Rely on these best practices for producing results in your store;

o        BENCHMARK:  Have a shop conducted before you introduce the program to your staff. We call this a silent benchmark. Having a "pre-program" snapshot of the shopping experience at your store will help you measure its impact on performance.

o        ROLLOUT:  Hold a meeting where you educate your team on the following:

o        The criteria used to evaluate the store – they can’t focus on it if they don’t know what it is! 

o        The results of the benchmark shops (blacken out the names and descriptions – you want this program to be about improvement, don’t doom it from the beginning!).

o        SET GOALS FOR IMPROVEMENT:  Help your staff and managers set goals for improvement

o        CONSISTENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY = NEW HABITS: 

o        Shop the right number of shifts to hold every area accountable.

o        Shop consistently to allow people the opportunity to improve.

o        REWARD & RECOGNIZE:  Public recognition is everything!  People hate to be scrutinized, so you must work hard to show strides and build role models.  Your rewards and recognition campaign should include people who achieve: 

o        Excellence

o        Improvement

o        PROMOTE:  Discuss the program, the criteria and its impact often.

o        NEVER:  Publicly reprimand or shame an individual.  The rule is public recognition, private counsel.