August 10th
► Customer Feedback: A Seasonal Service and Repair Card was submitted by Ronald C. of Milford, NH. He rated his hot tub repair (performed by Patrick) as #10 – excellent on all points, and commented “Patrick is the best!”
► Advertising, specials, everything continues from last week: August Clearance Sale.
► Customer Appreciation Day is this Saturday August 10th. Free logo gifts with every purchase.
► We had 63 One-Of-These Awards this month; including 20 for customer service and 22 for Extra Hard Effort. Finalists were Sidney, Sarah, Julia, Jeremy, and Steve. Owner’s choice was Sidney and drawing winner was Julia. Great job everyone!
► Weekly Fire Alarm Tip: As you exit the building, if it is safe to do so, close exterior doors and the doors between the warehouse and the store. This helps prevent fanning of flames.
Fire alarm procedures are tested once a quarter. Your score on this test plays a part in the amount of your quarterly bonus. A
complete answer key is returned with each graded test. If you would like another copy please ask Jen.
► Never have more than one price on an item. Never! If you don’t like where a tag is, remove it before you add another. I’ve found double-tagged items twice this week. It confuses customers and allows us to unwittingly not fix bad tags; like leaving a lower or sale price on something by only fixing one of the tags.
► The current coupon has a space for “customer signature”. Please make sure it gets signed. If they are cheating, I need their signature to try to get our money back.
► You just started stapling a copy of the receipt to coupons. That is a WONDERFUL idea. Please do that from now on with EVERY coupon; then you don’t have to fill out the bottom: receipt number, total, date, cashier; because it’s all on the receipt.
► Please be careful with receiving. We have had seen a few inventory mistakes lately that could have only come from signing a packing slip that did not actually match the items received.
► When you see us low on something, if RetailPro is wrong, please let Pat or me know. If you can’t be positive of the actual inventory tell us so we can recount. Why? Because I only order from the computer. If RetailPro says 10, and we will only sell four by the end of the year, I am not going to order more. If the actual inventory is three, then I have to order more. Here is the problem: We have to order fairly large quantities to cover freight costs or order minimums. We are spending $200 extra to order $100 worth of product. That’s nuts. During the summer we could always meet minimums. Right now I think I have enough pool supplies in stock to last us until December 31, except Target Super Shock, liquid chlorine, and winterizing. So if RetailPro is wrong, I need to know ASAP. And I don’t want to have to close the store for two days so you can all come in and re-count.
► New clearance pools, and an increase in your Par amounts. We just had a 24’ Voyager clearance pool cancelled that we have held since January 6th with a $150 deposit. (It needed to be paid in full by January 20th.) We just took back a 24’ Cayman that we Special-ordered in April twice! (Once as a 21’ and once as a 24’.) That one had a box opened before they decided to refuse it. So we added a 21’ Cayman a 24’ Cayman and a 24’ Voyager. Note that Par pricing allows you a bonus on top of commission. Just to encourage you to point out the pools on the back of the page.
By the way, I assume that you know that the 18×40 Escalade is marked down $2000 and you still get a $300 bonus to sell it…
► Join me in welcoming Sharayah C., who is filling in here in the office while Rose is on medical leave. Sharayah is a college student and serves in the National Guard. We thank her for her service.
► African Proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
► Mary Clancy goes up to Father O’Grady after his Sunday morning service and she’s in tears. He says, “So what’s bothering you Mary my dear?” She says, “Oh, Father, I’ve got terrible news. My husband passed away last night.” The priest says,
“Oh Mary that’s terrible. Tell me, Mary, did he have any last requests?” She says, “That he did, Father.” “What did he ask Mary?” She says, “He said, ‘Please Mary, put down that damn gun….’”