- Customer service and retail sales: Customer service is the core and front end
of retailing. It includes functions such as greeting & communicating with customers.
understanding their needs, helping them buy the right products & services and
establishing customer relationships. More than 80% of retail employment is in
customer service and sales. - Store operations: Store operations involve the management of retail store and
achieving sales targets. The focus is .on efficient operations and service. A store
attempts to attract footfalls, ensure high conversions, avoid stock outs, provide
efficient service and a quick check out. Store managers have to lead a big team to
achieve targets. They need team management and leadership skills. - Sourcing: Greater competition and increased customer bargaining power is making Emerging Trends and Careers in Retail efficient purchasing and sourcing very important. Buying and sourcing team 1s Industry responsible for identifying and developing appropriate vendors and working with
them to develop and procure a product range which meets customer needs and is
also profitable. Leading retail chains procure products from all over the World.
Retailers which focus on private brands specially have to ensure that vendors
produce as per specifications and meet quality standards. If you are a graduate,
having good negotiating skills and some shop floor experience, you can opt for a
career in buying. Buyers also need to have good product knowledge and preferably
some understanding of the manufacturing process. - Merchandising: Merchandisers work in close coordination with buying teams at
the head office. They ensure availability of right product in right quantities, at the
right place in right time and in right assortment as per customer requirement. This
role needs a lot of planning and forecasting. As a merchandiser you have to analyse
historical & current sales trends, stock position and forecast the future scenario in
terms of consumer preferences and competitors moves. Many retailers combine
merchandising and buying functions to ensure end to end responsibility of making
available the desired merchandise as per customer expectations. To pursue a career
in Merchandising you need to be a graduate with sound knowledge of retailing. You
should have sound analytical skills and good communication. - Supply chain management: Supply chain is the back bone of retailing. Supply
Chain Management involves coordinating with merchandising and buying functions
to ensure efficient planning, ordering, stocking/warehousing and receiving of
merchandise. It involves developing of efficient transportation systems and
warehousing facilities to facilitate movement of merchandise from vendors to the
store in least possible time and at minimum cost. The focus is on efficiency, inventory
management and faster cycle times. - Visual communication: Retailers try to provide a great shopping experience for
the customer by designing attractive stores, visual merchandising and display\. This
involves a deep understanding of customers, what they want and why they come to
the store. A clear marketing strategy and visual communication plan is very critical
to build the store image, its brand positioning and a distinct identity. The skills required
are ability to understand customer needs, good communication skills and creativity. - Information technology in retailing: Information technology and its applications
have revolutionized modem retailing. IT is used to capture information on sales at
point of purchase and making it accessible across the supply chain to enable efficient
purchase and just in time manufacturing. IT is also used in Customer Relationship
management .Information integration, business intelligence and analytics have opened
up opportunities for many IT professionals in retailing. IT jobs in retail include
working on Point-of -Sale systems and solutions, back- end merchandise
management system and other functional applications like CRM and SCM. The
abilities required are the knowledge of the right technology processes and solutions.
IT opportunities in retailing are available with both retailers and with technology
products, applications and service providers to the retail sector. - Design : The main task of a designer in retail organization is to provide information
on latest trends prevailing in-market in advance. Designers communicate their ideas
to buying and merchandising teams to enable them buy the,product ranges in
fashion that attract customers. Designer are expected to update their knowledge
through design fairs, TV shows, films, magazines, catwalks and also by closely
monitoring competitors both in domestic and foreign market. You need a degree in
textile, dress designing or fashion retailing, a creative mind and commercial acumen
to enter this field. - Technical and Production: Technologists have responsibility to ensure that the
desired technical and quality specifications are met by vendors. They also ensure
compliance with legal requirements. A person needs to have a relevant technical
degree. For example in apparel retail the suitable person would preferably be a
textile engineer. - Marketing: Role of marketer involves wide range of activities from identifying
customers needs to promoting the products and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Consumer market research is done to know and understand customer needs.
Marketing department also develops and administers Customer Loyalty programs
to induce higher purchases and retain customer loyalty. Marketers are responsible
for building store brand and promote the store and products through effective use
of media. Marketing is a creative, dynamic and exciting field which demands high
degree of commitment and smart work. As a marketer you must be capable of
handling stress and realizing the unexplored opportunities. You will need a relevant
degree in Business management or retail marketing and some experience to enter
this fiercely competitive field. - Human Resources: The HR functions in Retail include manpower planning,
recruitment, selection, training, development, and compensation. As HR Manager
you will be liaisoning with people within and outside the organization. The goal of
HR manager is to keep its staff motivated to work efficiently and effectively. Today
many organizations are facing the problem of high attrition. Hence a key to retain
employees has become important issue. To make a career in this line you need to
be a credible and persuasive communicator.