<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.artwoo.com/wp-content/themes/blognetwork/style.xsl" type="text/xsl" media="screen"?><!-- generator="ArtWoo/" ... the remainder of this comment is just a hack, that is padding so that Firefox and MS IE 7.0 will use the stylesheet as defined by the ArtWoo Generator.  You see, if you pad out this comment past 512 bytes, both Firefox and MS IE 7.0 will use the stylesheet designed by us so you will have the visual pleasure of the syndicated feed provided by us.  Otherwise, you are stuck looking at the default xml stylesheet provided by Microsoft and Firefox.  Now we're about of padding, so we can stop rambling. -->
<rss version="2.0" 
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/">

<channel>
	<title>retail employees</title>
	<link>http://www.artwoo.com</link>
	<description>Returned search results for retail employees</description>
	<copyright>Copyright 2008</copyright>
	<pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:44:14 +0000</pubDate>
	<generator>http://www.artwoo.com/rss/retail+employees</generator>

		<item>
				<title>The Benefits Of Retail Sales Training</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-benefits-of-retail-sales-training</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-benefits-of-retail-sales-training#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sun, 24 Dec 2006 18:27:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>retail sales training</category><category>retail market</category><category>necessarily</category><category>spur of the moment</category><category>great customer service</category><category>crucial</category><category>product knowledge</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-benefits-of-retail-sales-training</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Retail sales training will not only you you survive in the retail market, but retail sales training will give you effective results to beat the competition. Many people think that price is what controls the retail market, however with retail sales training you will learn that price may attract]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+sales+training" rel="tag">Retail sales training</a> will not only you you survive in the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+market" rel="tag">retail market</a>, but retail sales training will give you effective results to beat the competition. Many people think that price is what controls the retail market, however with retail sales training you will learn that price may attract customers, but it may not <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/necessarily" rel="tag">necessarily</a> keep them. The retail market is slit up of several different divisions. Retail sales training can assist with you running each of these divisions at peak performance, thus creating a immaculate retail center. <br /><br /> The biggest part of the retail market is customer service. Customer service not only includes assisting and handling difficult customers, but it also consists of preventing product loss as well as building customer loyalty. Retail sales training will also help your employees with <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/product+knowledge" rel="tag">product knowledge</a>. Having product knowledge is very <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/crucial" rel="tag">crucial</a> as it will help you assist the customer in finding solution for their need in a quick and professional manner. <br /><br /> Retail sales training will also help your management team develop better employees and establish critical procedures. Retail sales training is not just about how to sell, but also on how to handle certain situations and set forth acceptable policies. Retail sales training can assist you in generating ideas to establish proper training methods that will hold your employees accountable for their actions without having disputes from employees being unable to handle certain situations. Retail training programs help you eliminate future problems, by helping you develop strong policies and guidelines that can be followed to not only bring <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/great+customer+service" rel="tag">great customer service</a>, but generate positive experiences from your customers. By establishing set guidelines you will eliminate random decisions and spur-of -the-moment policies which could have a negative effect on your retail center. By establishing a list of set policies, there will be no dispute as to how to handle each situation resulting in less chances for negative outcomes. <br /><br /> Retail sales training can also assist in better plans of action and in creating model stores. Model stores are stores that have strong leaders with leadership skills who use their man power wisely. Retail sales training can assist you in creating better time management skills to create your store into a more productive retail center. <br /><br /> Overall retail sales training can help your daily operations and help you build a stronger management and sales team. Retail sales training can assist you in all the needs of running a retail market.  <bio>Mark Woeppel has been working on improving businesses for over 20 years. A noted international author, lecturer, and consultant, he has recently been focusing on strategies to create new sales. More can be found at <a href="http://www.sales-growth.net" >http://www.sales-growth.net</a> </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Employee Issues In The Workplace</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/employee-issues-in-the-workplace</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/employee-issues-in-the-workplace#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sat, 11 Aug 2007 18:40:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>improving employee relations</category><category>bored</category><category>crucial</category><category>job</category><category>increasing productivity</category><category>employees need</category><category>managers need</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/employee-issues-in-the-workplace</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Every management person should be striving to constantly be looking to improve employee relations. Keep employees happy will lead to increasing productivity and morale. This should lead to increase sales.  First, you must show interest in employees. They want to be more than a body. Most employees]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Every management person should be striving to constantly be looking to improve employee relations. Keep employees happy will lead to <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/increasing+productivity" rel="tag">increasing productivity</a> and morale. This should lead to increase sales. <br /><br /> First, you must show interest in employees. They want to be more than a body. Most employees want to feel wanted. Just knowing some things about the employees is a big plus. It could be their favorite hobbies, children and pet's names, and anything else that you can think of. Most employees want to do a great <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/job" rel="tag">job</a> and caring for them makes it easier for them to feel a part of the organization. <br /><br /> <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/employees+need" rel="tag">Employees need</a> to be treated as individuals. One method does not work in managing employees. The employees want to be respected for their differences. <br /><br /> <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/managers+need" rel="tag">Managers need</a> to respect difference of opinion with employees. Some of the best suggestions to improve a business will be from employees. They will not always agree with management's view. If possible, the manager / owner should explain to the employee the reasoning for not following their opinion. The employee may not like it, but will have respect for you if done in a professional way. <br /><br /> Need to be fair to all employees. This can be tough to do. However, showing outright favoritism will create numerous employee issues that are hard to resolve. <br /><br /> Keeping the job interesting is another important factor in <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/improving+employee+relations" rel="tag">improving employee relations</a>. First, it makes time go faster. It also keeps the employees challenged. If the employees get <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/bored" rel="tag">bored</a>, they will pay less attention to their duties. There are many ways to keep the job interesting. It could be cross training the employee or giving more responsibility. <br /><br /> Communicating with employees is one thing many managers could do a better job. Informed employees make better decisions. This information will lead to better customer service, morale, productivity and ultimately increased sales. <br /><br /> The one thing that may be the most <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/crucial" rel="tag">crucial</a> to improving employee relations is showing appreciation for a job well done. Many managers are quick to be critical of employee mistakes, but slow to give praise. About 80% of communication with an employee should be praise. Giving praise to employees in front of a group is something most employees love. The number one thing that most employees look for in a job is appreciation for a job well done.<br /><br /><br /><br /> Many managers give criticism to the employees in their office. The problem with this is that any time the employee is called to the office, they know what is coming. Make sure employees are given praise in the office or where ever they receive criticism.<br /><br /><br /><br /> When giving employees tasks, telling them thank you costs nothing when the job is done. A few seconds of time could reap rewards much greater than the time involved. <br /><br /> Employee issues can be tough to deal with. There are no black and white answers for many employee issues. The key is to keep employees happy while reaching the goals of the business.   <bio>Jerry Robertson is a Retail Consultant and author of "Shocking Truth to Retail Store Success". You can get a free copy and subscribe to his free monthly newsletter at: <a href="http://www.jrobconsult.com" >http://www.jrobconsult.com</a>   </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Collaboration and Team Building For Sales Force Management Growth</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/collaboration-team-building-for-sales-force-management-growth</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/collaboration-team-building-for-sales-force-management-growth#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:35:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>employee collaboration</category><category>collaboration team</category><category>brain drain</category><category>learning curves</category><category>sales force management</category><category>sales companies</category><category>retail sales</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/collaboration-team-building-for-sales-force-management-growth</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Collaboration and Team Building: Adding Value to Your Employees  A truth that is becoming more self-evident in today's world for sales companies is that your employees are the most important asset your business has. This is especially true in business marketing, and sales force management. What if a]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Collaboration and Team Building: Adding Value to Your Employees <br /><br /> A truth that is becoming more self-evident in today's world for <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/sales+companies" rel="tag">sales companies</a> is that your employees are the most important asset your business has. This is especially true in business marketing, and <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/sales+force+management" rel="tag">sales force management</a>. What if a valued employee left your business without warning? No one has his or her information (and if you didn't know, as much as 80% of your company knowledge is in the heads of your employees). What about tomorrow's sales presentation? When they leave your sales organization, it's called <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/brain+drain" rel="tag">brain drain</a>. Will your sales representative stay with you long enough to complete the sales process started with new key customers? <br /><br /> But with great collaboration and team building, you can prevent brain drain from hitting your business. Many sales companies, including <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+sales" rel="tag">retail sales</a> are now focused on cross training and greater sales collaboration. When retail sales employees on your sales force work together on promotional sales and prospecting sales for closing deals they collaborate and build stronger teams. <br /><br /> When your employees collaborate, it spreads the information; more than one employee now has that valuable information. And the best way to encourage <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/employee+collaboration" rel="tag">employee collaboration</a> is to focus on team building. <br /><br /> At its core, team building is a focus on interpersonal communication. It is a way to get your employees to collaborate in small and large groups, to come together and share information. It's not always easy to get people to talk to one another spontaneously, but when you use the more formal methods of classroom and training room presentations, you can stimulate conversations and ideas. <br /><br /> If you and your employees aren't comfortable creating presentations, you can find great tools on many websites to do just that. Even if you're not an expert, most presentation programs have low <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/learning+curves" rel="tag">learning curves</a>. And building presentations to encourage collaboration and team building can be easy when you use the simple, professional templates, visuals, and animations provided to you. Assigning the task of preparing the sales presentation to a group is a form of team building in itself. <br /><br /> A great new trend in sales management is getting out of the office. Geo-caching has become popular, as well as getting back to nature in an arranged team building session. You can create your own or search for companies who specialize in this training.   <bio>Bob Therrien has worked in business management for over 20 years. TrainingPASS Sales Corp is in it's forth year of business. You're invited to visit the website at <a href="http://www.trainingpass.com" >http://www.trainingpass.com</a> It has a collection of business sales and marketing downloads available.  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Providing Benefits For Your Employees</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/providing-benefits-for-your-employees</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/providing-benefits-for-your-employees#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>small business owners</category><category>part timers</category><category>difficult decisions</category><category>time workers</category><category>difficult decision</category><category>retail business</category><category>married women</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/providing-benefits-for-your-employees</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ One of the most difficult decisions for a small business is whether to provide benefits to employees and which ones. This is a decision you need to consider carefully for several reasons. You want to be able to maintain employees, but at the same time you need to make a profit. For many small]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ One of the most <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/difficult+decisions" rel="tag"><a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/difficult+decision" rel="tag">difficult decision</a>s</a> for a small business is whether to provide benefits to employees and which ones. This is a decision you need to consider carefully for several reasons. You want to be able to maintain employees, but at the same time you need to make a profit. For many <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/small+business+owners" rel="tag">small business owners</a>, they must draw the line between paying for benefits and paying salaries. Certainly they can make the choice to pay benefits and lower salaries, but they will then have a problem keeping employees. On the other hand, failing to provide benefits prevents a small company from maintaining a staff of experienced workers. In most cases the end result is that the workers have to accept the position with no benefits, thus many small companies have a large turnover with the majority of workers being <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/married+women" rel="tag">married women</a> who don't require benefits or part-time help. This can be a difficult decision to make. <br /><br /> Before you begin operating your business you need to decide if you want to offer a benefits package to your employees. That doesn't mean you have to do it right away, but you should research it so that you know whether the cost will be too prohibitive for you to consider even in the future. It is a good idea to know as soon as possible if this is something you will even be able to consider. You will not be out of line if you choose not to offer benefits if you are in the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+business" rel="tag">retail business</a> as many stores and other retail outlets only offer benefits to those who are at the assistant manager level and above. Others offer vacation and holiday pay even to part-timers but no health or life insurance. As a business owner, you have to decide if you want to take a smaller profit in order to maintain a staff of long <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/time+workers" rel="tag">time workers</a>, or if you want to face the potential of a high turnover of staff. Your decision should be based upon the type of business and how long it takes to train new staff members, keeping in mind that every time you have to hire someone else, it costs money for you and your company and takes away from your other duties or from the duties of the person who is doing the training for you. <br /><br /> You have to decide for yourself as a business owner whether you want to offer benefits and which ones you afford. When making a decision you have to consider how much of your profit you will forfeit to offer benefits and whether you are willing to take less of a salary for yourself to ensure security for your employees. You may want to discuss it with your accountant or financial advisor for recommendations before you make a final decision. It's an easy task to say you will pay a large percentage of health insurance for your employees, but it's another issue to have enough of a profit to support that decision.   <bio>Mark Stewart frequently writes on topics in the home business and Internet marketing industry. Finally learn the truth about how you can launch 6 streams of automated affiliate income streams in just 24 hours. Visit <a href="http://www.HomeBasedBusinessIdeas.com/" >http://www.HomeBasedBusinessIdeas.com/</a>  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Real Estate Trust That Invests In Business Owners And Employees.</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/real-estate-trust-that-invests-in-business-owners-and-employees</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/real-estate-trust-that-invests-in-business-owners-and-employees#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sun, 09 Sep 2007 12:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>retail grocery stores</category><category>real estate trust</category><category>anchor tenants</category><category>independent franchises</category><category>wages</category><category>ruby</category><category>shopping centers</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/real-estate-trust-that-invests-in-business-owners-and-employees</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ A new way of doing business is great news in the declining business prosperity of the United States as well as slack returns on investment. What if you could invest in a company that pays high wages, has excellent investment returns, and motivates employees to give their all each and every day?]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ A new way of doing business is great news in the declining business prosperity of the United States as well as slack returns on investment. What if you could invest in a company that pays high <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/wages" rel="tag">wages</a>, has excellent investment returns, and motivates employees to give their all each and every day? You would probably say, "That would be great except there are no businesses that can make money, pay good wages and still motivate their employees". Until now you have been right but all that is about to change with new a new model of business designed by George <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/ruby" rel="tag">Ruby</a> the owner of Ruby Real Estate. <br /><br /> George Ruby is offering a unique business opportunity to investors in the form of a Real Estate Investment Trust that invests in businesses such as Franchised <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+grocery+stores" rel="tag">Retail Grocery Stores</a> that anchor <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/shopping+centers" rel="tag">shopping centers</a> and are owned and operated by <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/independent+franchises" rel="tag">independent franchises</a>. The <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/real+estate+trust" rel="tag">Real Estate Trust</a> would develop the retail shopping centers using grocery stores as <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/anchor+tenants" rel="tag">anchor tenants</a> of which would operate under franchises where employees will be paid somewhat less than their operating performance. Employees can earn commissions on the sales of the unit in excess of the first full year's operating performance. Employees can earn more than working in any major chain store in the country. The employees rightfully earn a living wage in which they can support their families through hard work and dedication. <br /><br /> The most difficult thing a business can do is overcome its fixed costs. These fixed costs come in the form of wages, facilities, distributor prices and more. George's business model keeps the fixed prices of facilities (rent) as well as the cost of labor, material and other costs at the lowest possible level through a new way of operating businesses. To encourage longevity and retention of these highly skilled employees, the business will share a significant amount of additional profit with the employees. Any dollar over the cost baseline of running the business is free money to the organization and employees. Therefore employees are motivated to increase their sales volume. <br /><br /> George's business plan entails a Real Estate Trust that invests in properties that it has an interest in. Franchisors that operate different types of businesses, franchisees that not only operate unites but also own a part of those unites and employees that have more than an employee stake in the daily operation of the units, but are the backbone of the unit. A typical retail grocery outlet would be in the range of 60,000 to 70,000 square feet and would be the anchor for a retail shopping center of varying sizes. The business plan is based on honesty, integrity partnerships, mergers franchisors, franchisees, supply agreements and dedicated employees. This business plan is structure in a manner that everyone associated with the trust has the chance to make a descent living for their families and become a part of a very exciting and very large business ventures not only in the USA but worldwide. <br /><br /> George's first goal is to secure the necessary funds for the Real Estate Investment Trust that would have unlimited shared capital and sufficient funds to fun the trust and its initial subscription to the market in addition there are several other business models that would be formed under the trust which would be classified as domestic and international. <br /><br /> If you are interested in talking to George Ruby about his business models and/or want to become an operating franchise owner or investor George is always willing to discuss his business plan with you via the following: <br /><br /> George Ruby  Phone and Fax: 412-793-5757  Email: Gruby648@comcast.net  648 Regency Drive  Pittsburgh, PA, 1523   <bio><a href="http://www.blogpublishingandmarketing.com" >http://www.blogpublishingandmarketing.com</a> and <a href="http://www.thenewbusinessworld.blogspot.com" >http://www.thenewbusinessworld.blogspot.com</a>  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>14 Obstacles To Retail Store Success</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/14-obstacles-to-retail-store-success</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/14-obstacles-to-retail-store-success#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:05:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>mail</category><category>retail business</category><category>retail store</category><category>control freaks</category><category>resistance to change</category><category>trust employees</category><category>creative solutions</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/14-obstacles-to-retail-store-success</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ There are so many things that can prevent a retail store from being successful. We have listed 14 obstacles to retail success. Any one of these can be harmful to your retail business, but it only takes one to be fatal. They are not listed in any particular order.  1. Selection of Products- Many]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ There are so many things that can prevent a <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+store" rel="tag">retail store</a> from being successful. We have listed 14 obstacles to retail success. Any one of these can be harmful to your <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+business" rel="tag">retail business</a>, but it only takes one to be fatal. They are not listed in any particular order. <br /><br /> 1. Selection of Products- Many retail owners select products based on what they like. The key is to pick items your customers will love. If you get input from other employees or management, it will make it easier to make better buying decisions. Also, many times the owner has a limited taste and is missing a large group of customers. Ultimately, the owner may make the final decision, but the more info presented should result in better buying for the retail business. <br /><br /> 2. Not Organized- Too many owners run their business without a plan. You should have short-term and long-term goals. I used to have a weekly list plus a master list of things to do. It was always subject to change. Also, take care of <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/mail" rel="tag">mail</a> daily. I have been to stores and see mountains of mail stacked high in the store. <br /><br /> 3. Lack of Delegation- Too many owners refused or afraid of dele-gating. It may be they are <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/control+freaks" rel="tag">control freaks</a> or do not <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/trust+employees" rel="tag">trust employees</a>. Both are bad and will severely limit your business. By delegating to employees, it creates better employees and ones who will take more pride in your retail business. Start with delegating simple things and go from their. You will be amazed at what your employees can do. <br /><br /> 4. Not Thinking Outside the Box- If the owner's thinking is lim-ited, so is the chance for success. It is hard running a retail store. The key is not to follow everyone else and consider choices that will be different. Once again, your employees may be able to come up with <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/creative+solutions" rel="tag">creative solutions</a>. <br /><br /> 5. <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/resistance+to+change" rel="tag">Resistance to Change</a>- Owners and employees do not like to change. They want to continue to do things business as usual. Times change and if you wait too late for change, your business may even fail from this obstacle by itself. It is so common for a retail store to doing poorly and the owner will not make major changes. This brings me to the next obstacle. <br /><br /> 6. Fear of Failure- Every business that tries different things will have some failures. The key is to learn from these failures to help you in the future. Too many owners just think the following. I tried something different and it did not work. Every successful person and business has failures, but they did not let it stop them from reaching their goals. <br /><br /> 7. Store not Unique- One of the keys is to make your store different from the rest. Over 90% of all retailers are similar. The others create a unique shopping experience. They understand that special events combined with unique items or service will have the customers saying WOW when they leave. Yes, it takes extra work, but the payoff can be huge. Special events can be low cost or even free to promote your business. There are thousands of possibilities, such as dog costumes, children storytelling, and free short informational seminars about a product or service. <br /><br /> 8. Service not Superior- All stores like to think their service is great. In reality, most stores fall far short. It not only takes meeting the customer's expectations, but exceeding them. For example, you could special order an item and delivered it to their house or work, if the customer does not have time to get to your store. Superior service starts with an owner's strong commitment for it to happen. <br /><br /> 9. Work is not Fun- Everyone has a job to do, but it can be made to be fun. Happy employees are more productive and give better customer service. Get to know your employees and think of them as a person. Humor is a great way to relieve tension and make your employees happy to work for your retail business. Hard bosses to work for have high turnover which is costly to any business. <br /><br /> 10. Poor Ad Merchandise or Pricing- Owners love to run sales for products that do not sell or have poor prices for better selling items. The purpose of the ad is to get customers into your store to buy products. Selling a good item at 1/2 off regular retail will result in more sales and profits for your store than selling poor merchandise at 75% off regular retail. Many customers coming into your store for ad items will purchase other products at full price. <br /><br /> 11. Not Aggressive with old Inventory- Inventory either makes you money or costs you money. Old inventory should be sold to create cash flow plus to clear space for good selling products. Too many owners think short-term and will not sell an item below cost. Old inventory is better liquidated at 75% off, instead of sitting on your shelf or stockroom. The cash can be used to purchase good inventory, which can more than make up for the loss of the old item. I have seen many retail stores continue to suffer, because the owner will not take the necessary markdowns for his business. <br /><br /> 12. Employees not Educated- Employees must be shown what to do. All employees should be educated on a consistent basis. This will result in less turnover, more productivity and more profits. Do not think educating employees is about the first day or week. <br /><br /> 13. Lack of Mailing List- Getting a mailing list is the best way to cut down advertising costs and increase sales. Customers on a mailing list will result in 5-10 times the sales as new visitors to your store. The best ways to get customers on your mailing list is from checks and asking them for their address to be on your store mailing list. You may have to give a small incentive to get them on your list, but is worth it. <br /><br /> 14. Website not Effective- A website should either sell products/ be used to get visitors e-mail addresses. The more you keep in contact with the people on your list, the credibility goes up and so do the sales. Many people do not buy the first time, they visit a website. Also, having some basic info about your store would be great also. I have seen many owners spend $2,000 or more for a website, plus a high monthly fee and not be effective. Flash can be nice, but if it takes too long to load, your website visitor is long gone. I have a website with all the bells and whistles and there were no up-front costs or contracts, less than $20 a month, and easy to do yourself. I have been able to save some of my consulting clients thousands by switching and having a more effective website leading to even more profit.   <bio>Jerry Robertson is a Retail Consultant and author of "Shocking Truth to Retail Store Success". You can get a free copy and subscribe to his free monthly newsletter at: <a href="http://www.jrobconsult.com" >http://www.jrobconsult.com</a>   </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Turning Retail Jobs Into Rewarding Retail Careers</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/turning-retail-jobs-into-rewarding-retail-careers</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/turning-retail-jobs-into-rewarding-retail-careers#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:57:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>retail career</category><category>hr position</category><category>employment hours</category><category>executive type</category><category>retail world</category><category>retail location</category><category>qualified person</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/turning-retail-jobs-into-rewarding-retail-careers</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you have never thought of retail as an area in which you can build a career, then you have simply not given enough thought to the retail world! For every store with a handful of cashiers and stock boys working the floor, there are supervisors, buyers, managers, HR people, accountants, and more.]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[If you have never thought of retail as an area in which you can build a career, then you have simply not given enough thought to the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+world" rel="tag">retail world</a>! For every store with a handful of cashiers and stock boys working the floor, there are supervisors, buyers, managers, HR people, accountants, and more. The lists of people who support a retail store are huge, and not all of them are jobs that sit at the bottom of the food chain.<br><br>Looking for a <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+career" rel="tag">retail career</a> means looking for something in retail that interests you. If you have a particular hobby, like math, then you may find that an accounting or bookkeeping career at a retail store is ideal for you. In fact, if you are interested in a particular type of object, activity, or field, then you may already know the ideal store for you.<br><br>If you know where you would like to work but do not yet have the education to apply for a job in an <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/executive+type" rel="tag">executive type</a> of position, then consider applying for a job as a retail store clerk at that store instead. Deal with customer service, work as a cashier, or otherwise spend your <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/employment+hours" rel="tag">employment hours</a> at the store of your choice for later in life. This has several benefits.<br><br>One benefit of working in a low position at a retail store that you enjoy is that you will be able to earn money to pay for the education that you are probably getting so that you can apply for your dream job. This is an excellent way to get your foot in the door and to start making a little bit of income at the same time, even if the position is not one that you particularly enjoy.<br><br>Another great benefit of working at your chosen <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+location" rel="tag">retail location</a> while you are in school is that it allows the supervisors to notice you early on, and gives you a history with the store. If you apply for an <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/hr+position" rel="tag">HR position</a> within the company and they see that you have a perfect work record with them already, they may be more willing to take a chance on you and your new degree than on an equally <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/qualified+person" rel="tag">qualified person</a> with whom they have no direct experience.<br><br>As you make your way through the ranks you'll find a number of doors opening. According to your formal education, training, skill, and personal interests, you should be able to find a number of career options including the following:<br><br>• Human Resources Managers: Work to solve employee problems, supervise payroll, hire new employees, and plan corporate events<br><br>• Buyers: Find the best product options for your store and control inventory<br><br>• Merchandisers: Create in-store campaigns, work with buyers to find the best products, and influence the layout of the store to maximize sales<br><br>• Loss Prevention Officers: Supervise security, deal with shoplifting problems, come up with creative ways to cut costs, and find problems in paperwork<br><br>• Corporate Managers: Make big decisions about the company, come up with new campaign strategies, meet with investors, research customer preferences, price products, oversee all daily operations, and dictate company policy<br><br>You may also want to create a career out of the retail industry by opening a store of your own. Being a small business owner can be daunting, but if you have experience in the retail industry, you've got a start on preparing to run your own store. Owning a business can be quite rewarding!<br><br>Retail is full of career opportunities; however, the popularity of low paying jobs in the retail sector has led people to believe that the only job that you can get in retail is cashiering. This is simply not true, and hard work and drive can actually lead you to a successful and pleasing retail career in your life. Just like any other job, it takes planning, education, and dedication to make a career in retail your reality.<bio>Retail jobs don't only consist of cashiers and stock boys. There are many upper-level positions within the retail market that make rewarding <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jobmonkey.com/retailjobs/">retail careers</a>. Lisa Jenkins, a freelance writer for JobMonkey.com, offers helpful information regarding retail employment including retail store managers, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jobmonkey.com/retailjobs/retail_security.html">retail security jobs</a> and human resources jobs.</bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>The Importance Of Establishing Retail KPI</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-establishing-retail-kpi</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-establishing-retail-kpi#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>key performance indicators</category><category>productivity measurement</category><category>measuring productivity</category><category>accurate system</category><category>kpi</category><category>efficient system</category><category>logical step</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-establishing-retail-kpi</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Let us say that you own or you manage a particular store or establishment in the city. The prospect of owning or managing any type of establishment currently is not as easy as it used to be anymore. These days, there are just so many factors that you would have to consider and keep in mind when]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Let us say that you own or you manage a particular store or establishment in the city. The prospect of owning or managing any type of establishment currently is not as easy as it used to be anymore. These days, there are just so many factors that you would have to consider and keep in mind when you are managing the day to day activities of your store or establishment. What's more, all of these factors have significant effects on the overall success of your very business. Thus, this would entail a lot of research and effort on your part, making the whole process much of a challenge on your part. These and more actually entail that need any establishment has to incorporate retail <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/kpi" rel="tag">KPI</a> or retail <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/key+performance+indicators" rel="tag">key performance indicators</a> into your system. This way, you will have indicators that measure just about every aspect that needs to be measured, to ensure the overall performance of your establishment. <br /><br /> When you own or manage a retail store, it is very important to keep in mind the concept of <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/productivity+measurement" rel="tag">productivity measurement</a>. This is actually an investment that you just cannot do without when you are in the bustling world of retail. But just how do you come up with a concrete and <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/accurate+system" rel="tag">accurate system</a> in establishing retail KPI? You have to understand that retail stores come with certain and distinguishing characteristics. Thus, the retail KPI established for one particular store just might not be the same as that which is established for another retail store. This is something that you will just have to accept. You just cannot decide on yourself to copy the retail KPI that one particular store is utilizing at the time. <br /><br /> You just cannot do without the benefits entailed in productivity measurement. To establish an <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/efficient+system" rel="tag">efficient system</a>, the first thing you would need to do is analyze just what your reasons are in <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/measuring+productivity" rel="tag">measuring productivity</a>. After determining these reasons, you can then proceed to determining your course of action as to how you would measure productivity. After this step, the next <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/logical+step" rel="tag">logical step</a> would be to decide what your course of action would be when you have already measured what you had set out to measure in the first place. <br /><br /> The first thing to do is to determine the contributing elements to the whole concept of productivity. Just what are the elements in your retail store that contribute to the productivity of the business as a whole? These elements usually include the following retail KPI: measurement procedure and frequency, which entails how the metric is to be measured, and how often this metric should be measured; threshold estimation, which entails the calculation of the thresholds that surface amidst the elements being measured; current thresholds, which pertains to the value range that is pegged as normal for a certain metric being measured currently; target value, which pertains to what is known as the best possible value that the metric would be pegged at; and units, which pertain to the type of unit in which the metric in question would be measured.   <bio>If you are interested in retail kpi, check this web-site to learn more about retail metric. <a href="http://www.strategy2act.com/solutions/retail_sales_excel.htm" >http://www.strategy2act.com/solutions/retail_sales_excel.htm</a>  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>What Every Manager Ought To Know Why The Employees Leave The Company</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-every-manager-ought-to-know-why-the-employees-leave-the-company</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-every-manager-ought-to-know-why-the-employees-leave-the-company#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>marcus buckingham</category><category>curt coffman</category><category>gallup organization</category><category>sense of belonging</category><category>first break</category><category>hr management</category><category>feel at ease</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-every-manager-ought-to-know-why-the-employees-leave-the-company</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Donand#8217;t blame it on anyone else if the employees leave the company. Look into yourself. Have you been acting like a good leader?  One of the biggest research done by the Gallup Organization, compiled in a book titled First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, states that]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Donand#8217;t blame it on anyone else if the employees leave the company. Look into yourself. Have you been acting like a good leader? <br /><br /> One of the biggest research done by the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/gallup+organization" rel="tag">Gallup Organization</a>, compiled in a book titled First, Break All the Rules by <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/marcus+buckingham" rel="tag">Marcus Buckingham</a> and <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/curt+coffman" rel="tag">Curt Coffman</a>, states that if you want to know why those good employees leave the company, you should look into the manager. <br /><br /> Employees donand#8217;t simply leave the company they have been working for just because of the money. And, actually, itand#8217;s not the company that they leave, itand#8217;s the working unit, the manager. <br /><br /> How does that happen? <br /><br /> Letand#8217;s say that the company gives generous pay, benefits and training, and somehow the employees are satisfied with that. Yet, this company has no good manager to lead and handle these people. <br /><br /> A bad manager doesnand#8217;t know how to treat their subordinates well enough. They donand#8217;t realize that good employees are the biggest assets for the company. Yes, there might be many people out there looking for jobs, yet, these managers donand#8217;t count the expenses the company has to spend on recruitments and trainings. Plus, the possibility that the good employees leave the company for the competitors. They donand#8217;t consider the loss that company might have to suffer. <br /><br /> That is why it is necessary for employers/managers to learn more about tips on handling employees. They have to understand how to build employeesand#8217; <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/sense+of+belonging" rel="tag">sense of belonging</a> towards the company, how to create a comforting atmosphere so that the employees <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/feel+at+ease" rel="tag">feel at ease</a> in staying at the company and most important, how to praise the employees. <br /><br /> Those tips are not only good to retain employees but also good to augment their performance. The employeesand#8217; satisfaction will surely affects their way of work and eventually affect the company growth.   <bio>David W Richards has been working for several companies and has a wide experience in <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/hr+management" rel="tag">HR management</a>. He shares other information as well, such as on <a href="http://agreementloan.info" >http://agreementloan.info</a> and <a href="http://advisordebt.info" >http://advisordebt.info</a>.  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Buying Symantec Retail Software</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/buying-symantec-retail-software</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/buying-symantec-retail-software#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:15:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>norton internet security</category><category>norton antibot</category><category>new computer viruses</category><category>one of the pioneers</category><category>norton systemworks</category><category>norton antispam</category><category>norton ghost</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/buying-symantec-retail-software</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There is a Symantec retail software program for you. If you are aiming to secure and purchase the best products from the lineup of the computer security firm Symantec Corporation, do not fret because you have more than one reason that you could choose and purchase software.Symantec Corp. is an]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[There is a <b>Symantec retail software program for you</b>. If you are aiming to secure and purchase the best products from the lineup of the computer security firm Symantec Corporation, do not fret because you have more than one reason that you could choose and purchase software.<br><br><b>Symantec Corp.</b> is an international business that is specializing in developing and selling computer software. Particularly, the company is focused at bringing to the market the best anti-virus and security programs for consumers' computer system. <b>Symantec is <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/one+of+the+pioneers" rel="tag">one of the pioneers</a> when it comes to developing and offering security software</b>. That is why you can be rest assured that the Symantec retail software you are eyeing to buy would be truly functional and effective. There is no doubt that Symantec retail software has what it takes to captivate and satisfy the market.<br><br><b>Symantec products</b><br><br>If you have been using the computer for quite some time, you should know that computer viruses have evolved to strategically alter and affect your personal computer. Every year, it is estimated that there are thousands of <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/new+computer+viruses" rel="tag">new computer viruses</a> and threats that are written and spread across the market, especially through the Internet. But you should not worry. As long as there are numerous Symantec retail software in the market, you can be assured that your needs and requirements are all appropriately covered.<br><br><b>Currently, there are many products lined up under the Symantec retail software portfolio</b>. Some of them have been quite popular for some time already while others are starting to create their niche and marks in the industry. You may be familiar with some, but you also must be exposed to the usefulness of other Symantec retail software.<br><br>Among the most popular and sought-after Symantec retail software are the <b>Norton AntiVirus, the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/norton+internet+security" rel="tag">Norton Internet Security</a>, the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/norton+systemworks" rel="tag">Norton SystemWorks</a>, the Norton Commander, the Norton 360 and the Norton Personal Firewall</b>. Other popular programs are the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/norton+antispam" rel="tag">Norton AntiSpam</a>, the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/norton+antibot" rel="tag">Norton Antibot</a>, the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/norton+ghost" rel="tag">Norton Ghost</a> and the Norton GoBack. Some of these Symantec retail software may already be familiar because you may have used them.<br><br><b>Why retail? </b><br><br>It is not surprising anymore that there are Symantec retail software computer programs these days that are also sold individually as retail products. That is because, as always, selling on the retail is quite lucrative and convenient. Symantec retail software is among the most sought-after computer programs in the market. Symantec notes that selling on the retail is the main bulk of its operations.<br><br>As compared to wholesale selling, <b>Symantec retail software</b> makes more money as sales are boosted. Most of Symantec users are individual personal computer users, so expect that purchase transactions are higher when it comes to Symantec retail software.<br><br><b>Where to buy</b><br><br>If you are aiming to purchase a Symantec retail software program, you can be assured the transaction could be done easily. If you are really into buying and installing any <b>Symantec program into your computer</b>, try to look for an online site that is accredited and authorized to do so. Such Websites are abounding in the market so you should not have any setback and problems in buying Symantec retail software.<br><br><b>Symantec itself is at time selling its Symantec retail software portfolio directly.</b> It would not hurt if you would try looking at product lineups at the company's own official Website. Transactions online usually require electronic payment processing, so prepare your globally functional credit card account.<br><br>As for conventional transactions, Symantec retail software is also available in the software distributors that actively operate in your community. There is really no excuse for you not to <b>buy any Symantec retail software</b>.<bio>Bei M. with buybusinesssoftware.com a perfect business software online store to buy <a href="http://www.buybusinesssoftware.com" title="Business Software">Business Software</a>, Microsoft Business Software, Financial Software, <a href=" http://www.buybusinesssoftware.com/category/23/1/Symantec+Software.aspx" title="Symantec Retail Software">Symantec Retail Software</a> and more!</bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Accounting Software For Retail Businesses</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/accounting-software-for-retail-businesses</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/accounting-software-for-retail-businesses#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:49:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>business accounting software</category><category>purchase accounting</category><category>retail business owner</category><category>quickbooks online</category><category>intuit quickbooks</category><category>quickbooks pro</category><category>myob software</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/accounting-software-for-retail-businesses</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Retailers, like all other business people, have a need for suitable business accounting software. Retailers are characterized by the great variety of products that they sell to customers. Consequently, it's difficult to keep up with which products are being sold to which customers. Accounting]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Retailers, like all other business people, have a need for suitable <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/business+accounting+software" rel="tag">business accounting software</a>. Retailers are characterized by the great variety of products that they sell to customers. Consequently, it's difficult to keep up with which products are being sold to which customers. Accounting software will help the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+business+owner" rel="tag">retail business owner</a> to analyze, summarize, and report financial data to create balance sheets, profit/loss statements, and other financial reports. <br /><br /> Accounting software can also help the retail business owner keep up with many of each item is sold, which products sell well and which ones don't, how much of each item to keep in stock, and which types of products sell better during particular times of year. <br /><br /> Accounting software will process all data that you input, and will create statistics that will allow you to make good business decisions. You could just do all manually, of course, but accounting software can obviously save you time (and thus money), so that you can focus on being a businessman instead of a statistician. The more specialized retail accounting software was created by industry professionals with the particular needs of the retail business owner in mind. <br /><br /> Business accounting software will include at least three functions =96 a general ledger, an accounts payable function, and an accounts receivable function. <br /><br /> Below are listed some prominent providers and brands: <br /><br /> Low end accounting software for personal users and small businesses: <br /><br /> Best Software: Peachtree<br /><br /><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/myob+software" rel="tag">MYOB Software</a>: MYOB Plus for Windows <br /><br /> Microsoft: Small Business Manager<br /><br /><br /><br /> Intuit: <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/quickbooks+online" rel="tag">QuickBooks Online</a><br /><br /><br /><br /> If you wish to spend a bit more money, following is a list of reasonably priced accounting software with even better functionality: <br /><br /> Intuit: <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/quickbooks+pro" rel="tag">QuickBooks Pro</a> <br /><br /> Best Software: Vision Point 2000, MAS 90, MAS 200, and Business Vision 32 <br /><br /> ACCPAC International's ACCPAC Pro Series<br /><br /><br /><br /> If you want to <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/purchase+accounting" rel="tag">purchase accounting</a> software for a medium-sized business (more than 500 employees), you might want to consider the following: <br /><br /> SouthWare: SouthWare Excellence Series<br /><br /> Microsoft: Great Plains Accounting Software, Navision Accounting Software  Best Software: ACCPAC Advantage Series (Corporate Edition)   <bio>"Accounting Software" at <a href="http://accountingsoftware4u.blogspot.com/" >http://accountingsoftware4u.blogspot.com/</a> offers readers information about all types of accounting software. See also <a href="http://accountingsoftware4u.blogspot.com/2007/04/accounting-software-for-re" >http://accountingsoftware4u.blogspot.com/2007/04/accounting-software-for-re</a>= tail.html.  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>How To Control Retail Shrink At Your Store</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-control-retail-shrink-at-your-store</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-control-retail-shrink-at-your-store#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:20:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>mystery shops</category><category>company that specializes</category><category>shoplifting</category><category>unannounced</category><category>vendor theft</category><category>education issue</category><category>inventories</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-control-retail-shrink-at-your-store</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Shrink is a part of the business no one likes to talk about. However, shrink plays a huge part in every retailer's business. Shrink can take many forms, but here are the four most common. They are employee theft, shoplifting, vendor theft and paperwork errors.  Many small retailers only worry]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Shrink is a part of the business no one likes to talk about. However, shrink plays a huge part in every retailer's business. Shrink can take many forms, but here are the four most common. They are employee theft, <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/shoplifting" rel="tag">shoplifting</a>, <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/vendor+theft" rel="tag">vendor theft</a> and paperwork errors. <br /><br /> Many small retailers only worry about shoplifting, but the other three accounts for about 2/3 of all shrink. We will discuss steps to help reduce your shrink. <br /><br /> Employee theft accounts for almost half of all shrink. Many business owners refuse to consider their employees could be stealing from them. Employee theft can take many forms such as taking cash/ merchandise, passing merchandise, and giving unauthorized discounts to name a few. <br /><br /> The key to controlling employee theft is to reduce the opportunity to steal. You should explain clearly to your employees if they are dishonest what the consequences will be. Here are a few suggestions. <br /><br /> 1. You must keep the back door controlled. If it is unlocked, it is easy for employees to put merchandise outside. They could have friends or family pick it up. Also, the employee could hide the merchandise in the trash to recover after work. <br /><br /> 2. You need to do regular <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/inventories" rel="tag">inventories</a> of high theft items. <br /><br /> 3. You need to show up <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/unannounced" rel="tag">unannounced</a>. This is especially true if you have many younger employees. They are much more likely to be involved with theft. <br /><br /> 4. You should have your store be mystery shopped. This can see how your service is plus spot potential employee theft issues. It could be done by someone you know or through a <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/company+that+specializes" rel="tag">company that specializes</a> in <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/mystery+shops" rel="tag">mystery shops</a>. <br /><br /> 5. Make sure all employees give receipts. You could offer the customer something free such as $5, if the employee does not give a receipt. This makes it harder for an employee just to pocket the money. If your register keeps track of no sales, this could be a clue of a problem. Excessive no sales are either an <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/education+issue" rel="tag">education issue</a> or a theft issue. <br /><br /> 6. You should do unannounced cash counts. Vary the times and check the register total against what you are supposed to have. Also, see if you noticed anything unusual near the register area or inside the till. This could include employees have a paper with a bunch of numbers, coins or some other object in an unusual place, or part of the money unorganized. <br /><br /> 7. You need to explain your policies to all employees' especially new hires. You should mention that you trust all of your employees, but you have safeguards in place to protect the store assets. It would be a good suggestion to mention just a couple to let the employees know you are serious about protecting the store assets. <br /><br /> 8. Employee's bags and purses should be checked when leaving. Management should show their bags or purse to another employee. <br /><br /> 9. You must have policies in place for ringing up of family or friends. Also, your discount policy needs to be clear to all employees. The most common theft is passing merchandise to family or friends or giving unauthorized discounts. For example, your $20 item may be sold for a $1. If you have a way employees can change the price of an item, you must have someway to at least spot check for potential problems. <br /><br /> 10. You could have a tips hot line for employees to report potential shrink. Yes, on many occasions it would be used to report bogus claims about other employees. However, if work correctly, the valid claims could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. <br /><br /> 11. Keep an eye on customers who are just hanging around employees. Also, if certain customers only seek certain employees could be a sign also. <br /><br /> 12. You need to track your employee purchases. Very few purchases or excessive could be potential trouble spots with employee theft. If they never buy, it could be they are just taking merchandise. If they are buying a lot, where is the money coming from? <br /><br /> Shoplifting <br /><br /> 1. You should greet every customer. It is great for customer service. Also, shoplifters do not want to be noticed. <br /><br /> 2. Put high theft items where they are easier to watch. <br /><br /> 3. Look for customers splitting up and one trying to keep you busy. <br /><br /> 4. Keep your store neat and organized. Shoplifters like to leave empty packages in unorganized areas. <br /><br /> 5. If the customer is watching the employees more than shopping. <br /><br /> 6. Shoplifters like to go to blind spots. You may want to install some mirrors to make it easier to see the entire store. <br /><br /> 7. Have signs made that shoplifters will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If you have the reputation of being soft on shoplifting, you will always have a major problem. <br /><br /> 8. Look for nervous shoppers. <br /><br /> 9. If shoppers come in your store often and seldom buy anything. Most shoplifters do buy a few items and just help themselves to others. <br /><br /> Vendor Theft <br /><br /> 1. Check all orders for shortages. It is best a good employee or management be responsible for this. <br /><br /> 2. Make vendors break down boxes before leaving the store. <br /><br /> 3. Don't hand a signed invoice to the vendor until they are done. This will help with the previous two suggestions. <br /><br /> Excessive shrink can cause your business to fail. Shrink cannot be eliminated, but it can be reduced. Following our suggestions is a good way to ensure that you take more money to the bank than your employees, shoppers or vendors.   <bio>Jerry Robertson is a Retail Consultant and author of "Shocking Truth to Retail Store Success". You can get a free copy and subscribe to his free monthly newsletter at: <a href="http://www.jrobconsult.com" >http://www.jrobconsult.com</a>  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Mystery Shopping - A Proven Way Forward in Customer Service</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/mystery-shopping-a-proven-way-forward-in-customer-service</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/mystery-shopping-a-proven-way-forward-in-customer-service#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:01:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>customer service initiatives</category><category>mystery shoppers</category><category>mystery shopper</category><category>improving customer service</category><category>loyal clients</category><category>customer satisfaction</category><category>mystery shopping</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/mystery-shopping-a-proven-way-forward-in-customer-service</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What are "Mystery Shopping" services?Customer service has become a valuable aspect in business as it allows a company to maintain its competitive advantage. With a wide range of choices available to the modern consumers, ensuring satisfaction in every shopping experience is crucial to success. This]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[<b>What are "<a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/mystery+shopping" rel="tag">Mystery Shopping</a>" services?</b><br><br>Customer service has become a valuable aspect in business as it allows a company to maintain its competitive advantage. With a wide range of choices available to the modern consumers, ensuring satisfaction in every shopping experience is crucial to success. This is an organizational need that mystery shopping addresses. As a marketing research tool, mystery shopping enables your company to test the effectiveness of your <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/customer+service+initiatives" rel="tag">customer service initiatives</a> and maximize your company's potential.<br><br><a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/mystery+shoppers" rel="tag"><a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/mystery+shopper" rel="tag">Mystery shopper</a>s</a> are hired, posing as just your ordinary customers to test how adept your employees are at providing <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/customer+satisfaction" rel="tag">customer satisfaction</a>. Some will note how friendly and helpful the employees are, how long it takes to make a purchase or receive service and if employees are able to answer questions regarding particular product or service.<br><br>Some mystery shoppers will present certain scenarios for employees to deal with and report how well they handled the situation. These data are then compiled and analyzed to create a report that will allow you to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your operations and identify which areas need to be improved.<br><br>Mystery shopping offers a snap-shot experience of the frontline customer service a business provides. It's a first hand account from the people that matter the most to your business, your customers.<br><br>You can request specific details of the mystery shopper. For example, you can request the following things that you want assesed:<br><br>Is there a particular product you would like the shopper to buy?<br>Should the mystery shopper assess a particular employee or employees?<br>Are there any observations you would like the mystery shopper to make?<br><br><b>The Benefits of Mystery Shopping Services</b><br><br>Mystery shopping is not just about checking your employees if they are doing their jobs but more on how you can polish and refine your operations to provide customer satisfaction and establish <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/loyal+clients" rel="tag">loyal clients</a> to keep your business thriving.<br><br><b><a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/improving+customer+service" rel="tag">Improving Customer Service</a> and Profitability</b><br><br>Customer-oriented companies engaged in the operations of retail shops, restaurants, fast food chains, banks, health clubs, hospitals, gas stations and the like benefit the most out of mystery shopping. Options include commissioning a mystery shopping agency or hiring mystery shoppers directly for such services.<br><br>Mystery shopping services provide you with Direct, impartial information that all senior executives should know to help them improve the way their business works and identify opportunities to increase sales.<br>Increasingly the only things that differentiate companies are the front line, retail level customer experiences. This is why experiential marketing has become so popular in recent times.<br><br>It takes care and expertise to develop a meaningful and ongoing relationship with your customers. Mystery shopping is a first hand evaluation of customer service, your customer and their interaction with your business. If you don't know your customers -- you are less likely to succeed in the current global business operating environment.<br><br>In conclusion, mystery shopping will get you the honest answers that you need to hear because we a successful business thrives on the knowledge of its customers.<bio>Giselle Sanchez - Looking for a <a href="http://www.c-b-s.com.au">mystery shopping company</a> to increase your sales? C-B-S provides mystery shopping services to companies in Australia and New Zealand.</bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>How To Hire Good Employees</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-hire-good-employees</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-hire-good-employees#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:20:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>exact description</category><category>matter what type</category><category>job description</category><category>home business</category><category>job applications</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-hire-good-employees</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Whether you are working at a home business, or working somewhere that is an established office building, you are going to have to think carefully before you begin to hire employees. There are many methods to hiring employees, and you are going to want to think very carefully about the employees]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Whether you are working at a <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/home+business" rel="tag">home business</a>, or working somewhere that is an established office building, you are going to have to think carefully before you begin to hire employees. There are many methods to hiring employees, and you are going to want to think very carefully about the employees that you are hiring before you actually start the work. Your employees are the people who represent you and your business so carefully consider the type of people who want to put in that position. <br /><br /> First of all, no <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/matter+what+type" rel="tag">matter what type</a> of business you own, where it is located, or what you are doing for your business, you have to be sure that you are advertising in the right way to get employees. The best way that you can do this is to make sure you write good descriptions of the employees that you are looking for. Remember that the only way to find employees you can trust, employees that you really want to focus on, is to make sure that you advertise for exactly the job that you need done. You want to include things like pay rate, hours, and experience levels in your <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/job+description" rel="tag">job description</a>, as well as the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/exact+description" rel="tag">exact description</a> of the job hat you need done. By including these things in your job description, you will find that you are attracting the right kind of employees for your needs. If you are not honest or are misleading it will not be good for your employees or for your business. <br /><br /> The next thing you have to work on is how you are going to get through all of the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/job+applications" rel="tag">job applications</a> that you find in order to choose the right employee. Be sure that you are looking for several things in the applications. Don't choose the ones that are incomplete, or that have questionable aspects to them. You are going to get so many different applications that you are going to want to make sure that you go through them carefully and only focus on the ones that really seem worth it. <br /><br /> Once you have several candidates, you are going to want to do face to face interviews. This is something that you will find as being very important because you are going to get a chance to talk to the people who might work for you face to face, and this is a good way to judge what the person is going to be like as an employee. You want to make sure that they are able to provide you with the kind of loyalty and performance that you are going to expect from your employees. This is a very important aspect that you can focus on when it comes to how to hire good employees. You should ask them many different questions in the face to face interview, and you should work carefully to make sure that during the interview you get to know them as best as you possibly can. <br /><br /> Doing all of these things will help insure that you find the excellent employees that you know your company deserves.   <bio>Mark Stewart frequently writes on topics in the home business and Internet marketing industry. Finally learn the truth about how you can launch 6 streams of automated affiliate income streams in just 24 hours. Visit <a href="http://www.HomeBasedBusinessIdeas.com/" >http://www.HomeBasedBusinessIdeas.com/</a>  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Handling Your Employees</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/handling-your-employees</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/handling-your-employees#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jul 2007 01:35:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>establishment</category><category>boss</category><category>take for granted</category><category>terribly</category><category>managing a restaurant</category><category>restaurant business</category><category>managers need</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/handling-your-employees</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Owning and managing a restaurant for business isn't all about how operating it flawlessly should be done. As the highest person in-charge of your establishment, you need to consider all areas of how your establishment could work efficiently. Having said this, your employees' welfare already counts]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Owning and <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/managing+a+restaurant" rel="tag">managing a restaurant</a> for business isn't all about how operating it flawlessly should be done. As the highest person in-charge of your <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/establishment" rel="tag">establishment</a>, you need to consider all areas of how your establishment could work efficiently. Having said this, your employees' welfare already counts greatly as one of the areas of consideration you should never overlook or <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/take+for+granted" rel="tag">take for granted</a>. <br /><br /> Your employees are your front liners and without them, there is a great possibility of you and your restaurant deal with difficulty in catching on the demands of a restaurant in the business perspective. So you can avoid future problems with your employees, make sure that you are being the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/boss" rel="tag">boss</a> that you ought to be. <br /><br /> Learn to be in good terms with all your employees. You can start by looking in deeper to their goals in life or even to just their expectations while working under your establishment. Once you have initiated that "bond" with them, they have one good motivation to go to work everyday. In terms of your employees doing their tasks daily, compliment when you know they're doing well. If you think they're not, don't treat them rudely. One thing that you shouldn't do is to treat them <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/terribly" rel="tag">terribly</a>. Being yelled at by their boss or their superiors in public is the last thing that they need especially when they're already aware of the mistakes they did. <br /><br /> The greatest deed you can do for your employees as a boss would be to reward them for doing a great job. Recognizing their accomplishments for doing great on their tasks is one thing, but rewarding them for it is even more inspiring. You'll be surprised by how efficient your employees are going to be when they know that they're appreciated for their work. <br /><br /> Managers aren't exempted. The things applied to your employees are still the same things that <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/managers+need" rel="tag">managers need</a> and in giving those perks or rewards, go for something that they'd really be looking forward to.   <bio>Shareen Aguilar is a writer for <a href="http://restaurant-business-secrets.com" >http://restaurant-business-secrets.com</a> which has information about restaurant management and restaurant operation techniques.  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>The Importance Of Happy Employees</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-happy-employees</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-happy-employees#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:27:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>knowledgable</category><category>tense atmosphere</category><category>loyal employees</category><category>quot</category><category>faces</category><category>prospective customer</category><category>stony silence</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-happy-employees</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Have you ever walked into a business establishment and been immediately struck by a negative, tense atmosphere? Sure you have! And did you do what most of us do? Stand there in the hopes of getting someone's attention - shifting from foot to foot and clearing your throat only to be met with a stony]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[Have you ever walked into a business establishment and been immediately struck by a negative, <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/tense+atmosphere" rel="tag">tense atmosphere</a>? Sure you have! And did you do what most of us do? Stand there in the hopes of getting someone's attention - shifting from foot to foot and clearing your throat only to be met with a <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/stony+silence" rel="tag">stony silence</a> and averted <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/faces" rel="tag">faces</a>! Finally you speak up in the hopes that one of the employees in your line of vision will respond. Ah! Here comes one now! Plastered on his/her face is a long-suffering look of and<a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/quot" rel="tag">quot</a>;if I must then I will help youandquot;! This is NOT a andquot;happyandquot; employee. <br /><br /> How an employer appreciates and treats his employees is reflected in their attitudes. Savvy employers know that contented employees are an integral part of a successful business. Happy employees make <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/loyal+employees" rel="tag">loyal employees</a>. And loyal employees are an essential basis of excellent customer service.  A <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/knowledgable" rel="tag">knowledgable</a> employer respects and encourages the uniqueness of each individual in their employment. He/She relishes the diversity that each person's special talents bring to the business. This type of employer encourages a continual learning process for their employees and provides a friendly environment for them to thrive. Contented employees are productive, dependable and trustworthy. <br /><br /> Happy employees excitedly welcome new and challenging responsibilites. <br /><br /> A business comprised of contented employees flourishes. Each employee recognizes that he/she contributes to its success and feels that he/she is a part of the team. And, of course, when a business is lucrative the employer with real know-how rewards her/his  employees accordingly. <br /><br /> So, how does your business rate? Is there a welcoming, friendly atmosphere? Would a newcomer hear laughter and see smiling, cheerful faces? Would a <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/prospective+customer" rel="tag">prospective customer</a> know immediately that they were important and be made to feel so? <br /><br /> Happy, loyal employees will be 100% dedicated to your customers and what more could an employer want!  <bio>Assistant to the President - The Tab Store <a href="http://www.gpxtabs.com" >http://www.gpxtabs.com</a> Honesty, Integrity, Values, Unparalleled Customer Service </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Shopping For Tools And Hardware:  The Value Of</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/shopping-for-tools-and-hardware-the-value-of</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/shopping-for-tools-and-hardware-the-value-of#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jun 2006 12:32:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>improvement tools</category><category>hardware</category><category>local</category><category>amount of money</category><category>inventories</category><category>21st century</category><category>decade</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/shopping-for-tools-and-hardware-the-value-of</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you are planning to start on a home improvement project in the near future, you might want to consider stopping by your local discount retail store as you begin your search for the tools and hardware items that you will need for your project. While it is true that your local discount retail]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[If you are planning to start on a home improvement project in the near future, you might want to consider stopping by your <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/local" rel="tag">local</a> discount retail store as you begin your search for the tools and <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/hardware" rel="tag">hardware</a> items that you will need for your project. While it is true that your local discount retail store may not have all of the tools and hardware items that you need for your particular project, such a retailer really will serve as a good starting point for you in your search for the items that you need to commence your home improvement project. <br /><br /> There are many benefits to be realized by beginning your search for tools and hardware items at discount retail stores. One of the benefits that you will be able to find by shopping at a discount retail store for tools and hardware is the price. Generally speaking, these types of stores to offer different types of tools and hardware items at reasonable prices. Thus, you will be able to save a notable <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/amount+of+money" rel="tag">amount of money</a> by making the purchase of some of the tools and hardware items you will need for your particular home improvement project. <br /><br /> Another of the benefits to starting your search for tools and hardware items at the local discount retail store is convenience. In the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/21st+century" rel="tag">21st century</a>, thousands of communities the world over are home to discount retail stores of different varieties. Thus, you do likely will not have to go far beyond your neighborhood to find exactly what you are looking for in the way of home <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/improvement+tools" rel="tag">improvement tools</a> and hardware items -- at least some of the basic items that you will need as part of your overall home improvement project. <br /><br /> In this day and age, another of the benefits attached to discount retail stores is the fact that these merchants now have fairly broad selections of reasonably priced tools and hardware items. Historically, these stores really did not have extensive <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/inventories" rel="tag">inventories</a> of tools and hardware items. However, this has all changed in the past <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/decade" rel="tag">decade</a> with more and more people relying on these types of stores for their shopping needs -- including for their tools and hardware needs. <br /><br /> In summary, as you go about planning for your home improvement project, you really will want to stop by a discount retail outlet to determine what is available at these stores in the way of tools, equipment and hardware items   <bio>James Brown writes about Save on Hardware Tools and Hardware Tools Promotions <a href="http://www.hardwaretoolsonsale.com">http://www.hardwaretoolsonsale.com</a> </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>How To Start A Retail Supermarket</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-start-a-retail-supermarket</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-start-a-retail-supermarket#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Fri, 15 Sep 2006 20:27:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>type of food</category><category>retail supermarket</category><category>fast food</category><category>supermarket business</category><category>supermarket industry</category><category>help</category><category>locals</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-start-a-retail-supermarket</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Everyone needs food in order to survive. And while many people have had to turn to restaurants and fast food in order to get food on the run, the retail supermarket industry is still thriving. People like to eat and they need to eat. However, getting into the retail supermarket business can be]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[Everyone needs food in order to survive. And while many people have had to turn to restaurants and <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/fast+food" rel="tag">fast food</a> in order to get food on the run, the <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+supermarket" rel="tag">retail supermarket</a> industry is still thriving. People like to eat and they need to eat. However, getting into the retail <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/supermarket+business" rel="tag">supermarket business</a> can be difficult, so here are some basic tips to get you started. <br /><br /> First of all, learn about the customers that you want to provide foods to. Are they looking for low prices or are they looking for a certain <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/type+of+food" rel="tag">type of food</a> -- i.e. organic or local produce? Determining the kinds of customers you will cater to can <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/help" rel="tag">help</a> to limit the capital that you have to spend up front as well as the costs for buying products that you might not need. If you already have a location or area in mind, you might want to send out simple surveys to see what people are looking for and where they might like to see it. Include a discount coupon or some other freebie in order to get surveys returned to you -- people like to be compensated for their time and their opinion. <br /><br /> Once you've determined the kind of supermarket that your customers want, you can begin to look at possible locations. People don't like to drive too far for their food, so keeping stories in central locations is best, though you also don't want to be somewhere that might cause traffic to become troublesome for <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/locals" rel="tag">locals</a> as well. Look in the area to see where other popular retailers are. You might find that you can set up shop adjacent to them and help both locations out. If you have larger grocery chains in the vicinity, it can help to find a location that is at a distance so that locals can make their own choice, but that said, you will have to create some sort of incentive for them to choose you. <br /><br /> What's the incentive for your customers? If you're providing a particular product to your customers, that can be all the incentive that they need -- in the beginning. Organic foods, for example, are a quite lucrative right now as people are more concerned about their health and eating right. However, these foods can be expensive to purchase, so you will want to research cheaper suppliers and farmers. <br /><br /> It can help to research and observe successful supermarkets in your area to see how they are creating profits for themselves. Look to see what kind of variety they offer, if they rotate their products or maintain the same items throughout the year. You may want to do everything completely differently as well, but it never hurts to see what's working for someone else. You could also talk to other customers to see what else they'd like to see at popular stores in order to bring in their business to your own establishment. <br /><br /> Starting a retail supermarket requires capital to buy the space, products, and the employees to get everything running. But if you've secured your market and your products, you're nearly ready to start cashing in on your ideas.   <bio>Jorge Olson is a Business Consultant Entrepreneur. Visit his website for information on how to buy at the best Wholesale Prices for your Retail or Wholesale Business, or even how to go into business. Find free information at <a href="http://www.WholesaleTeacher.com" >http://www.WholesaleTeacher.com</a> </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Four Tips on How to Score Retail Jobs</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/four-tips-on-how-to-score-retail-jobs</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/four-tips-on-how-to-score-retail-jobs#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:57:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>retail establishments</category><category>christmas eve</category><category>million and one things</category><category>weekends and holidays</category><category>employee discounts</category><category>million and one</category><category>self confidence</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/four-tips-on-how-to-score-retail-jobs</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Flexible scheduling, employee discounts, a fun work environment--these are just some of the things retail establishments typically offer their workers, so it's no wonder retail is one of the most popular industries around.Whether you're heading off to college and need some cash for supplies]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[Flexible scheduling, <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/employee+discounts" rel="tag">employee discounts</a>, a fun work environment--these are just some of the things <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/retail+establishments" rel="tag">retail establishments</a> typically offer their workers, so it's no wonder retail is one of the most popular industries around.<br><br>Whether you're heading off to college and need some cash for supplies (including a new back-to-school wardrobe) or you just need to fund weekend activities like movie tickets and dining out with friends, it's important to be prepared before you head to your first interview.<br><br>Here are a few tips on how to stand out in a crowd and impress retail hiring managers:<br><br>1. Highlight previous experience.<br><br>When you're filling out your application, be sure to mention any skills you have that would be relevant to the job at hand. Retail jobs require great customer service and focus, even on <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/christmas+eve" rel="tag">Christmas Eve</a> when shoppers are in a frenzy. Draw attention to past jobs that taught you skills like these and let the employer know why you'd be great for the position.<br><br>2. Maintain a flexible schedule.<br><br>Retail is a great place to look if you want to find student jobs. Even if you're in school with a <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/million+and+one+things" rel="tag"><a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/million+and+one" rel="tag">million and one</a> things</a> going on, hiring managers in the retail industry are looking for people who are available, especially on nights, <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/weekends+and+holidays" rel="tag">weekends and holidays</a>, when business is really booming. Let them know you're willing to work around your schedule and make time for the job, even if you have to skip some Friday nights out with friends.<br><br>3. Show some interest in the job.<br><br>If you're applying for a job at a clothing store, tell the employer why you're so interested in fashion. This doesn't mean admitting Paris Hilton to be your hero, but maybe how you love the way new clothes make you feel, or how dressing up gives you a boost of self-confidence. If you want to be a stocker in a grocery store, maybe explain that you're very organized and grew up with your mom's motto, "Everything has its place." Find a job you can excel at and one that really interests you--when you have passion for what you do, others will notice it.<br><br>4. Showcase your people skills.<br><br>Retail jobs involve constant interaction with the public, so if your communication skills aren't that great or you just don't really like talking to people, you may be better suited for a position elsewhere. However, if you love meeting new people and have a helpful personality, let it shine through in your application and during your interview. Keep a smile on your face and let the employer see just how outgoing you really are. Also, draw attention to other part-time jobs you may have had where working with people was one of the main responsibilities.<br><br>Be presentable.<br><br>Employees in this industry represent the products they're selling. Whether you want a job selling jewelry or trendy shoes, you need to show pride in your appearance and look clean and put-together. The employer's first impression of you may be your application, but if you show up to the interview looking less than presentable, it will most likely cost you the job.<bio>Brittany Kerfoot is a copywriter for SnagAJob.com, America's largest hourly <a href="http://www.snagajob.com">job</a> website. SnagAJob.com makes it easy to find part-time, full-time and seasonal employment across the country. Start your job search today! SnagAJob.com can be found online at <a href="http://www.snagajob.com"> http://www.snagajob.com</a> .</bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
		<item>
				<title>Find Low Cost Health Insurance In New York</title>
		<link>http://www.artwoo.com/article/find-low-cost-health-insurance-in-new-york</link>
		<comments>http://www.artwoo.com/article/find-low-cost-health-insurance-in-new-york#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:14:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<category>low cost health insurance</category><category>low cost health</category><category>they will receive</category><category>best health</category><category>beneficial</category><category>small business</category><category>small businesses</category>		<guid>http://www.artwoo.com/article/find-low-cost-health-insurance-in-new-york</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Finding low cost health insurance in New York is difficult enough if you are not employed, so it should not be too difficult task if you are employed, right? Wrong. Many employees of small businesses in New York are not offered low cost health insurance through their employers. This is not]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[ Finding <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/low+cost+health+insurance" rel="tag"><a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/low+cost+health" rel="tag">low cost health</a> insurance</a> in New York is difficult enough if you are not employed, so it should not be too difficult task if you are employed, right? Wrong. Many employees of <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/small+business" rel="tag">small business</a>es in New York are not offered low cost health insurance through their employers. This is not <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/beneficial" rel="tag">beneficial</a> to the employers or the employees, since many people choose their jobs based somewhat on the benefits <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/they+will+receive" rel="tag">they will receive</a>. <br /><br /> If you live in New York and work for a business whose owner thinks it is "too small" to offer health insurance, you may be in luck. In 2000, the governor of New York proposed to a comprehensive insurance coverage plan to be made available to New York employees and their families if they do not have health insurance. The New York Legislature ratified the proposal, and the program became known as Healthy NY. <br /><br /> According to Healthy NY, a "small business" is one that has 50 or fewer employees. When a small business has this number of employees, the business feels as if it can not afford to offer low cost health insurance to its employees; however, thanks to Healthy NY, all <a href="http://www.artwoo.com/tag/small+businesses" rel="tag">small businesses</a> can take advantage of offering low cost health insurance to its employees. <br /><br /> The even better news is that you do not have to be an employee of a small business to purchase low cost health insurance through Healthy NY. Sole proprietors may also purchase low cost health insurance through Healthy NY. <br /><br /> If you work for a small business in New York that does not offer health insurance because it feels as if it can not afford to, talk to your employer about Healthy NY. Not only with Healthy NY benefit the employees of the business, but being able to offer low cost health insurance to employees will also help your employer because he or she will be able to attract and retain quality employees.   <bio><a href="http://ezquoteguide.com/health/" >http://ezquoteguide.com/health/</a> Low Cost Health Insurance in New York <a href="http://www.myquoteguide.com/Best-Health.shtml" >http://www.myquoteguide.com/Best-Health.shtml</a> Health Insurance Quotes  </bio>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
