do all the closing work after 10 pm. The closing SOP will start only after ALL the customers leave the store. 

If any customer is not leaving, you can tell them politely that it is time for closing the store and they can come tomorrow. If they still don’t leave, you can tell your manager to talk to them. 

After all the customers leave, you can start the closing SOP.

Change the “We are open” sign and keep the “We are closed sign” outside the store. Don’t allow any friends or relatives of store employee to stay in the store after it closes. 

Only the closing team should be present in the store while closing.

Carry out the following steps:

• Lock all other entrances leaving only the main door open
• Take stock of all goods and ensure there has been no theft or misplacement and update the register
• Replace all goods which are in wrong place
• Close and count any cash registers
• Shut off any overhead music
• Shut off any working displays like lights, TVs, etc
• Switch off any seasonal lightings which may cause a fire
• Leave closing notes for opening manager and include daily totals, merchandising info and any employee updates.
• Rearrange goods according to VM instructions or if a sale begins on the next day
• If there are any expensive goods, keep them in the safe and cupboard and lock them. (For eg - you don’t need to keep clothes in cupboard. But if you work with jewellery or electronics, you will need to lock them.

• Turn off the ACs
• Turn off all lights.
• Activate burglar alarm system and make sure you know the duress code.
• Exit the front of the store and lock the doors.
• Double check that the door is securely locked.

Key Takeaways:

1. A store opening team is alloted the duty of opening the store every morning. They must reach the store at least one hour before opening it, carry out the entire checklist of duties, and keep the store ready in all aspects before it is time to open it to the customers.

2. There shouldn't be any delay in the store opening time. It has to be done at a fix predecided time. 

3. All the customers should be outside the store before starting the store closing SOP. 

4. Any preparations for the next day must be made on the same day, in addition to the closing SOP duties. 

Up Next:

In the next chapter, we will study about warehousing and store keeping SOPs.