Operations

When customers walk into your store, they’re often coming with problems and they’re looking for solutions. Depending on the problems they’re trying to fix, the shoppers may feel stressed, overwhelmed and discouraged. The level of service your staff provides can improve …

Mountain Hardware in Wrightwood, California, is the go-to stop for campers and hikers along the nearby Pacific Crest Trail. Along with selling the necessary supplies they need, the store also stocks a full line of hardware, power tools, lawn and …

By Jesse Carleton, jcarleton@nrha.org, and Liz Lichtenberger, llichtenberger@nrha.org To view a PDF of this story, click here. To some, 1,500, 2,500 or even 5,000 square feet may seem like an impossibly limited amount of space to sell eight core hardlines …

Language and cultural differences. You learn quickly that these are the two most important things to adapt to when traveling to a different country. Prior to embarking on Remote Year, I had a grand plan to do a self-guided tour …

Hiring the right employees is an ongoing challenge for independent home improvement retailers, but failing to do so comes with a price tag. One of the top two reasons for inventory loss/shrinkage in retail is employee theft, according to research …

Recruiting and retaining quality employees are essential to the success of your business. Keeping your employees loyal, productive and happy means maintaining a positive work culture in your store, providing recognition and fostering engagement. The National Federation of Independent Business …

In 2015, farm and home lifestyle company Wilco, which has 18 stores throughout Oregon and Washington, set out to refresh its paint and sundries department, which had seen flat sales in 2012 and 2013. The Wilco team worked to bring …

By Scott Wright, swright@nrha.org To view a PDF of this story, click here. In any typical home improvement store, there are generally six or seven core hardlines departments that do the “heavy lifting” of generating sales and gross margin dollars …