A retail supervisor is a person who works in a store and is in charge of supervising other employees, primarily salespeople and possibly other workers. Supervisors are usually subordinates to managers, though the term can also refer to the title of manager. In the former role, these employees fulfill management’s requests for motivating, training, and possibly disciplining employees. They may also serve as a liaison between management and sales, ensuring that both parties are aware of the other’s requirements.
A bachelor’s degree in fashion, merchandising, general business, or another field is required for some retail supervisors. This isn’t a requirement for every retail supervisor position. Many people who start their careers in retail as salespeople prove to be excellent supervisor candidates due to their skill and dependability. Many retail companies make it a point to promote from within, so the majority of supervisors were once salespeople.
This type of promotion can have a lot of benefits. Experience is frequently required for the retail supervisor to adequately train and understand the needs of employees. If a supervisor understands what it’s like to work as a salesperson, he or she can best implement positive change in a department or store. Of course, managers at this level must usually get approval from upper management for any programs or improvement projects.
The retail supervisor may be responsible for a variety of tasks on a regular basis. The first is to monitor employees, looking for high levels of customer service, ensuring that employees do not engage in illegal activities, as stock loss from inside theft can be a problem, and ensuring that employees make the most of their time without making costly mistakes. Supervisors can use this watchful posture to target employees for additional training or to serve as a point of contact for employees who have day-to-day or emergency issues. These employees could be given the authority to make decisions that a typical salesperson would be unable to make, such as when to accept a return or discount an item for sale, and they could also intervene and support employees dealing with difficult customers.
The retail supervisor’s additional responsibilities will largely be determined his or her employer. Some supervisors are in charge of scheduling, inventory, and merchandise, as well as bookkeeping. Others may hold the position of supervisor without the additional responsibilities. They might only be in charge of things like processing returns or providing some additional employee training.