So, things are running smoothly, x-mas 2011 is around the corner, and my boss says we will be skipping our monthly inventory for two months, since we don't typically do the first one and the next one falls around x-mas time.
I think I'll be doing them anyway because I want piece of mind that my margin is stable throughout the holiday season.
taking inventory, how often do you think a deparment should do it?
We do inventory monthly it seems like a pain but keeps us in the black and let us know if any problems with people in the company having the o yo grosses they always seem to catch up with them!!! also doing alot of 1 and 2 day promotions so it lets you know how aggressive u can get without feeling the pain at the end of the 1/4
Hello all, I have been a manager for 20 years or so in the hospitality industry. A major grocery chain here in Canada hired me and sent me to school to take the retail meat cutting certificate program. I graduated in April and am now a manager of one of there meat departments here in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. The department that I was given had a gross of 10% when I started a month ago. We are doing the inventory weekly until I can see some improvement. last count we were up to 18.67%. The issues were many ie over cutting resulting in too many expensive cuts being ground, over trimming and just plain sloppy work. Any advice you folks can give me would help . How on earth can I get our numbers up another 4 percent. Yes it takes me at least 6 hours just to count and another hour or so to put the numbers together.... I have only been doing this a month and need as much advice as you can give. Our weekly sales are around 50K so its not a small store.
1st control your sales to purchases, maximize profit cuts out of any ad items, such as, say you have assorted pork chops on for 1.99# try to sell as many thin cuts, center cuts, stuffed rib chops, ect. all at a higher margin profit, Get your entire crew to stop pre-trimming meat before you cut it. I know it it takes a little mor time but try to keep beef at 1/4' trim and pork at 1/8" trim, I call the fat white gold, never let anything red into your bone can. and most important Quality of cuts "craftsmanship" eye appeal is buy appeal if it does not look good enough for you to buy it why would anyone else buy it. Not only does this save time in reworking sloppy cuts it builds trust in your customers and word of mouth is everything in this game of pennies.
J-Mansell said it all but i'm going to add, keep close eye on your paper work coming from office, invoices, transfers, refunds, check cost on invoice from time to time to make sure you getting gross they claim to. cutting test may be a thought, never hurts to do one every so often
Retail managers can all go stuff it. I am not now nor ever will intend to sell bone skin and bone chips in a boneless product... and yes, contrary to your designs I will scrape the bone dust before I wrap.
