Unlocking Employee Potential: How Clear Communication Transformed My Consignment Store

They Didn't See the Extras

For the longest time, I didn’t get it. I couldn't understand why my employees walked right past things in my store that were glaringly obvious to me. It drove me crazy! WHY DIDN’T THEY FIX IT? The answer was simpler than I thought: they didn’t know.

Now, you might be asking, “How could they not know?” Another simple answer: I didn’t tell them. I assumed they’d pick up on what was important just by watching me adjust things around the store. But they weren’t watching every little move I made. They were busy—ringing up customers, managing intake, helping shoppers find what they needed. Sure, they knew what needed to be done, but they didn’t always see the extra AND they didn’t realize it mattered.

The Eye-Opening Walkthrough

I learned this the hard way when I hired Neil to come out to my store for a client visit. During one of our sessions, we walked through the store with two of my employees. I pointed out everything I thought was out of place, starting from the front door and working our way through the store. When we finished, he said something that stopped me in my tracks:

"Do you realize you only pointed out negatives and nothing positive?  They don’t know what you expect from them because you haven’t told them or shown them.  You’re trying to run a consignment store based on them reading your mind, not your store policies & procedures."

I was flabbergasted—and embarrassed. But there was a valuable lesson hidden in that feedback.

The Power of Explaining the 'Why'

In my mind, consignment store operations required organization along with customer service.  But after that day, I noticed I had become negative, mostly because I felt like I was constantly seeing all the tasks to be done. My team had no idea why these “little things” triggered my bad attitude. So, I decided to sit down with them and explain why these details mattered so much to me.

I told them how a chaotic checkout counter could give customers the impression that our store was disorganized. I shared my first, not-so-great experience in a consignment store—how the dust on displays and cluttered racks screamed "dirty" and "unorganized" to me. One by one, I explained the backstory behind each of my expectations.

The Shift

A couple of weeks later, I noticed a change. The store was more organized, the counter was always ready for the next customer, and the displays were just right. When I thanked my team, April, one of my employees and your current Resale Accountability Coach, said something that really stuck with me:

"Knowing why it was important to you made it important to us too."

The Lesson Learned

This experience taught me a crucial lesson in running a successful consignment store: Communication is key. You can’t assume your team knows what you know or sees what you see. Explaining the "why" behind your expectations not only helps your employees understand the importance of the little things but also empowers them to take ownership of their roles within your store’s operations.

If you're a consignment store owner struggling with similar issues, remember this: Your team wants to do well, but they need your guidance. Clear communication is not just about what needs to be done but also why it matters. When your employees understand the bigger picture, they’re more likely to care about the details as much as you do.

For more tips on how to run a successful consignment or resale store, including team management, inventory control, and marketing strategies, check out our consignment training program, Next Level Resale Academy, with over 100 modules. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey—we’re here to help you take your store to the Next Level! 🚀