Footwear Insight

MY DAUGHTER IS A HOTSHOT SOFTBALL PLAYER SO LOCAL COACHES are constantly trying to recruit her to play for their teams. One coach called me recently while I was having lunch with a friend and my buddy answered my cell phone and pretended he was me. He began negotiations by asking for a new glove and a bicycle so my daughter could ride to the games. Before he could commit any serious violations, I grabbed the phone and politely said my daughter had already committed to another team. Coach was disappointed but I loved his aggressiveness and his willingness to do what was required to get what he wanted. Talking to him made me realize that most retailers do a terrible job of recruiting. Most stores make the mistake of waiting until they have an opening before they begin to look. I was trained by an old school manager who would constantly quiz me on what I would do if key people on my team left. "Who would be your first call?" "Who could you hire who would be better than the person you lost?" Those were great questions and I put the advice into practice constantly. I was constantly on the prowl for talent. Who among my competitors was unhappy and would be open for an offer? Who on my team was a flight risk? And who could I call to connect with up and coming talent? You're all probably sick of reading about all the smart techniques used by Apple stores, but they have been innovative in so many ways including recruiting. Their store managers carry special cards and hand them out to excellent employees they meet in coffee shops, restaurants and other retail stores. The cards carry a special message that essentially say "Wow you were impressive. If you'd like to learn more about opportunities with us, call me." Retailers, especially independents, don't need to be so obvious in their recruiting. Your neighboring stores might get upset if they thought you were poaching their best employees. But there would be no harm in saying "here's my card, please come visit me in my store." And of course, your employees can get it on the fun, too. We don't get to pick our family members, but we can pick our friends and in some cases our co-workers. Ask your employees who they'd recommend. Early in my career, I worked for a company that offered $100 spiffs to employees that recommended folks who were eventually hired. I made more than a thousand bucks with these "referral bonuses" until the company wised up and made me a manager, which meant I was ineligible for these payments. But they gave me stock options so in the long run I came out ahead. The local softball coaches are continuing to call, by the way. Fall season is approaching and they have rosters to fill. I always talk to them and unlike my wiseass friend I am always polite and don't solicit schwag to sway my loyalty. Besides you never know, maybe one day I'll hire one of these guys. O Always Be Recruiting TIMEOUT | MARK SULLIVAN Who among my competitors was unhappy and would be open for an offer? Who on my team was a flight risk? Introducing A L B E RT The Revolutionary 3D Foot Scanner Aetrex is bringing consumers back into stores with the launch of Albert, the revolutionary 3D foot scanner that creates a memorable in-store experience that no e-commerce site can match. Featuring over 5,000 sensors, 960 infrared LED's & 18 digital cameras, Albert captures unparalleled data about your customers' feet, enabling smarter footwear and orthotic buying decisions. Working in tandem with Aetrex's Lynco orthotic line, Albert is tied to a unique business model that offers tremendous impact to your FSXXSQPMRIERHTVSZIRGSRWYQIVFIRI½XW www.aetrextechnology.com FN Platform, Booth# 82424, August 14-16, 2017 Visit the Aetrex Technology booth this summer to demo Albert

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