A real butcher can do so much more than cut a steak. In a recent conversation with a member of the “Help Save The Butchers” program a retailer asked me if I thought he could cut back on the number of Butchers he was using. His meat department’s ... 

Robert BuonomanoFounder, President at Help Save The Butchers

A real butcher can do so much more than cut a steak. 
In a recent conversation with a member of the “Help Save The Butchers” program a retailer asked me if I thought he could cut back on the number of Butchers he was using. His meat department’s volume fluctuated during the month and he felt that there were times when there wasn't enough work to justify the number of butchers that he employed; he felt he was “leaving money on thetable”. After several questions about his operation I believe my answer was something different then what he expected. 
There are many retailers that view a butcher’s job as just cutting the red meat that they believe is needed for the days’ sales, and that is it. Butchers can be used for so much more than this and still yield a return on the investment. What I suggested was a change of schedule for his butchers. In todays’ hectic world it is normal for both partners in a relationship to work. It is usually the job, several nights of the week, for one of them to “pick up supper” on their way home. This is something that was brought to my attention years ago by my customers. When I started in my first store, I worked opening to close, as all retailers do when they start. Being the butcher I was available to those customers on their way home to help them with their needs. Back then and still today, I have been told stories of my competition, chains and other independents alike, that had no one available to help these customers. Now I’m talking about suppertime 4:00-6:30, not 8:00 at night. During these hours I didn’t always have to cut specials, I needed to give guidance. I talked with customers, gave suggestions and made sure my department was ready for business. My experience showed me that this suppertime customer is in a hurry. They wanted to find what they needed and still get home in enough time to serve their family at a reasonable hour. Having a knowledgeable butcher available during this time gave them a feeling of service that helped relieve much anxiety for this customer after a long day. 
Most supermarkets today offer or have exclusively self-service meat departments. This does not mean that customers expect that there will be no one available when they need some help. Offering a service like a butcher during this time frame can help a retailer standout in today’s competitive market, and promoting this will generate additional business during these hours. A butcher, as opposed to just a clerk, can also give the department flexibility with its’ cutting list for the day. Asking a manager to be exact on every item that he will sell for a day is quite a task. A manager can now be a little more conservative in what he produces without having the worry that there will be no one there to cut something that might be needed to maximize sales later in the day. This butcher should also make it easier for the returning butchers the next morning, having maintained standards later in the day. This position is a position of responsibility for the butcher that works this shift. I must caution not to put your most inexperienced butcher in this time slot. The butcher that shares his knowledge and helps these super time customers will be seen as the face of your department by many people. I have received more good comments on butchers that work this time than any other, because they are the ones dealing directly with customers. 
An independent, that employees a real butcher, can offer his customer so much more than someone who just knows how to cut a steak.