We are Ladies and Gentleman serving ladies and Gentleman

—Motto of Ritz Carlton

Human psyche, as a subject, has always fascinated me. I have often wondered why we wish to be treated like a ‘Gentleman’ when we treat those who serve us as a ‘servant’. It is interesting that when the roles get reversed, we still want to maintain our ‘Gentleman’ status.

This behaviour has been instilled in us since childhood. For instance, when our neighbour offers a glass of water, we teach our children to say ‘Thank you’, but when our maid brings the same glass of water, we take it for granted and don’t ask our children to thank her. We pay our respect to the priest who conducts the house warming ceremony but fail to acknowledge the labourers who built the house, brick by brick. It is essential that we start respecting dignity of labour, irrespective of the sector the person works in or his job role.

In today’s world, a retailer is not just a provider of product or services, he has to be a friend and a guide. In many product categories like electronics and fashion, he has to be an expert advisor. In a supermarket or a grocery store, he is the assistant who guides you with your purchase. The retailer, therefore, has to recognize the role the retail associate plays and encourage him/her by training the person and developing his capability to perform and excel.

I believe, the day all of us start acknowledging the role of the retail sales associate, the pride for the retail industry will automatically grow. A few things that we all can do to motivate our associates are:

1. Create and build the respect for the role

2. Train & skill the employee so that he can represent the company with great pride

3. Equip him/her with tools to be able to solve customer queries

4. Make him aware of the opportunities that exist in the business for him to grow

5. Train and skill him/her for personal and financial growth and career progression. It is important to make him/her aware that the competition for the superior role is tough as the pyramid in the organization is flat.

6. Appreciate and compliment him for good customer service. Since they are the first and last contact point with customers, they resonate all that our brand represents. Therefore, appreciating their work reinforces our belief.

7. A simple Thank You from all of us as peer group, bosses or customers can go a long way in making the retail associate a great service provider, and retail industry a great place to work.

But what better way to start than from the midst of our own homes? Let’s begin by teaching our children to respect our maids, drivers, security people, electricians, parents and all who are an integral part of our lives.

In 2011, during the initial days of TRRAIN, we challenged ourselves to create a day which becomes the Christmas/Diwali of retail – something that retail employees can celebrate with a bang. This stemmed from the realization that while everyone in the country celebrates these festivals with their loved ones, retail associates are in the store, away from their families and friends, serving the customers. They rarely get a chance to celebrate any festival. Why not create a day when all the retailers and customers in the world come together to celebrate with their Retail Associates?

This is how the concept of Retail Employees’ Day emerged. What started as a small idea within a team of five members in a small TRRAIN office in Mumbai, saw more than two million retail employees in India celebrating the day on the 12 December, 2014.

Since our dream was to make this a global event, I presented the concept to many retailers around the world. I got a chance to meet and present the concept to the Chairman of Boyner Corporation, Turkey. He loved the idea and celebrated the day in a big way in 2013.

Inspired by their celebration and the impact it had, the Shopkeepers Association of Turkey joined hands in 2014 and more than 2 million retail employees in Turkey celebrated the day.

Retailers expressed their gratitude towards retail associates working with them in their unique way, making this event personalized yet global. Our aim is to inspire as many retailers in India and around the world to join hands and celebrate the day with their employees. And it’s happening, with more retailers joining in this year.

What took me by surprise, though is not how rapidly the concept is finding acceptance, but the impact that just one day of celebrations has on the lives of the retail associates and the businesses. Retailers have reported increased retention, improved sales, higher CSI scores and better service levels in the week following the celebration.

I am looking forward to the day when the entire retail fraternity across the world will celebrate Retail Employees’ Day, appreciating and thanking retail associates for the great work they do.

I want to continue to dream and think big.