Research Critiques and PICOT Question Guidelines – Fin.docx
1. Research Critiques and PICOT Question Guidelines – Final
Draft
Use this document to organize the content from your four
studies into your final draft.
Quantitative and Quantitative Studies
Background
1. Summary of studies. Include problem, significance to
nursing, purpose, objective, and research question.
How do these two articles support the nurse practice issue you
chose?
1. Discuss how these articles will be used to answer your
PICOT question.
2. Describe how the interventions and comparison groups in the
articles compare to those identified in your PICOT question.
Method of Study:
1. State the methods of the articles you are comparing and
describe how they are different.
2. Consider the methods you identified in your chosen articles
and state one benefit and one limitation of each method.
Results of Study
1. Summarize the key findings of each of the studies into a
comprehensive summary.
2. What are the implications of the four studies you chose in
nursing practice?
Ethical Considerations
1. Discuss two ethical consideration in conducting research.
2. Describe how the researchers in the four articles you choose
took these ethical considerations into account while performing
4. .................... 21
Dealing with customer complaints
.......................................................................................... 22
Department Sales Report
...............................................................................................
.......... 24
Department Sales Report
...............................................................................................
.......... 25
Safety
...............................................................................................
........................................ 26
Fire and evacuation procedures
..............................................................................................
29
Staff and customer accidents
...............................................................................................
... 30
Employee behaviour standards
...............................................................................................
32
EEO
policy.....................................................................................
............................................ 37
Incident Report Form
............................................................................................. ..
................ 39
5. Opening and Closing the Premises
.......................................................................................... 40
Work Attendance
....................................................................................... ........
...................... 41
Pay rates and bonus schemes
...............................................................................................
... 42
Performance appraisals
...............................................................................................
............ 44
Performance Appraisal Form
...............................................................................................
.... 46
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Policies dealing with Theft
...............................................................................................
........ 53
Customer's property
...............................................................................................
................. 56
Dealing with cash, credit, cheques and EFTPOS
...................................................................... 60
6. Dealing with cash holding and banking procedures
................................................................ 64
Returns policy
...............................................................................................
........................... 64
Staff general security
...............................................................................................
................ 66
Stock control policy and procedures
....................................................................................... 67
Stock handling
...............................................................................................
........................... 69
Store pricing policy
...............................................................................................
................... 70
Coordinating stocktake
...............................................................................................
............. 74
Stocktake sheet
...............................................................................................
......................... 79
Shrinkage sheet
..................................................................................... ..........
......................... 80
Discrepancy sheet
7. ...............................................................................................
..................... 81
Mark-down Worksheet
...............................................................................................
............. 82
Store Safety Policy and Procedures
......................................................................................... 83
Store Security Policy and Procedures
...................................................................................... 93
Staff Induction Checklist
...............................................................................................
......... 113
Recruitment and Selection Policy
..........................................................................................
115
Procedure: To make a complaint
...........................................................................................
116
Grievance Policy
...............................................................................................
...................... 117
System to monitor sales performance
.................................................................................. 118
COMPANY DOCUMENTS
...............................................................................................
......... 126
8. Head Office Financial Management Policies and Procedures
Manual .................................. 126
Financial Performance 2016-2017
.........................................................................................
139
Statement of Financial Position Ending FY2017
.................................................................... 140
Australian Hardware Marketing Plan 2017
........................................................................... 141
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Business Plan
...............................................................................................
........................... 165
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BUSINESS PROFILE
Organisational Overview1
9. With 138 stores and approximately 10,000 staff across the
country, Sim’s Hardware is one
of Austraila's largest hardware retailers.
Sim’s Hardware provides a wide range of products at
competitive prices for the purpose of
home improvement
Sim’s Hardware has been a part of the Australian retail
landscape from last many
decades.
What is now known as Sim’s Hardware opened its first store
under the name of Sim's Home
Goods in George St Sydney. Sim’s Home Goods initially
specialised in the manufacturing and
sale of small household furniture. The business quickly
expanded from one to four stores
across Sydney's northern and western suburbs. The stores
employed the equivalent of 60
full-time staff by the beginning of 1928. All of which were
either family members or friends.
In 1930, the midst of the Great Depression, the demand for
Sim’s Home Goods began to
10. decline. Over the next three years, the business closed three of
the big stores.
In 1941, declining consumer demand in conjunction with the
onset of World War II again
brought Sim’s Home Goods to the brink of closure. The
business immediately initiated a
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change process that included re-training the existing
manufacturing and sales staff and
modifying the company's supplier relationships and equipment
to cater for new contracts.
This sustained the business through the war years.
In the early 1950s, the business was repositioned; this time to
benefit from the housing
boom by supplying wood and other hardware items. The
business was re-named Sim’s
Hardware and an expansion program commenced that took the
business into all states over
the next 10 years.
11. The business has continued to expand to now have 138 stores
and approximately 10,000
staff across the country.
Products
Employment
We aim to be innovative with the benefits we offer to help staff
achieve the right balance
between work and life. These benefits include:
off-site work,
transition to retirement
and career break
be purchased
through salary sacrifice
for sick family
members
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12. grows
activities in the community
and study leave to assist further
education and development
for people and their
families
development programs
structures and income
protection insurance
owners of Sim’s Hardware.
Community
Sim’s Hardware works in partnership with local community
groups and sports clubs to help
fundraising activities. We provide opportunities for local clubs
and organisations to run
13. produce stalls on Saturday mornings outside our stores.
We also provide discounts for materials being purchased for the
construction or
maintenance of community facilities by community
organisations.
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Environment
Sim’s Hardware has a commitment to minimising our
environmental impact by:
ng our suppliers operate sustainably and ethically;
friendly alternatives;
and,
We consider social, economic, cultural and environmental risks
and benefits into our
14. business decision-making.
Stores
With over 130 stores nationwide there is bound to be one near
you.
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Mission Statement
Sim’s Hardware provides the best quality hardware, homewares,
garden supplies and
building materials from Australia and the world.
Sim’s Hardware is committed to providing customers and
tradespeople withvalue through
15. everyday low prices, product quality, expert service, community
engagement and
environmental responsibility.
Vision Statement
Within five years, Sim’s Hardware will lead the hardware and
home-improvement market in
Australia.
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Sim’s Hardware Organisation Chart
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16. Risk Management Plan
Sim’s Hardware is committed to the effective management of
risk, which is central to the
continued growth and profitability of the company. The purpose
of this policy is to ensure
that:
● appropriate systems are in place to identify – as much as is
reasonably possible and
practical – risks that the company faces in conducting its
business
● the potential impact of identified risks are understood and
appropriate limits are set to
assist in the management of exposures to those risks
● responsibilities are delegated to manage the identified risks
● assurance is provided as to the effectiveness of the risk
management system and risk
controls
● any changes to the company’s risk profile are monitored and
disclosed.
This policy covers all risks that could have a material impact on
the company, including
17. those related to:
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is accountable for:
● identification and management of risks including risks in
relation to all significant
investment decisions
● appointing the system owners, through whom appropriate
systems and procedures for
the identification, reporting and management of risks are
developed, implemented,
maintained and reviewed
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18. ● provision of reports to the board on performance in relation to
identification, assessment
and management of risks, including environmental risk.
Risk Management
Store managers are accountable for:
● the development, implementation, maintenance and review of
appropriate policies,
procedures and systems for the management of all risks within
their area of responsibility
● providing assurance that the systems of risk management and
internal control within their
area of responsibility operate effectively in all respects.
The Chief Risk Officer at each store is accountable for:
● demonstrating, through a program of assurance and review,
the effectiveness of, and
compliance against, those systems used to identify and manage
risk
● providing an effective system for assurance, at six monthly
intervals, from employees with
specific delegated responsibilities under this policy
19. ● the provision of an appropriate insurance program
● the identification of material changes to the company’s risk
profile and recommending
their disclosure
All managers, supervisors and employees are responsible for:
● taking all reasonable and practicable steps to perform their
responsibilities delegated
under this policy and the related systems and procedures.
Reporting
For the approval of Sim’s Hardware annual financial reporting,
the Chief Financial Officer
states to the board in writing that:
● the declaration provided in accordance with s295A of the
Corporations Act 2001 is
founded on a sound system of risk management and internal
control and that the system is
operating effectively in all material respects in relation to
financial reporting risks.
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The CFO provides a report to the board indicating:
● the effectiveness of the company’s risk management and
internal control systems in
relation to business risks
● the effectiveness of the company’s risk management and
internal control systems in
relation to environmental and triple bottom line related risks.
Risk Management Strategy and Plan
Introduction
Sim’s Hardware recognises that risk management is an essential
component of good
management practice and is committed to the proactive
management of risks across the
organisation. The strategy is designed to:
● identify, evaluate, control and manage risks, including
environmental risks
● ensure potential threats and opportunities are identified and
managed
21. ● inform store management, partners and staff members about
their roles, responsibilities
and reporting procedures with regards to risk management
● ensure risk management is an integral part of planning at all
levels of the organisation.
Guiding Principles
Sim’s Hardware is committed to achieving its vision, business
objectives and quality
objectives. This will be achieved through the proactive
management of risk at all levels of
the organisation. Sim’s Hardware acknowledges that embracing
innovative ideas and
practices carries with it risks, but that these are identifiable and
measurable and therefore
capable of being subject to realistic risk mitigation processes.
Responsibility and Authority
Store managers/partners have responsibility for ensuring that
risk management is in place.
Managers/partners have the responsibility of reviewing the Risk
Action Plan (outlined in the
table at the end of this document) on a monthly basis.
22. Staff support and implement policies approved by the partners.
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Key risk indicators will be identified, closely monitored and
action taken where necessary,
by all employees of Sim’s Hardware.
LRES Training Management Pty Ltd
Risk Management Framework
This framework encompasses a number of elements that
together facilitate an effective and
efficient operation, enabling Sim’s Hardware to respond to a
variety of operational,
financial, commercial and strategic risks. These elements
include:
● Policies and procedures: A series of policies underpin the
internal control process.
● Reporting: Decisions to rectify problems are made at regular
meetings of the partners and
store management.
● Business planning and budgeting: The business planning and
budgeting process is used to
23. set objectives, agree on action plans and allocate resources.
Progress towards meeting
business plan objectives is monitored regularly by the partners.
Contingency planning is
undertaken as required.
● Risk management review: The partners are required to report
monthly.
● External audit: The final audit of financial statements is
controlled by an external
chartered accountant who provides feedback to the partners.
Definitions
Risks are identified on a scale of likelihood of occurring in the
next 12 months and assigned
an impact or consequence of the risk as high, medium or low.
High includes either a
significant shortfall of around 40% in achieving budget or a
significant reduction in ability to
function. Medium includes either a shortfall of budget of
between 10% and 20% or some
reduction in function, and low indicates minor reductions in
achieving budget or minimal
reduction in performance.
24. Risk Management Action Plan
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POLICIES, PROCEDURES, PROCESSES
25. Armed Robbery Procedures
Our company policy is to provide a safe and healthy working
environment. Do not attempt to
be heroic: your life is worth more than any amount of money.
However, in the event of a hold up the following procedures
must be followed:
spoken to
What to do immediately after the offender has left the scene:
your self at risk.
ring the police 000 and
contact head office
26. the police arrive and you
will be allowed to your notify parents and family, should you be
required to remain
in the store
Store safety tips
e dress and physical appearance of
the offender
doorway
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soon as they leave you
are safe
have spoken with the
police.
27. possible shock affecting
you
ce could be destroyed
management
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Customer Feedback Questionnaire
Dear customer,
We value your comments about the kind of service you received
while shopping in our store.
To help us to serve you better, your responses and suggestions
guide us in making key
decisions regarding store operations.
1 Are our sales staff always friendly and helpful?
28. If No, please suggest some changes you would like to see in the
future.
_____________________________________________________
__
_____________________________________________________
__
_____________________________________________________
__
2 Are you satisfied with how our sales are processed in terms of
speed,
accuracy and the handling of credit or debit cards?
If No, please suggest some changes you would like to see in the
future.
_____________________________________________________
__
_____________________________________________________
__
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-25
-35
-45
Thank you for taking the time to help us to try and improve our
service to you.
Your name (Optional):
___________________________________ Postcode: _______
Customer service standards
Customer service policy
Excellent customer service is our number one priority and we
expect customers to be
treated with respect. Staff members at all times should do
whatever it takes to create a
31. happy and satisfied customer.
Remember the first impression is very powerful.
Once this has been formed, it takes a long time to change it.
Greeting the customer
Welcome all customers with "Good morning/afternoon" and
with a genuine smile and a
spontaneous approach. Call customers by their name wherever
possible. Always use eye
contact, good body language and use facial expressions. Then
leave the customer to view
store merchandise for a short while before re-approaching.
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Making the customer welcome
In a friendly professional manner, always let the customer know
you are there to help. If
you are busy with another customer, advise the customer you
will attend to them shortly or
ask another staff member to assist them. By starting a genuine
conversation with a
32. customer you are showing an interest in them and their needs.
Asking open questions is a
positive way to keep the conversation flowing.
Product knowledge
All staff members will be correctly trained in all product
knowledge, as customers expect us
to educate them and inform them. It is crucial to understand the
features and benefits of
each garment and explain to the customer how to care for the
item e.g. dry clean only, hand
wash, the need for a water proofing spray.
Farewell the customer
Your farewell statement should be warm, friendly and genuine.
You should always include
the words "Thank you. Let me know how the outfit went. Enjoy
your day."
Always invite the customer back to the store. Your excellent
customer service will always
make a difference. If you reinforce the customer's purchase and
make the customer feel
good about the item they have purchased, then the customer will
leave feeling satisfied
33. with their purchase instead of wondering did they really need it.
Good customer service is about doing a lot of little things better
and about providing
something different and fun to experience.
Dealing with customer complaints
It is a challenge to convert an unhappy customer to a satisfied
customer. Most customer
complaints can be resolved at store level, and by following our
Company's three step
procedure, it can be done.
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Step 1: Manage the emotion
Listen to the customer
Show that you are listening by using eye contact. If need be,
take notes. Never interrupt the
customer while they are explaining the problem. Assure the
customer you can help them.
Empathise with the customer. Put yourself in the customer's
shoes and show you
34. understand and support them. Use statements such as "I
understand your frustration
sir/madam and I am sure we can resolve the problem."
Apologise
Always apologise for any inconvenience and assure the
customer that you or another staff
member can help them. If you do not feel confident, call for
your Supervisor. Do not make a
scene.
Step 2: Negotiate a solution
Identify the problem by agreeing with the customer's complaint.
It is paramount all staff
members are correctly trained and have a sound knowledge of
store policies and
procedures, specifically the returns and refund policy.
Assist the customer or refer the matter to the Supervisor, who
will take the customer to the
Supervisor's desk. Ask what they would like to see happen,
rather than what they want you
to do about it. Don't let the customer force you into a quick
decision.
Step 3: Commit to action
35. Be positive when resolving a customer's complaint. Focus on
the problem and don't dwell
on what went wrong. Determine a solution which is acceptable
to both customer and the
Company.
Some solutions available are refund, exchange or a credit note.
If a resolution cannot be
found at your level, it is Company Policy that a Supervisor
attends to the customer.
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Points to remember when dealing with angry customers are:
ective while a customer is being abusive
and away from other
customers
Department Sales Report
Department: ____________________Month: ___
38. 25 | P a g e
Actual
+ / -
Week
4
Targe
t
Actual
+ / -
Supervisor: ________________________________________
Equipment security
Our store has purchased equipment to make the company more
efficient and professional.
Equipment is a valuable asset and it is the Supervisor's
responsibility to ensure the
39. following rules are adhered to:
All staff are appropriately trained in the use of equipment and
associated
occupational health and safety issues
use
ld by the Supervisor at all times
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Safety
Occupational Health and Safety Commitment
At The Store, working together, we aim to provide both our
staff members and our
customers with a safe and healthy environment. A safe working
environment is not
40. something that just happens -we all have to make it happen.
What is Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Legislation?
Occupational Health and Safety Legislation aims to protect the
health, safety and welfare of
people at work. It lays down general requirements, which must
be met at all workplaces.
The Legislation covers self-employed people as well as
employees, employers, students,
contractors and visitors.
The company will at all times provide a safe working
environment
To do this we will provide:
employees, contractors, visitors
and customers
ers and employees to help
maintain and improve
the health, safety and welfare of all employees
-going safety training for all employees
41. g methods, including appliances,
tools and a safe system
of work
transport of
equipment and substances
The supervisor's role
Your supervisor will:
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overall safety off employees and company
property under his/her control
standards are
compromised
at all times
The employee's role
42. As an employee we expect that you will:
ace health and safety of
yourself or others
Safety Committee
Our Safety Committee meets the first Tuesday of each month.
We have found this is one of
the most effective ways of involving employees in maintaining
and improving health and
safety standards in the workplace. Our committee guidelines
adhere to the OH&S Act.
The basic company guidelines are:
or more people
ast one department manager or supervisor should be a
member of the
committee
43. each department
on a set day
discussed during safety meetings
and acted upon
to meeting
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If you want to join the Safety Committee, please contact your
store manager.
OH&S Resolution Strategy
If you become aware of an issue within your work environment
that is unsafe, you should
try and rectify the problem if safe to do so before it causes an
injury.
You should
assess whether you can fix the problem yourself safely. Never
endanger yourself or others
under any circumstances.
44. If you cannot fix the problem report it to your OH&S
representative, Supervisor or Manager.
Fixing safety issues as they arise will provide a safe
environment for our employees to work
in and our customers to shop in.
Accident prevention
To prevent accidents we must always maintain:
equipment for faults before
use. If unsafe, tell the appropriate person
or spillage of
liquids or produce, and
stack shelves safely. Clean all spillages and use appropriate
signs
trained to use. Never
endanger yourself, customers or other employees
Workers compensation
All employees are entitled to claim workers compensation if
they suffer a work related
illness or injury. If an injury occurs you must:
45. arrange medical
treatment
an incident or accident report and get your
supervisor to sign it
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Workers compensation forms are available from your manager
Fire and evacuation procedures
If you see a fire or emergency:
the situation
problem and request all
customers to leave goods and purchases and vacate the store in
an orderly manner
### Show a map of emergency exits.
46. Fire wardens or a responsible member of staff should:
t down computers
emergency
Company responsibility:
dures
department
Your responsibility:
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Know the fire drill procedures
Be aware of the location of portable fire extinguishes, hose
reels, emergency exits and the
47. location of your store's assembly area
First Aid facilities and assistance
As part of our commitment to promote a safe and healthy
working environment, we
encourage staff members who would like to become a first aid
attendant to do so. To apply
you need to have been in our employment for more than 3
months. For more information
please contact your manager.
Staff and customer accidents
If you have an accident at work you should:
whether you are injured
or not
### Refer to Incident and Accident report
If you see a customer who has had an accident you should:
48. possible
Arrange for first aid assistance to attendant the accident
immediately
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be shopping with the
customer
dent was the fault of the store or
make promises to any
customer
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Employee behaviour standards
49. Our aim is to look professional for our customers and make
them feel comfortable when they
visit our stores.
Employees' dress code
All staff are required to present themselves in a professional
manner for their employment
roles. Staff member's appearance is a reflection of our
company's image. Uniforms will be
supplied but it is up to the staff member to make sure all
uniforms are cleaned and pressed
prior to commencement of shift. In some circumstances
protective clothing is supplied and
must be worn according to company policy.
Cleanliness
Normal standards apply including bathing, the use of deodorant
and keeping fingernails and
hands clean.
### For more information refer to Food Handling and Hygiene
manual.
Hair
Should be neatly trimmed and combed hair. Long hair must be
tied back
50. Moustaches are permitted, but must be neat and clean; sideburns
should be neatly
trimmed.
Footwear
All staff must wear blue/black solid, closed footwear to protect
their feet from injury.
Caps and aprons
Caps and aprons must be worn at all times for hygiene purposes.
Name badges
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Name badges must be worn during your shift.
Jewellery and cosmetics
We appreciate that everyone is an individual but we as a team
need to give a professional
image to our customers. When at work, please do not wear
anything that might offend our
customers such as loud hair colour, body piercing, etc.-
Conservative use of cosmetics is
51. permitted, however nail polish and false nails are not allowed.
For safety reasons jewellery must be minimal and conservative.
Body piercing and tattoos
must be covered during your shift. This is for health and safety
and food safety reasons.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted in any area of the store. A smoke free
policy covers all buildings at
all times.
Alcohol and other drugs
Under no circumstances must you start your shift under the
influence of drugs, alcohol or
any illegal substances.
While on the premises it is also unacceptable to sell or consume
alcohol or other drugs, or
illegal substances. Breaking of this rule will result in instant
dismissal and possible police
notification.
Grievances and discipline
Our store promotes the idea of open communication in a non-
threatening atmosphere.
However in a corporate environment a certain level of conflict
52. is inevitable. The key to
effective resolution is that any grievance should be dealt with as
close to its source as
possible.
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Grievance resolution procedures
The employee's role
Everyone in the store has the responsibility and the right to
solve any problems or
grievances if they occur. Create open communication channels
and ensure that the
workplace is free from discrimination.
Discuss any complaint or grievance in a clear and logical way
by following the correct
procedural steps:
manager in writing
and state the remedy
sought
53. supervisor
level of authority
al work must
continue
The supervisor's role
As a supervisor you have a responsibility to develop trust and
mutual respect, therefore all
matters concerning grievance and discipline should be treated in
a professional manner and
in the strictest of confidence.
Procedural steps:
matter; be fair, non-
discriminating and make sure you have all the facts before
discussion commences
actively
to employee complaints
and grievances in an empathetic manner and reassure the
employee that complaints
will be resolved
with all parties close to the
54. dispute
party to state the problem and have both
parties work together to
find a solution
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grievance if the matter has
not been resolved
If a resolution is not achieved refer the matter to the Manager
The manager's role
Arrange for a further meeting between all parties to try to
resolve the dispute. If the dispute
can not be resolved at this level, as a last resort the following
options are available:
Procedural steps:
ll employees and employers have the right to be represented
by an industrial
organisation
55. Disciplinary action
Termination of employment
Misconduct by an employee will result in 2 verbal warnings
being issued, then a written
warning, which will be signed by Management and the
employee.
The written warning will be kept on file for a period of twelve
months and should the
company need to issue another warning, the employment will be
terminated.
On termination of employment and within 7 days of the
termination date, you will receive
your wages, along with any holiday pay that you are owed.
Misconduct
Once employed with the store you must comply with our
conditions of employment. If you
fail to do so you may be terminated or issued with a verbal or
written warning.
Acts of misconduct are:
56. 36 | P a g e
Instant dismissal
In some circumstances, unacceptable behaviour may include
wilful misconduct. In such
situations employees will face instant dismissal without notice.
The following actions may result in instant dismissal:
discrimination of customers or
employees
57. customers
Under no circumstances may you start your shift under the
influence of alcohol or other
drugs, or any illegal substances.
While on the premises it is also unacceptable to sell or consume
alcohol or other drugs, or
any illegal substances.
The store will not tolerate theft of any kind, whether it be
money or stock. If you are caught
with any of these in your possession you will be dismissed
immediately and police action will
be taken.
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EEO policy
Our aim is to create a harmonious and enjoyable work
environment for all employees. We
all have a duty to prevent discrimination in the workplace. Our
aim is to identify and
eliminate discrimination. Failure to obey this policy could mean
instant dismissal.
58. Anti-discrimination and equal opportunity
We have a commitment to prevent discrimination in the
workplace. The Anti-discrimination
and equal opportunity laws make it generally unlawful to
discriminate against a person
because of:
nd
Under Federal and State laws, sexual harassment in the
workplace is unlawful.
Our company will not tolerate harassment of any kind. Failure
to obey this can lead to
instant dismissal.Conduct doesn't have to be deliberate or
59. intentional to amount to sexual
harassment if it is unwelcome.
Sexual harassment is verbal, written or physical behaviour of a
sexual nature that is
unwelcome and uninvited.
Some examples are:
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ate life
Affirmative Action
Our affirmative action program is to seek the right person for
the right job. We strive to
ensure equal access to promotion, training and development
opportunities, and all other
60. aspects of employment to all classes and groups of individuals.
We have a number of
affirmative action programs.-For more information please
contact your supervisor.
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Incident Report Form
When did the incident occur?
Date: _____ / ___ / 20____ Time: ____: _______ AM /PM
Who was involved? (Please tick one or more boxes)
Office staff Store staff Customer Contractor Other
Was anyone injured? Yes No
Name of person
injured:__________________________________________
Address:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Phone: Day: _____________ Night: ____________ Mobile:
____________
61. Was there a witness? Yes No
Witness details (Please tick one box only)
Office staff Store staff Customer Contractor Other
Name of witness:
_____________________________________________
Address:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Phone: Day: _____________ Night: ____________ Mobile:
____________
What type of incident was it?
Minor injury Assault Trauma Vandalism
Break and enter Robbery Theft Other
Were the police contacted? Yes No
Where did the incident
occur?_______________________________
What happened?
_____________________________________________________
_______
_____________________________________________________
62. _______
Describe the injury or damage
_____________________________________________________
_______
_____________________________________________________
_______
What type of treatment was used?
_____________________________________________________
_______
40 | P a g e
_____________________________________________________
_______
What immediate action did staff members take?
_____________________________________________________
_______
_____________________________________________________
_______
I agree that this information about the incident is true.
Signature of injured party _________________________
Date____________
63. Who is reporting this incident?
Name:
________________________________________________
Position:
________________________________________________
Follow up actions taken:
_____________________________________________________
_______
_____________________________________________________
_______
Signature of reporting party________________________ Date:
_____/____/_____
Opening and Closing the Premises
For the safety of yourself and others please follow these
opening and closing procedures.
Opening the store
On arrival, please enter through staff entrance and sign in.
office
64. entrances are open and
clear of obstacles
Closing the store
All staff must leave before closing procedure is started
41 | P a g e
No friends or relatives allowed during closing procedure
Alarms will be activated by the Supervisor and security officer
and all keys to be handed in to
the security officer and signed off in the key register
make sure no one is left
in the store
ws are closed
65. conditioning
Note: If your car is parked in a dark place make sure a security
officer accompanies you to
your vehicle.
Cash office security
After hours security is responsible for managing and
maintaining building security
Keys to the office are provided to all executive staff and to
other staff members, as the
occasion requires
Doors must be kept locked at all times
Two people must always be present when opening the safe and
counting money.
Work Attendance
Punctuality
All staff are required to be in their working area ready to
commence at the start of their
shift.
Please use the toilet, put your bags away and have a drink
before commencing your shift.
66. 42 | P a g e
Public holidays
If you are rostered on a shift the day before or the day after a
public holiday and you call in
sick, a doctor's certificate must be supplied. This means if a
public holiday falls on a Monday
and you call in sick on either the Friday or the Tuesday a
certificate will need to be supplied.
Probation period
All new employees will be on a three-month probation period.
During your probation period
there will be monthly reviews. At the end of the probation
period a meeting will be
organized for the employee, Dept. manager/supervisor and
branch manager to discuss your
progress.
Absence forms
If you know you are going to be absent, you are obliged to
phone in or have someone else
67. phone in before your start time on each day of non-
attendance.Absence of more than three
consecutive days without notification may be considered
abandonment of your job and may
result in instant dismissal.
Pay rates and bonus schemes
Pay rates
All staff members will be paid the award wage as stated by the
Department of Industrial
Relations and covered under the award in each State.
Furthermore, all staff members are
entitled to the following penalty rates:
For more information regarding awards, refer to Industrial
Relations website in your State.
43 | P a g e
68. Staff members requiring additional hours
A memo will be distributed to all staff members one month
prior to peak trading e.g.
Christmas, Easter or extended trading hours, to advise staff of
additional hours available.
Please advise your Supervisor in writing if you are interested in
additional hours.
Staff members who require a variation to the forthcoming roster
e.g. annual leave, rostered
day off, or sick leave, should complete a Roster Variation Form,
which is available from your
Supervisor.
The Supervisor who allocates the roster will take all requests
into account, but it is not
always possible to please everyone. Preferences are given to
employees who have been
with the company the longest.
Bonus schemes
The store recognises excellence in sales achievement and offers
incentives to continue
enhancing sales performance in the future. Bonuses will be
awarded to staff members who
achieve individual sales targets.
69. Monthly targets
Staff members are set achievable sales targets. Bonuses are paid
as follows:
Sales assistants 2%
After 2 years of service 2.5%
Supervisors 3%
Bonuses are calculated as follows:
Employee A:
Sales target for the month was $25,000. Achieved amount was
$30,000. Therefore $5,000 x
2% = $250.00, less the appropriate tax.
44 | P a g e
All bonuses will be paid on the seventh day of the following
month.
Performance appraisals
Motivating the Sales Team
One of the keys to motivate your team is to identify their
individual strengths and
70. weaknesses. This is done by way of a Performance Appraisal
conducted by the Supervisor
every three months.
Once individual strengths and weaknesses are identified, the
Supervisor can:
reward staff members
strengths.
When the Performance Appraisal has been completed, it is
reviewed and kept by Personnel
Department.
Performance Appraisal begins with the job description, tasks
and competencies. Use these
as the criteria against which key objectives will produce a
performance judgement. The job
description provides the clear and definitive standards required
for objective measurement.
Key points to successful performance appraisals
Staff need to be made aware of the appraisal system. It should
never be a surprise. They
should know:
71. 45 | P a g e
What use is made of the result?
appraisal should produce a positive,
creative and learning
situation.
plans and goals need to
be set.
sor in conjunction with the Personnel
Department to provide help in
setting new goals to gain commitment from staff to work
towards achievement of
the agreed goals.
72. to identify strength and
weakness as well as prepare a training strategy to enhance and
address the
development needs of staff members.
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Performance Appraisal Form
Employee's name: _______________________ Supervisor
____________________
Position Held: ___________________________ Time in
Position: ________________
Period Appraised: ________________________ Position
Status: FT / PT / CAS
Key:
O = Outstanding
H = Highly Proficient
S = Satisfactory
N = Needs improvement
73. Instructions:
Rate yourself on each of the areas by circling the applicable
appraisal key letter.
Make any necessary comments in the space after each section.
The appraisal covers all areas of your job function.
The form has been designed to bring out your strengths and
development needs. It will be
discussed with your Supervisor.
This appraisal is personal and confidential.
Future Objectives (complete this part in the discussion phase of
your appraisal)
A
____________________________________________________
Action Date: ______/_______ /__________
B
____________________________________________________
Action Date: ______/_______ /__________
47 | P a g e
74. C
____________________________________________________
Action Date: ______/_______ /__________
D
____________________________________________________
Action Date: ______/_______ /__________
A Sales, service and promotion of products and services
Employee Supervisor
Shows a friendly nature and provides efficient service
to customers
O H S N O H S N
Provides accurate and helpful advice on products and
services available
O H S N O H S N
Actively sells and promotes all products and services O H S N
O H S N
Actively sells additional merchandise at every
opportunity
O H S N O H S N
76. Handles complaints confidently and effectively O H S N O H S
N
Knows level of authority O H S N O H S N
Comment:
_____________________________________________________
__________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
D General Employee Supervisor
Maintains a neat and tidy appearance at all times O H S N O H
S N
Shows punctuality and reliability O H S N O H S N
Requires little supervision with work assignments O H S N O
H S N
Demonstrates decisive, practical and reliable decisions O H S
N O H S N
Shows good listening skills and speaks clearly and
concisely
O H S N O H S N
Demonstrates awareness of others' needs and is a
good team player
77. O H S N O H S N
Willing and able to accept greater responsibilities O H S N O
H S N
Awareness to show regard for health and safety issues O H S N
O H S N
Always looking to improve procedures and processes O H S N
O H S N
Takes every opportunity to develop own skills O H S N O H S
N
Comment:
_____________________________________________________
__________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
Major strengths
What areas of my job description do I excel in?
_________________________________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
Development needs
What specific areas of my job should I work towards improving
my understanding or level of
skills?
_____________________________________________________
78. _____________
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_____________________________________________________
___________________
Particular training or retraining I need to
complete_______________________________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
Supervisor's comments
____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
Employee's signature: ________________________________
Date: __/____ /____
Supervisor's signature: _______________________________
Date: __/____ /____
79. Point of Sale Questionnaire
Department: _________________________ Staff Member:
____________________
Date: ________________ Conducted by:
_____________________________
Level of service
What time period elapsed before the salesperson acknowledged
the customer?
- -
What was the salesperson's first communication?
first contact
Did the salesperson apologise for any inconvenience as
customers lined in a queue?
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Was the correct amount charged for the goods purchased?
80. Did the salesperson offer any additional merchandise or
service?
Did the salesperson mention any promotion or specials?
Did the salesperson enter the sale into the system without error?
Cash sale only:
Did the salesperson
call the amount tendered by the customer?
get change before placing amount tendered in cash drawer?
count back the change to the customer?
pass the change directly into the customer's hand?
81. 51 | P a g e
Card sale only:
Did the salesperson
process the sale efficiently using electronic or manual methods?
give the customer the correct copy of the receipt?
pass receipt (& pen if appropriate) directly into customer's
hand?
pass back the card using the customer's name?
Were the customer's goods placed in a bag or wrapped
appropriately?
What was the salesperson's farewell?
parting comment
82. Staff appearance
Is the salesperson wearing approved uniform or appropriate
clothing?
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Is the salesperson clean and tidy?
Is the approved name badge being worn?
General
Are promotions current?
Have all old promotional materials been disposed of?
Are all store facilities operational? (If not, report immediately)
83. Are customer complaints handled accordingly?
Comments and overall impression:
_____________________________________________________
___________________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
_____________________________________________________
___________________
Signature: ____________________________________ Date:
_____________
53 | P a g e
Policies dealing with Theft
Preventing theft
Shop lifting is a huge cost to our business and must be reduced
where possible. It is our
company policy that with the proper training you can prevent
shoplifting before it happens.
84. Keep an eye on anyone acting suspicious, be alert and watch out
for the signs. All staff must
be on the lookout for all acts of dishonesty and all incidents
must be reported to the
Manager.
Our company policy is to prevent theft by the RGD method
R: Recognise suspicious behaviour
G: Good customer services
D: Danger spots and times
Recognising suspicious behaviour
contact
th large bags
Good customer service prevents theft
Through good customer service there are ways to reduce the risk
of shoplifting.
The preventive measures our company follows are:
85. change room (company
policy is no more than three items)
leaving the change rooms
54 | P a g e
Check customer and staff bags
around
them
ned on and working
them
86. aff lockers locked
Danger spots for theft
Always maintain a clear view across the shop and have no
hidden areas that may provide an
easy opportunity to conceal merchandise. Areas of the store
which are most likely to attract
thieves are:
ays near exits
Danger times for theft
Shoplifters are most likely to steal during danger times so be
alert and remember RDG.
Keep your mind on the job during these times:
t and Saturday mornings
87. 55 | P a g e
-bys, changing displays,
restocking and while
using a ladder
As a preventive measure, the store safety policy states that three
limbs must be on the
ladder at all times and a second person must support the ladder.
That way they can also be
keeping an eye out for any suspicious behaviour.
Apprehension of shoplifters
Be aware as shoplifting can happen unexpectedly. Apprehension
of shoplifters should be the
last resort. Our store policy is prevention is easy and a far more
effective approach.
False accusation or wrong apprehensions may leave our store
open to charges.
If you suspect a customer of stealing, try to encourage them to
purchase the item by using
statements such as:
88. item if you know what
they have taken)
for that item at the register when you are ready
-by system?
goods, use the following
statements:
item
possession?
Procedure if apprehension must occur
Alert another staff member to contact security by calling
extension 71
Inconspicuously follow the accused if it is safe to do so
Never accuse the customer of stealing or touch them in any way
Ask the customer to accompany you to the security office
56 | P a g e
89. If customer refuses to wait for security to arrive, inform
security of the following details:
ent
that stands out, eg
tattoos, facial markings, hair colour and length
If they drove away, give a good description of the car, egcolour
or registration if possible
Inform your Manager of all the details of the event and fill out a
loss or apprehension report
immediately
Reporting theft
Our company policy is to follow all legal obligations so
remember, when filling in a report,
never exaggerate. Never accuse or use discriminatory language
(age, race, sex, etc) and
don't make judgements about why they have stolen or the
situation they are in. Shoplifting
is a criminal offence and has to be dealt with according to the
90. law.
When filling in the report, stick to the facts and keep all
answers simple and clear.
Describe the facts, what you saw, where it happened, when it
happened, what you did,
what happened then and what was said.
Customer's property
What is the Bag Check Code of Practice?
The Bag Check Code of Practice is a joint initiative of retailers
and the Department of
Consumer Affairs and has been developed as a compromise
between the interests of
privacy, retail and consumer groups.
57 | P a g e
The purpose of the code is to provide principles and practices in
relation to property checks
so that shoppers and retailers can approach the situation with
knowledge of their rights and
obligations.
91. Our customer property policy adheres to the principles of the
Code of Practice.
Our policy
Our store conducts property and bag checks in an attempt to
control theft. All staff are to be
trained in the property and bag check procedures and be aware
of the store's legal position.
Legal position
The store must notify customers of its intention to conduct
property checks. A prominent
notice that clearly sets this out must be displayed at a point
where customers can see it
prior to entry.
Store policy
Signage is prominently displayed at entrances to our stores
establishing entry conditions,
which includes:
All bags and property will be checked when leaving the store
All school bags will be checked when leaving the store.
All shopping trolleys and prams will be checked upon leaving
the store
Staff are encouraged to ask students to leave their school bags
92. with security at the front
entrances.
The store's right to conduct property and bag checks
Legal position
58 | P a g e
A customer who enters our store does so under licence. The
shopkeeper may make that
entry conditional upon showing bags, trolleys, prams, cartons,
parcels and containers for
checking.
Store policy
Personal handbags will not be checked unless larger than a
sheet of A4 paper.
Legal position
Staff members who forcibly conduct a property or bag check
against a customer's will, may
have committed an assault.
Store procedures
93. All customers upon leaving the store should be requested to
open their bags or property for
inspection either at the register or the customer exit point.
Requests should be courteously made so as to minimise the
degree of intrusion.
The employee should request that the customer personally open
the bag.
There should be no direct physical interference by the
employee.
Where a view of the bag is obstructed by a large parcel, trolley,
pram, coat or similar item,
the employee may request the customer to remove the
obstruction but should not touch
the obstructing item.
Dispute Procedures
Legal Position - A Shopper can refuse to allow a property/bag
check. Employee's needs to be
absolutely certain that the shopper has committed an offence in
order to detain or search
the shopper's processions.
Store Procedures
94. 59 | P a g e
The employee should not under any circumstances enter into a
dispute with the customer
over a request to check bags or a suspected theft
Under no circumstances will the employee attempt to forcibly
restrain the customer or
interfere with bags or property
If any dispute arises the employee should immediately summon
the store Supervisor
The Supervisor will explain the conditions under which the
customer entered the store. If
the customer again refuses to offer the bags and property for
checking, the Manager may
ask the customer to leave the store and not return or summon a
Police Officer
In summary, it is paramount that all Supervisors understand the
rights and obligations of
customer's property.
Rights and Obligations of Customers
Rights
95. Customers have the right to know before entry that the store
conducts property/bag checks
Right to refuse interference with your person, property or with
your bags. Checking means
that staff can look and not touch.
Under the Property Code the store has agreed not to check a
personal handbag unless it is
larger than the size of a sheet of foolscap paper
Obligations
Having entered the store knowing that property/bag checks are
conducted, customers have
accepted the store's right to ask you to open you bags for
checking.
IMPORTANT NOTES
60 | P a g e
Customers whom refuse inspection of their property/bags can be
asked to leave the store
and not return.
The Supervisor/Security Officer will only hold a customer and
96. call the police where the
employee is sure that an offence has been committed.
If an employee forcibly detain you or forcibly searches your
goods, and you have not
committed an offence, you are entitled to complain to the
management or the police or
consult your solicitor to determine what legal rights you have.
If you feel that the Property Code has been breached, you
should contact the Retail Traders
Association in your state.
Dealing with cash, credit, cheques and EFTPOS
Correct handling of payments during sales transactions (cash,
cheques, credit cards and
EFTPOS) is important to minimise losses through fraud or theft.
Errors by staff can include:
We realise that occasionally people make mistakes and the
possibility of a shortage in our
97. cash registers does exist. For this reason you will not be
required to make up shortages.
However, this is a serious matter so if you regularly have
significant cash shortages, you will
be notified and cash register procedures will be reviewed.
Cash register procedures
ys cash up your own register
61 | P a g e
It is essential that you enter the amount the customer gives you
to ensure the change
required is recorded and shown on your register.
ace the notes or chequeson the cash drawer. Do not put in
the register at this
stage.
98. of the drawer.
wer.
Failure to follow cash register procedures will result in
disciplinary action
Cash handling security procedures
are staff who use the
no-sale button often or are working out of the drawer and have
excessive over-rings.
customer complains
about change given, record customer details. At end of day if
the till does not
balance, the supervisor will contact the customer. Never take
the customers word.
No unauthorised persons are permitted behind the counter for
any reason.
any reason. Notify the
cash office when you require a cash pick up.
ver to be counted in view of the public. Office staff
99. and a security member
will collect cash and it will be counted in the cash office.
with anyone other
than the Manager.
Cheque transaction procedures
Bounced cheques cost our company valuable profits. A cost is
incurred to the company
when a cheque is returned.
The following procedures are important for our store:
62 | P a g e
.
correct date and amount
Our store does not except post-dated or 'cash'cheques (that is,
100. cheques made out to 'cash').
telephone.
res match.
identification used.
Identification can be either passport or drivers license
Record on the reverse side of the cheque address, phone
number, license number and
identification used.
Credit card transaction procedures
The risk of credit card fraud is on the rise as over half the store
transactions are paid for
using credit cards. Although we have an electronic system in
our store, sometimes there
may be a system failure or default with the card from a damaged
card. Manual procedures
must then be used.
Manual credit card procedures
Ensure sales voucher is filled in correctly.
101. Check card has not expired.
Check the name on the card matches the person using the card.
Verify the signature.
Ensure all information has been entered on all copies of the
sales voucher.
63 | P a g e
Ensure the correct amount is written on the docket.
Credit card purchases must be over $20.
No cash out can be given on credit card transactions.
For all transactions over the $150 floor limit, you must phone
for authorisation.
Check the card against the stolen card list. If the number
appears on the list, retain the card
and telephone the bank. They will advise what to do.
Electronic EFTPOS and credit card procedures
102. Cash out can be given on EFTPOS but cannot exceed $200.
Purchases must be over $20.
End of shift procedures
Fifteen minutes before your shift ends, a Supervisor will
complete a reading on your register
and EFTPOS machine.
At the end of each shift, it is your responsibility to take your
cash drawer to the Cash Office.
In the presence of Cash Office staff or a Manager, the sales
assistant will count and reconcile
takings.
The float amount will be left in the cash drawer.
All takings and reconciliation from register are to be placed in a
security pouch with a seal a
signed by the sales assistant.
64 | P a g e
103. All takings and floats will then be deposited into the safe.
Cash Office staff will re-count all takings and float.
Dealing with cash holding and banking procedures
Cash holding security procedures
combination to the safe is kept
confidential.
is kept in the safe at all times
safe. There must always
be two people present.
closing the safe. Ensure
the safe register is filled in correctly with date, time, and
reason.
Manager's key.
reconciliation forms or banking
slips.
104. Banking procedures
ff handle all banking procedures.
Returns policy
Our returns policy means customers can shop at our store,
knowing that with a receipt, we
can offer convenient repairs, exchanges and refunds, provided
goods are:
-new order and condition
65 | P a g e
Identification must be supplied. Acceptable ID includes any
document or card with the
customer's name, address, signature and preferably a
photograph, eg a driver's licence.
With a receipt
105. Customer can easily bring the goods back with a receipt to the
service desk for a repair,
exchange or refund.
Without a receipt
If a customer has misplaced the receipt, the store can offer a
repair or exchange if the goods
were purchased in-store, with acceptable ID. However, the store
is not obliged to give a
refund if proof of purchase cannot be provided.
This service is in addition to customer's statutory rights to
return faulty merchandise for
repair, exchange or refund.
When can a Supervisor refuse a refund?
In these cases we do not refund or exchange:
ere a customer wants to change goods because they are
cheaper elsewhere.
sale.
The service desk is to complete a refund form and refer all
refunds to their supervisors for
106. approval.
Supervisor's duties
satisfactory.
ion of goods.
Supervisor's section.
66 | P a g e
Sales targets formula
Sales targets are set based on a formula which takes into
account previous trading patterns
and actual hours worked. Each employee is allocated a monthly
target to achieve based on
this formula.
Team rewards
107. Team dinners will be awarded to Departments that achieve sales
targets. It is the
Supervisor's responsibility to motivate their team members to
achieve these targets. One
percent of the overall Department sales target will be deposited
into a social fund.
Salesperson of the Month
All employees of the month receive a store gift voucher to the
value of $50. Their photo is
placed in the staff room and on a public noticeboard and they
are given a special award
badge.
Staff general security
Giving away products
You may be asked by customers and friends to give away
merchandise but at no time should
you give away products. Giving away products is a very serious
offence and a breach of store
policy and will lead to disciplinary action.
Procedures for staff purchases
After 3 months of employment a discount card will be supplied
to all staff members. This
108. will entitle you to a 12% discount on all goods. This is for
employee use only and not to be
abused and will be monitored.
67 | P a g e
All staff purchases must be made before or after your shift. If
you wish to make a staff
purchase see your Supervisor who will document the purchase.
A check seal sticker must be
placed on all items purchased before your shift.
Staff holds: are permitted for 24hours and will be kept at the
supervisors counter.
Staff lay-bys: are permitted with the same conditions as
customer lay-bys.
Property
It is company policy that all bags must be available for
inspection by the security officer or
Manager if requested. Staff are permitted only to enter and exit
the store through
designated staff entrances. All emergency exits are alarmed and
employees must only enter
109. if there is an emergency.
Lockers
Lockers are provided for all staff to keep their personal effects
in while at work. It is each
individual's responsibility to make sure their locker is locked
Valuables
Do not bring valuables to the store, as the store will not be
responsible if they go missing
Stock control policy and procedures
Inventory control
The store has clearly defined policies and procedures in place
and it is the Supervisor's
responsibility to ensure inventory control is efficient, as loss of
stock and damages result in
a loss of profit.
The buyer's role
-to-date with trends
68 | P a g e
110. Supervisor's role
It is the Supervisor's responsibility to train staff members in the
correct procedures for
receiving stock.
-downs
-outs
ure all merchandise is correctly priced, following
Company procedures
-order levels for fast selling merchandise
performance of stock
changes
111. Staff member's role
k after delivery
69 | P a g e
Stock handling
Stock handling and storage of goods
Care must be taken in the storage of goods to ensure against
damage and theft. A
fundamental part of your supervisory duty is to ensure the
personal safety of your staff
members, and to provide a safe working environment. For more
information, refer to the
112. Safe Work Practices Manual. A few issues relating to the safe
handling of stock are:
its and fire extinguishers should be kept clear of
stock for easy access in
case of an emergency
members and customers
around fire extinguishers
laid down flat and not
stored on their sides
Be aware that poor manual handling accounts for the majority of
accidents in the retail
environment
Stock safety
Stock needs to be placed in security areas and put away as soon
as possible. Store
procedures are to handle stock in the following manner:
appropriate way and
hung on the appropriate fixtures
113. ragile items should not be stacked on other stock or on high
shelves
to keep them fresh
e.g. milk and frozen foods
materials
storage and handling
instructions
70 | P a g e
Stock re-orders
Although our Company has a Stock Controller and Buyer, the
Supervisor still plays an
important role in monitoring stock controls. Our policy is to
always try and avoid the
situation of stock out by frequently communicating with the
buying office. By doing this, all
staff members can be aware of planned promotions, target
markets and be informed of new
114. stock items and trends for the new season.
An empty looking store or an overcrowded store will impact
badly on sales.
-stock shelves and display stands from stock in reserve
an order number
le order forms in due date order
required
-ordering all standard stock
lines.
The buyer handles all other items, which are known as specialty
lines.
Store pricing policy
The Store's image is up to date, stylish merchandise. The type
of customer our store attracts
is more image-conscious than price-conscious.
Our merchandise is medium- to high-priced, however, our
emphasis is on supplying a wide
selection of quality merchandise as well as providing excellent
customer service.
Furthermore, our store is known for our end of season mark-
down sales where merchandise
115. is cleared at bargain prices.
Considering this, the purpose for a store pricing policy is for
prices to reflect and fit in with
the store image, so that prices are competitive and most
importantly, the store makes a
profit.
71 | P a g e
Mark-up and profit margin policies
Mark-up and profit margin polices are confidential to
Management, the Stock Controller,
Buying Department and selected Supervisors.
There are two key elements to consider when developing a
pricing policy. These are mark-
ups and margins.
Price Points are to be as follows:
Below $1: to be priced in even multiples of 10c, 20c, 50c, 70c,
etc.
$1 and $2: as even dollar amounts $1 and $2
116. Over $2: prices should end in .95c so $3 becomes $2.95, $5
becomes $4.95 and $10
becomes $9.95
Over $30: revert to even dollar amounts $1 below the $10
multiples. So $50 becomes $49,
$70 becomes $69, $100 becomes $99 etc.
Mark-up
Mark-up is the amount added to the cost price of merchandise to
give a selling price that
meets profit requirements. All items are to be marked up 150%
of their true cost price.
The cost price should be multiplied by 150% and added to the
cost price. For example:
Cost Price Mark-up Selling price
$10 150% $25 rounded to price point of $24.95
$20 150% $50 rounded to price point of $49
$50 150 % $125 rounded to price point of $125
$100 150 % $250 rounded to price point of $249
117. 72 | P a g e
Profit margin
Profit margin is the estimated gross profit that would be
achieved by selling goods at full
selling price. It is calculated by deducting the cost of goods
sold from the selling price. For
our store to be viable, a profit margin of 60% needs to be
achieved.
$25 - $10 = $15 profit.
To convert this to a %, use the formula below:
((selling price -
Margin
(($25 -
60%
It is important to understand that marking up merchandise 150%
will only achieve a 60%
profit margin. If merchandise is sold for less than the
recommended selling price for reasons
such as stock losses, mark-downs, shrinkage etc., the overall
gross profit is reduced.
Some elements that contribute to the level of profit margin and
mark up are:
118. Supervisor's role in mark-downs
All supervisors should be aware of the reason for mark-downs.
Remember unwanted stock
takes up valuable space and costs our store valuable profits. It
is the supervisor's
responsibility to keep an eye out for slow-moving stock and
suggest strategies to rectify the
problem. Supervisors must keep good records so that
Management can keep track of what
is being marked down.
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When should supervisors mark-down merchandise?
119. Merchandise is to be marked down at the end of its selling
season or if it is slow moving,
obsolete, damaged or priced higher than that of our competitors.
It is preferred mark-
downs are planned for holiday programs or special events.
Benefits of mark-downs:
Increases the sales of other merchandise in store
Procedures for Mark-downs
merchandise in their department
and fill in report of slow moving merchandise and suggest
mark-downs figures
-down sheet is sent to the Stock Controller for approval
and sign same
-down sheet is approved and signed by the
Stock Controller, it is the
Supervisor's responsibility to inform all staff members of the
price mark-downs to
prevent embarrassing situations of staff members quoting old
prices to customers
-down sheet is to be filed in the mark-down book,
120. which is kept under the
counter for easy reference to all staff.
Supervisors have permission to discount up to 15% on any items
that are damaged or
stained without permission from the buying office. However it
must be recorded on the
mark-down sheet. It is important for shrinkage and profit
records that these are recorded
accurately.
A Mark-down Worksheet is attached later in this document.
The Supervisor should carry out spot checks to ensure:
following store policy
ently changing mark-downs
74 | P a g e
Price marking
Price marking is a critical area, which, if not properly
controlled, can cause major problems
121. with customers.
clothing garments.
right-hand corner of
the item.
mark-down price is
permitted.
the price goes up, all of the old label must be removed
without fail.
customer.
Coordinating stocktake
Stocktake is the physical count of stock that is in the store at a
certain period of time being a
true measurement between the physical stocktake figures and
the book stock.
Supervisor's role
Preparation
122. Preparation and supervision are the key to a successful
stocktake. Supervisors need to keep
updated. Give staff members clear direction and training of the
store's procedures. Tasks
should be allocated to staff members. Furthermore, all tasks on
the stocktake preparation
checklist must be carried out.
Rosters
It is the Supervisor's responsibility to consider budget
allocation and time constraints.
Always ensure extra staff are rostered on to attend to customers'
needs during this period.
Stocktake is only to take place outside normal trading hours. If
time constraints allow, finish
stocktake before 10am.
75 | P a g e
Supervisor's responsibilities
When in progress:
and good end results.
123. s and direct them to
appropriate area to count.
counting and recording
procedures to ensure that tasks are completed.
On completion:
After the stocktake has been completed for a certain area,
another staff member carries out
a spot check. It is Company procedure to choose five fixtures
from an area and complete
their own stocktake.
These records are then compared with the original stocktake
documentation and, if there is
a discrepancy, a report is compiled.
Discrepancies must be investigated and reported when preparing
accurate reports for
Management. (Discrepancy Report attached)
Stocktake checklist
stocktake. All Supervisors are to
124. ensure all tasks are carried out before commencing a stocktake
Explain how to carry out
stocktaking to a new staff member
responsibility
-off points for orders, deliveries and shelf
filling. Plan a cut-off day or
time that these activities are carried out
-bys are put aside and follow up and record any
stock out of store on loan
76 | P a g e
labelled and numbered
for easy identification. Numbered stock sheets are allocated to
correct staff
members
Discrepancy reports
125. Obvious discrepancies to identify:
-downs that are not recorded for known shrinkage e.g.
damage and theft
-downs and transfers in and out
reserve areas, above eye
level, on display, in drawers or closed bins
code
Stocktake staff training
It is the Supervisor's responsibility to ensure all staff members
are trained in the correct
procedures. The following instructions will make a good
starting point for training staff.
To ensure a successful stocktake, please observe the following
instructions:
sheets
and direct you to the area you will be counting.
126. has a
separate stocktake sheet.
numbered and this number appears on the
top-right
hand corner of the stocktake sheet.
top shelf
and working your way down to floor level.
ff members when
they are
counting.
77 | P a g e
sheet to
minimise counting errors
sponds with the
product bar code.
127. control.
Our Company has developed a coloured tagging system as a
communication tool to ensure a
successful and accurate stocktake.
indicate that all items are checked and correct.
bar code needs
investigating.
Supervisor is to be called for
clarification.
Preparing accurate reports
When the physical count has been completed and recorded on
stock sheets, stock sheets
need to be collated and put in fixture numerical order. Check
that all addition, cross
calculations and totals are correct. Keep an eye out for obvious
discrepancies. After
investigating any obvious discrepancies and reporting, it is the
Supervisor's responsibility to
128. collate into a report as follows:
Computer Data
Department Name:
Sales figures:
Stock level computer print out for the department:
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Previous stocktake results for comparison:
Manual Data
Stocktake sheet for actual stock figures for the department:
Shrinkage sheets, mark-down sheet and a discrepancy report:
Shrinkage report
Our store allows for 3% shrinkage in our budget as we realise
mistakes will happen.
However, effective stock control can minimise shrinkage. If you
neglect control of shrinkage,
you may be out of a job. It is the Supervisor's responsibility to
ensure all shrinkages are
recorded correctly on the shrinkage sheets.
129. Possible valid reasons for shrinkage:
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Stocktake sheet
Fixture number:
Product
reference
Quantity Price Total
quantity
Total
value
131. Shrinkage sheet
Description Ref No Dept Qty Price New
Price
Reason Total
loss
Gardening Gloves 4702 7 1 $12.95 $7.95 Damaged $5.00
Staff member:
_________________________________________
Supervisor:
____________________________________________
132. Date: ____/____/____ Time: ____:____AM/PM
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Discrepancy sheet
Area Fixture/
Item
Description Price Original
count
Recount Variance
Socks I/N:
2891335
Scheurich 14 x
12cm Royal
Shine Indoor
Pot
$11.95 20 17 3
136. ensure a healthy and safe work environment. Supervisors should
ensure that individuals
maintain a high level of awareness when it comes to health and
safety issues and encourage
all staff to carry out safe work practices by reporting any faulty
equipment immediately.
Employees' responsibility
Employees are expected to take reasonable care with regard to
the health and safety of
others at the work place and to co-operate with the employer in
ensuring a safe and healthy
work environment. Employees must report potential or health
and safety hazards to their
Supervisor using the correct reporting procedures.
The store aims to provide both our staff members and our
customers with a safe and
healthy environment. A safe working environment is not
something that just happens: you
have to make it happen!
Accident prevention
All employees are to be conscious of the factors that contribute
to store accidents.
These factors include such things as:
137. substances
pment with frayed cords
ladder at all times.
The key to accident prevention is for all staff and management
to always maintain:
84 | P a g e
Safe environment: inspect your work area regularly for
dangerous objects that people could
trip or fall over
Safe equipment: check equipment for faults before use and
always use the correct tool for
the job
Safe behaviour: perform your duties in a safe manner and only
use equipment you have
been trained to use.
Always remember Prevention is better than cure and you
should:
138. If you identify a potential hazard take immediate action to
prevent an accident occurring
First aid treatment
The store's safety policy is for all Supervisors to be trained in
First Aid Procedures and be
able to remain calm and deal with any emergency situation if it
arises.
First Aid boxes are located in every department behind the
Supervisor's desk, cashier's
office and staff room.
If an accident does occur, and medical attention is needed, you
must advise the Supervisor
as soon as possible. Furthermore, if a customer or non-employee
has an accident, it is very
important that they are happy with the attention and first aid
treatment they are receiving.
Be sympathetic and caring to the person involved, but most
importantly, do not admit fault.
For information on recording an accident, refer to your
Induction Handbook.
It is extremely important that you make sure after using any
139. medical equipment that it is
cleaned and you have told the Supervisor on duty what was
used, so he or she can restock
the First Aid kit. If you can handle the problem, do so, but if
not, see your First Aid Officer in
the workplace.
85 | P a g e
If an emergency situation arises, the following steps should be
followed:
rs and the casualty
away from the
incident
First aid treatment for non-electrical burns
140. cold water for at least ten minutes or until the
ambulance arrives, if
needed
position
First aid treatment for cuts (incisions and lacerations)
wherever possible,
use gloves
re to stop any bleeding
available
141. First aid treatment for sprains
86 | P a g e
one else slips
For the pain:
he customer in getting any
further medical treatment
if required
Spillages
Our Company has provided a non-slip floor surface to help
minimise the risk of slipping or
falling. There are two main types of spillage: liquid or dry.
When you cause or note a
spillage, your responsibility is to prevent an accident occurring
by attending to the area in
the appropriate manner until the floor is safe to walk on again.
142. slipping
staff member to obtain Caution Wet Floor signs
and place one at each
end of the spillage
spillage
special cleaning
eaning equipment and clean the floor ensuring every
trace of the hazard is
removed
them back in to
storage
If a staff member cannot deal with a hazard, you should
immediately report to the
Supervisor on duty.
Safe work practices
Always remember with safe work practices: Prevention is better
than cure. You should never
143. endanger yourself or others.
87 | P a g e
It is every staff member's responsibility to play their role in
ensuring their work place is a
safe and healthy place to work, and that set standards are met in
accordance with
Occupational Health and Safety issues and store policy. All
staff members in our store are
responsible to bring work place hazards to the Supervisor's
attention if you cannot deal with
it yourself.
Employees who follow in safe work practices will dramatically
reduce the risk of an accident
occurring. Should you have any concerns with safety issues, it
is a good idea to report them
to the Store Safety Committee.
Safe manual handling
It is essential that all staff members follow the Manual
Handling Code of Practice.
144. Any manual handling which requires a staff member to exert
force to lift, lower, push, pull,
carry or otherwise move, can be at a potential risk of injury.
Retail staff will be involved in
manual handling tasks every day. It is important to be aware of
the potential for accidents
and know how to prevent them. Being aware and practicing the
correct manual handling
techniques will enable you to work accident and injury free.
To prevent or reduce injuries, we need to identify, assess and
control manual handling risks.
In our store, these risks relate to our work methods as well as
the design of our work areas.
Refer to the Safe Manual Handling manual for more guidelines
to assist you in maintaining a
safe work environment. Supervisors are to encourage staff
members to follow the
guidelines for safe manual handling as well as attend regular
training sessions held by an OH
and S representative.
Broken glass
Broken glass should not be picked up by hand. Always use a
dustpan and brush and dispose
145. of in a safe manner. If there is no recycling bin, then wrap the
broken glass in newspaper.
88 | P a g e
Hair
Hair must always be tied back securely and the hairnets and
caps supplied are to be worn at
all times when handling food.
Footwear
Suitable footwear helps prevent slips and falls by providing
better grip on floors. So, for your
safety, closed in rubber sole shoes are a must in case of an
accident.
Protective clothing
Always use all supplied protective equipment and clothing. This
equipment is provided for
not only your protection, but for your safety as well. This
includes wearing suitable footwear
and uniform for your particular job. Where required, protective
clothing is supplied and
must be worn to protect yourself against injury.
146. This clothing was designed with staff safety in mind, does not
restrict movement, and allows
loads to be carried close to the body. If you are spending a long
time in the freezer and cold
rooms, use the freezer jackets provided, which are on the hook
outside the door of the
freezer.
Gloves
Protective gloves are supplied to protect your hands from cuts,
abrasions and extreme
temperatures. To ensure safe handling of food from the oven or
freezer, gloves must be well
fitting and not worn through. Mesh gloves are to be worn on
your non-dominant hand when
slicing or cutting meat and using the slicing machine.
Aisles and passageways
Always ensure aisles and passageways are free of rubbish,
boxes and merchandise, as we
must provide a safe and convenient environment for our
customers and staff members at all
times. Never leave cleaning equipment in aisles. Always
remember to tidy as you go.
147. 89 | P a g e
Use of equipment
Some of the equipment in your department may be dangerous if
used incorrectly. Do not
use equipment until your department Supervisor has shown you
how to use it effectively
and safely.
You must sign an acknowledgment form that you have read The
Work Safe Practices for
your department. It is your responsibility to use equipment
correctly.
If you notice any damaged or faulty equipment, report it to your
Supervisor so a tag can be
placed on the item. Never put yourself or others at risk by
trying to fix faults. If you see a
piece of equipment with a tag, do not attempt to use it.
Carton cutters
The most common piece of equipment used in all departments is
the carton cutter. Carton
cutters are also one of the major sources of injury.
148. When using a carton cutter, follow these simple rules:
rs or other body parts are not in harm's way
- always keep
your eyes on your
work
Ladders
Safety steps and ladders should be used whenever you have to
reach above head height to
perform any of your tasks:
er on a wet, slippery, or uneven surface
90 | P a g e
149. ladder at all times
ladder
Dangerous goods and hazardous substances
Dangerous goods and hazardous substances are goods and
chemicals that can cause harm
or injury to one's health. Our store provides Material Safety
Data Sheets (MSDS). These
contain information describing the product's safe handling
instructions, health hazards and
first aid procedures.
Dangerous goods are items, which are explosive, flammable,
corrosive, chemical reactive,
combustible, toxic, radioactive or infectious. These substances
come in many forms, for
example cigarette lighters, pool chlorine and fire lighters. A
coloured diamond on the
packaging can usually identify these products.
Hazardous substances are liquids, solids, vapours, gas, fumes
150. and dust. These all have the
potential to cause harm or injury to one's health. Some
dangerous goods are also hazardous
substances, for example oven cleaner. Colourful writing and
warning pictures can identify
these goods.
Safety audits
It is a requirement of our store to carry out regular safety audits
to assess any possible
problems or hazards in the workplace. These audits are carried
out on a weekly basis.
Employees should inform their Supervisor or Manager of any
hazard or safety issue they
have come across. When recognising a hazard, Supervisors are
to carry out inspections of all
areas in their specific department with employees identifying
everything that could possibly
be harmful. Information gained from carrying out an inspection
is essential for ensuring the
workplace is safe and assists in recognising training needs.
91 | P a g e
151. By using a checklist to identify risks, Supervisors will be able
to recognise safety factors such
as:
Potential hazards
Avoiding hazards, such as the following, will not only eliminate
potential risk, but also
ensure that in case of a more serious problem, quick and safe
evacuation can be carried out
in an emergency:
aged equipment, fixtures and fittings
152. Risk control
To be able to provide a healthy and safe work environment, our
store must have the
following process:
For more information on risk control, please refer to the
Maintain Store Safety brochure.
OH and S issue resolution
What procedures should you follow if you notice an OH&S
issue in your store?
92 | P a g e
Communication is important, and staff should be trained in the
following procedures:
Out of Service tag)
153. In any case the supervisor or Store Manager must be informed
Some OH and S issues are a spill of a chemical, faulty piece of
equipment, faulty playing
equipment or broken furniture. Remember to always follow safe
work practices as
Prevention is better than cure, and never attempt to use any
piece of equipment with an
Out of Service tag.
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Store Security Policy and Procedures
Our aim
The Store insists on the highest level of security to prevent theft
and insure a safe working
environment for staff members and customers alike.
154. Staff general security
Giving away products
You may be asked by customers and friends to give away
merchandise but at no time can
you give away products. Giving away products is a very serious
offence and a breach of store
policy and will lead to disciplinary action.
Procedures for staff purchases
After three months of employment a discount card will be
supplied to all staff members.
This will entitle you to a 12% discount on all goods. This is for
employee use only and not to
be abused and will be monitored.
All staff purchases must be made before or after your shift. If
you wish to make a staff
purchase see your Supervisor who will document the purchase.
A check seal sticker must be
placed on all items purchased before your shift.
Staff holds: are permitted for 24hours and will be kept at the
supervisors counter.
Staff lay-bys: are permitted with the same conditions as
customer lay-buys.
155. Property
It is company policy that all bags must be available for
inspection by the security officer or
Manager if requested. Staff are permitted to enter and exit the
store only through
designated staff entrances. All emergency exits are alarmed and
employees must only enter
if there is an emergency.
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Lockers
Lockers are provided for all staff to keep their personal effects
in while at work. It is each
individual's responsibility to make sure their locker is locked
Valuables
Do not bring valuables to the store, as the store will not be
responsible if they go missing
Equipment security
Our store has bought equipment to make our company more
efficient and professional.
156. Equipment is a valuable asset and it is the Supervisor's
responsibility to ensure the following
rules are adhered to:
ith respect
equipment and associated
occupational health and safety issues
personal use
ed cupboard
Visitors and contractors access
For insurance purposes all visitors and contractors must fill out
their details in the Visitors
Register before carrying out their business in the store. They
must report to the office on
arrival where they will sign the Visitors Register, be issued
with a security badge and
informed of their access to various locations within the store.
157. Security will be notified to
escort visitor to required location.
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Deliveries
The receiving bay must be locked at all times. All deliveries are
received through the
receiving bay and never the front entrance. All goods must be
received either by the store
person or a department Supervisor and signed for after checking
the delivery. This is one of
the main places where theft can occur so extra vigilance is
called for.
Armed robbery procedures
Our company policy is to provide a safe and healthy working
environment. Do not attempt
to be heroic: your life is worth more than any amount of money.
However, in the event of a hold up the following procedures
must be followed:
158. do not make any sudden movements
spoken to
What to do immediately after the offender has left the scene:
your self at risk.
ring the police 000 and
contact head office
The Manager will seal off the area where the event took place
The Manager in charge will ask all witnesses to remain until the
police arrive and you will be
allowed to your notify parents and family, should you be
required to remain in the store
The Manager will complete the appropriate forms
159. 96 | P a g e
Store safety tips
only if it is safe to do
so.
play stand, post or
doorway.
because the sooner they
leave, the sooner you are safe.
u
have spoken with the
police.
possible that you could be
affected by shock.
160. destroyed.
We recommend that you take up any company offers of trauma
counselling.
Opening and closing the premises
For the safety of yourself and others please follow these
opening and closing procedures.
Opening the store
ongings in your locker.
entrances are open
and clear of obstacles.
if needed
161. 97 | P a g e
Closing the store
All staff must leave before closing procedure is started.No
friends or relatives are allowed
during closing procedure.
ensure no one is left in
the store.
air conditioning
are turned off.
the cash office.
Alarms are to be activated by the Supervisor and security
officer and all keys are to be
handed to the security officer and signed off in the key register
Note: If your car is parked in a dark place ensure that a security
officer accompanies you to
your vehicle.
Cash office security
162. After hours security is responsible for managing and
maintaining building security.
Keys to the office are provided to all executive staff and to
other staff members, as the
occasion requires.
Doors must be kept locked at all times.
Two people must always be present when opening the safe and
counting money.
Policy for dealing with cash, credit, cheques and EFTPOS
Correct handling of payments during sales transactions (cash,
cheques, credit cards and
EFTPOS) is important to minimise losses through fraud or theft.
Errors by staff can include
giving the wrong change, pricing, discounting incorrectly, not
checking goods properly.
98 | P a g e
We realise that occasionally people make mistakes and the
possibility of a shortage in our
cash registers does exist. For this reason you will not be
required to make up shortages.
163. However, it is a serious matter if you frequently have
significant cash shortages. You will be
notified and your knowledge of cash register procedures will be
reviewed.
Cash register procedures
er staff member's cash register.
It is paramount to enter the amount the customer gives you to
ensure the change required is
recorded and shown on your register
on the cash drawer; do not put it
in the register at this
stage.
of the drawer.
Failure to follow cash register procedures will result in
disciplinary action
164. Always cash up your own register
Cash handling security procedures
Supervisors need to watch for signs of cash theft. Some signs
are staff that use the no-sale
button often or are working out of the drawer and have
excessive over-rings.
Store policy is never open the drawer and give change. If a
customer complains about
change given, record the customer's details. At the end of the
day, if the till does not
balance, the supervisors will contact the customer. Never take
the customer's word alone.
any reason.
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reason. Notify the cash
office when you require a cash pick up.
and a security member
165. will collect cash and it will be counted in the cash office
with anyone other
than the Manager
Cheque transaction procedures
Bounced cheques cost our company valuable profits. A cost is
incurred to the company when
a cheque is returned.
The following procedures are important for our store and must
be used:
cheque.
correct date and amount.
Our store does not except post-dated or cash cheques
All interstate and overseas cheques must be authorised by
telephone