Want to roll out stores for your company? Don’t know how to go about it? Need guidelines to roll out multiple stores?

 

A Multi-store roll-out takes place when a retailer expands; opening new outlets in a planned way. So before starting this, let’s look at a few guidelines.

 

THOROUGH SITE INSPECTION BEFORE FINALIZING ON A LOCATION:

For anyone who is about to sign a lease, this is the first and foremost advice for them. Inspecting the side thoroughly before finalizing on a location will save you from a lot of issues. There are various reasons behind it:

• The older buildings will need to be scrutinized for signs of leakage and structural damage

• Specifics such as available incoming power and water, work timings, etc. need to be double checked beforehand so that there are no issues that crop up during construction or at the time of the store opening

• If working with a mall or shopping center, make sure their guidelines are clear and what falls in their scope and the retailer’s scope is clearly defined in order to accurately estimate both the capital investment required as well as the timeline

 

DESIGN IN A MODULAR WAY WITH MAXIMUM STANDARDISATION:

• Check with your designer that your outlet’s design should be made up of elements that can be mixed and matched in various configurations based on the site conditions

• Put each design element into a manual in a way that all details are available, and the designer can quickly produce designs. This not only helps keep the process speedy, but is an aide to ensuring that capital investment targets are not over passed due to heavy design

 

ALWAYS HAVE A ‘PLAN B’ IN PLACE:

Sometimes a certain tile may not be available or a paint shade is discontinued. Different parts of the country have different natural materials available. Always make sure that any design element is easily replaceable and a plan B option is part of the design manual.

 

DEVELOP A STRONG IN-HOUSE PROCUREMENT TEAM:

The role of the procurement team is to capture value in an organization/project supply channel (strategic partners, freight forwarders, trucking contractors, fabricators, warehousing solutions, etc.), create and execute contracting strategies for the projects. Having an in-house team helps tremendously with the smooth transitioning of the project.

 

DO NOT RUSH INTO ROLLING OUT MANY LOCATIONS AT THE SAME TIME:

• Make a Prototype: The prototype ensures that you know what you are doing and gives you room to experiment. You will know what is right and what is wrong for your brand based on this prototype. If you have the liberty of time, it is also best to gauge the audience reaction to the prototype location to see what they react to and what they don’t. This will help you and the design team fine tune the model for the best possible outcome.

• Stagger the Roll out: Staggering the roll-out for starters eases up cash flows. Secondly, in opening too many locations in one shot other resources are spread thin and things might fall between the cracks. A staggered roll out also reduces risk, allowing you to test change before you move onto full implementation.

Finally, make sure you bring on a Project Management Consultant who understands the complex nature of roll outs, quality control, budgets and timelines.

 

SILA is a leading Facility Management Company in Mumbai that looks after all integrated facility management services along with its Project Management services, real estate asset management and Turnkey Interior Contracting.