The largest watch and goldsmith chain in Norway, BJØRKLUND, has since 2020 used IMAS Staff Planning tool in five of their stores. The chain is now preparing to start using the scheduling tool in all their 90 stores. – As the founder of the BJØRKLUND chain, I have for several years worked with a planning tool that will form the basis for training and understanding for future leaders, says founder and partner Helge Bjørklund.
Helge and the BJØRKLUND chain have, in close relationship with IMAS, developed the new scheduling tool to transform the way a retail store is operated.
– In my opinion, in many retail companies, the current form of organization does not work optimally. An average store has one full-time position, and 3 to 4 part-time employees.
– I believe the future in retail is more about a team organization, with one team leader.
With a team organization, we must delegate responsibility, and create an understanding of what creates revenue in combination with the correct hourly consumption, says Helge.
Therefore, the personal planning software is built to both support managers and staff in the daily work trying to improve and optimizing store performance.
- The genius part with this store planning tool is that you can easily uncover and work with deviations and use them in the coming planning phase in your daily work. If we for example, in a working day or week, has less revenue than expected, but the same number of visitors entering the store, the team investigates it and tries to find improvements, says Helge.
Team building and data from footfall counters helps to create success
Hege Svensson is Team Manager for some BJØRKLUND stores and she explains that team building and coaching the individual is fundamental for BJØRKLUNDs success.
- Our staff should feel like there is a game that should be won when being at work, that’s the spirit we want to achieve and we want to achieve it with the help of validated data from footfall counters, says Hege.
When a store is short off staff or has too high hourly consumption, both related to actual footfall, you need to make some adjustments. In these cases the Staff Planner comes to great use.
- When it comes to data insight, we are transparent with our employees. They can on hourly basis check the number of visitors both passing and entering the store and number of sales transactions per employee. We believe it’s important that everyone knows the actual figures to get a better understanding and become more motivated, empowered, and share valuable information, says Hege.
Increase the focus on footfall data and capture rate
The five stores are now in a phase where they will focus more on increasing the number of people entering the stores. For example, they can measure how in store display rearrangement affects the capture rate.
- Our staff knows why and how we are using this tool. Now we have started to focus on improving the capture rate in the stores, the tool is great for monitoring all types of changes, says Helge.
“Staff Planner tool is a key component in the future retail world”
Helge believes that if a store wants to survive in the future retail arena you must be better prepared and quickly be able to serve your customers.
- People tend to have less time today and they have more knowledge about the product when entering our stores. 80% of our customers have familiarized themselves with our product range prior to visiting one of our physical stores. It is therefore crucial to have the right product range available and the right number of staff ready when they do visit us. I believe the Staff Planner tool is a key component in the future retail world.
- We are very satisfied with the personal planning tool, it has already helped us achieve efficient planning and increased our revenues. Entering 2022 we will start using the tool in all BJØRKLUND stores, says Helge.
About IMAS Staff Planner
IMAS Staff Planner schedule based on the store's conversation rate, i.e., how many of those entering the store makes a purchase, and your planned sales for the day (based on historical sales).
The system automatically collects data from people counters and cash registers and puts together a proposed schedule for your sales goals to be achieved. The goal is to optimize store performance with lower costs and increased profits.
Are you interested in IMAS Staff Planner, book a free demo with us today.
Facts about BJØRKLUND
BJØRKLUND, with more than 90 stores is the market leader in the watch and goldsmith business in Norway. The chain operates in a capital-intensive craft industry which requires a good and efficient operating organization, with highly skilled employees. The company is a franchise organized chain, but also has chain-owned stores. All stores are organized through a chain office owned and managed by BJØRKLUND NORGE A/S. The chain office covers all stores' daily needs in operations, IT, logistics, accounting, operations department, marketing, workshop, etc. The chain office also operates a website as its primary objective is to attract end consumers to our physical stores.
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