Everyday the floors need to be mopped, the shelves dusted and the bathrooms cleaned. Regardless of the type of retail outlet you manage, these things are ongoing and very needed tasks. The cash registers may need to be opened at the beginning of a shift and totalled at the end of the shift. Doors unlocked and locked and food may need to be covered and stored. How can you make these tasks happen on autopilot?

Checklists are the key here. Insuring that all of these tasks get done on a daily, weekly or monthly basis require proper planning. There needs to be an opening and closing checklist available for all staff, and each shift should know what is required of them. The checklist will vary depending on your industry, but let’s look at a few examples:

• Here is a general checklist for a retail location
• Here is a checklist for a computer store
• Here is Ace Hardware’s opening and closing checklist

Restaurants have a whole different level of challenge when it comes to opening and closing procedures, and it is independent for each one. A chain restaurant will have different requirements from a small one location restaurant.

If all employees have a part in the general opening, closing and maintenance of a retail store, the store will stay clean and running properly.