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Retail Store Management

Notes ignore customer demands. This may often mean having to juggle many tasks at once, such
as an accident on the sales floor, a customer complaint, a stock problem or a till breakdown.

Retailing is renowned for its unpredictability with every day bringing new problems to
solve. Good management is all about using managerial experience, instinct and flair to
make the best possible decision to overcome the problem. Everything a manager does in
retailing is in the public eye. Successes and mistakes are there to see. And, of course, there
is also evidence – usually in the form of increased or decreased sales – by which to
measure performance.
Some people say that ‘retail is detail’ - it is about getting small things right, without losing
sight of long-term objectives. Making the right decisions ensures that customers come
back tomorrow – and the day after. This case study examines the role of the Financial
Manager at Marks & Spencer.
Role of the Manager
Management can be defined as ‘getting things
done with or through other people’. It
involves deciding on objectives and making
decisions to ensure that objectives are met. It
involves planning, organising and
coordinating activities. It involves
controlling – making sure that things are
going to plan and working with people. It is
necessary, through effective communication,
to make sure that people are committed to
activities and the organisation.

The task of running a Marks & Spencer store
is so broad-ranging that it has to be divided
up into a number of different, closely co-
ordinated, areas of responsibility. Dividing up an organisation is often referred to as
departmentation. Stores are divided into broad sectors, each of which has its own
specialisation or function. Although the functions are separate, each manager works
together as part of The Store Management Team.

The Store Management Team includes a Commercial Manager, a Financial Manager and a
Personnel Manager, who all report to a General Manager. They have a common goal – to
improve the performance of their store by motivating and leading other people in the
Store Team. Successful Store Managers come from many backgrounds, but share a
willingness to move around the country – and ultimately the world – in search of the best
opportunities. Their roles are briefly as follows:

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