INDUSTRY TIPS: Task Management - RetailWire

Via RetailWire, Bill Bittner, President of BWH Consulting, explores Task Management and how it can help (and hinder) your store operations. How do you plan task management in your retail operation?
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BrainTrust Query: Can Task Management Go Too Far?

By Bill Bittner, President, BWH Consulting

Talk to anyone outside of store operations and they will give you an ear full about poor execution at store level. Talk to anyone in store operations and they will give you an ear full about all the stupid requests they get from category managers, marketing, human resources and loss prevention. The truth probably lies somewhere between the two perspectives, but most would agree that things could stand improvement and the latest tools to address the issue are task management applications.

Task management applications range from simple to-do lists that can be used by individuals to set their personal priorities, to network-based applications that help coordinate merchandising plans across multiple locations by scheduling display preparation and other in-store activities. The fundamental steps for task management involve: planning, allocating, setting goals, organizing, prioritizing, scheduling, delegation, monitoring, and analysis of time spent.

By moving these steps to the network, it is easier for everyone dependent on store performance to see how their activities overlap and monitor their execution. For example, maybe it makes more sense to wait until the upcoming reset to clean the shelves. By making requests visible to everyone and coordinating execution, the burden on the store can be reduced.

Task management applications can help the store achieve better results, but there could be a downside in the loss of "ownership" by store management. Traditionally the store manager works with department heads to plan weekly activities and set priorities. To the extent that the task management application organizes all the demands on the store and discourages outside departments from overloading the store, it is a help. But if store managers no longer have the authority to set priorities or manage the activity within their four walls, will the store lose the hands-on fine-tuning that many organizations rely on?

SOURCE: RetailWire