Retail Asia 2018 RA September.October 2018 (Online) | Page 28

FOCUS
KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE JOB REDESIGN STUDY
COMPANY
BEFORE JOB REDESIGN
AFTER JOB REDESIGN
Targeted job roles: Store Manager and Store Associate
Sheng Siong
Sheng Siong is a publicly-listed retail
supermarket chain with a network of 48
physical stores across heartlands in Singapore
and e-commerce site called Allforyou.sg.
Observations:
High frequency of inspecting and performing
replenishments, as well as out-of-stock situations.
Retail store associates often make numerous trips
to different locations/shelves for replenishment.
Lack of communication and visibility on where
product replenishment is required, between
employee who places order and employee who
replenishes in the subsequent shift. New job responsibilities:
Expanded job for store managers and
store assistants: to conduct productivity
diagnosis to recommend areas of
improvement.
Recommendations:
Improve in-store inventory management with the
smart shelves for product display to provide real-
time information on stock levels. Store associates
would be able to reduce the frequency and time
taken for replenishment. Store managers would
be able to manage the merchandise mix based
on data. New skills and capabilities:
Data Analytics, Productivity Improvement.
Targeted job roles: All roles under Retail Operations function
Soo Kee Group
Soo Kee Group is a publicly-listed jewellery
company with more than 60 points-of-sales in
Singapore and Malaysia. Its business portfolio
comprises three jewellery brands -— Soo
Kee Jewellery, SK Jewellery and Love & Co.
Observations:
Time-consuming stock-take processes — retail
operations employees can spend up to 30% of time
to conduct stock taking. New job responsibilities:
Eliminated responsibility for showroom
manager: no longer monitors the stock-
take processes closely. Expanded job for
showroom manager: to oversee stock-
take processes and keep proper records
of showroom inventory movement.
Recommendations:
Utilise RFID technology to conduct stock taking. New skills and capabilities:
RFID Technology Application.
Targeted job roles: Sales Executive
Star International
Star International is an integrated
manufacturer, retailer and exporter of
household furniture. It operates a retail
network of 41 showrooms across Singapore,
Malaysia and Taiwan.
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Retail Asia September/October 2018
Observations:
Lack of information pertaining to stock availability
on-the-go, resulting in employees making multiple
trips to payment terminals to retrieve required
information. New job responsibilities:
Enriched job for sales executive: to
keep abreast of consumer, industry
and product trends, understand
customer information, improve customer
relationships and conduct targeted
conversations with customers to identify
customer needs and sales opportunities.
Recommendations:
Implement an integrated Web-based, mobile-
enabled inventory system for its frontline staff to
conduct real-time searches on goods availability
on-the-go. This eliminates unnecessary trips to
payment terminals to retrieve stock availability
information. It also helps to enhance in-store
customer experience through undisrupted
customer interaction. New skills and capabilities:
After-sales service, Customer Experience
Management, Product Advisory, Product
Styling.