Store Manager commonly known as General Manager has become a buzzword among the today’s young professionals in the last couple of decades with every second company opening its own retail outlets all over the world with a catch line to highlight i.e. Company owned company operated.
In the last decade or so with the opening up of the world’s economy and spreading of multinational culture- opening up of the companies - like Reliance Fresh, Subhiksha, 6 Ten, Spencer etc’s- own retail outlets throughout the world and especially in the Asian countries like India the importance of the career as a General Manager has increased very much. There was a time when these kinds of stores could be count on figures leaving hardly any scope for employment opportunities for the young and energetic professionals in the field of Retail management.
Store Manager is the professional on whose shoulder depends the reputation of the store as they are the ones supposed to make a balance between the comfort level of the employees and the maximum profit of the organisation by taking the maximum output from the employees working under him. In the real sense, they are the professionals important for the coordination between the employees and the employers.
To discharge his duties with efficiency a Store Manage must be up-to-date on prevailing market conditions. A trained professional only can run a store in an effective manner. Young and energetic people with a flair for retail management can opt for this career after having the requisite qualification from an institute of repute.
Store Manager Eligibility
The main qualification for becoming Store Manager is Bachelor’s Degree in Retail Management from a recognised college/university.
Store Manager Required Skills
- Store Managers should have excellent communication skills and a flair for convincing people; able to access the needs of the customer as well as the salesmen and help them to know what they required.
- They should possess exceptional organisation's skills are also needed, including the ability to direct other members of staff and to arrange the shop floor.
- They must be able to motivate themselves and other members of staff so a great deal of individual work is necessary.
- They should have the ability to use your initiative and to think on their own basis.
How to become a Store Manager?
To become a Store Manager one has to undergo one or more of the following Courses-
1. Certificate, Diploma or Bachelors courses in Retail Management
3. Postgraduate Program in Retail Management (PGPRM)
Eligibility for the courses offered above
1. For Certificate, diploma or bachelors courses in retail management.
Educational Qualification
One should be +2 in any stream with 50% for some of the Institute of the repute.
2. For Postgraduate Program in Retail Management (PGPRM) and MBA (Retail Management)
Educational Qualification
One should be at least a graduate preferably in a related subject with at least 50% marks for getting admission in the college of repute.
One has to clear written test and interviews taken by various institutions for the admission to 2 years programme of MBA in retail management.
For admission to Postgraduate Program in Retail Management (PGPRM) offered in 15 B-Schools across India Retailers Association of India (RAI), the first independent body of retailers in India, conducts a Common Admission Retail Test (CART) on a national basis. Candidates applying for CART must hold a bachelors degree with 50% marks. Final year students can also apply.
After getting the requisite qualification one can join as an Assistant Store Manager to start with and can climb the ladder of the hierarchy with experience in the field.
Store Manager Job Description
General Manager is entirely responsible for managing an individual store and its day-to-day functioning. They are in charge of the employees working in the store and accountable to a District or Area manager or may work under the direct control of the store’s owner.
Store Manager Career Prospects
The responsibilities and duties of a store manager vary with the store's structure and method of operation. Managers of the store which is a part of a chain with a central office and branch outlets require overseeing branch managers for each of the outlets. Whereas in independently own stores the job profile of store managers involves supervising employees and running their store so as to maximize the profit. Managers make it is sure that their store offers products and services that satisfy the needs and wants of their customers.
In some organization, the store manager is also required to train new recruited sales workers and write advertising copy as per the needs of the specific store besides handling and supervising the work involving accounts and finance.
Store Manager Salary
With the widening of the network of the various multinational companies’ retail outlets throughout the world, there is a many-fold increase in the demand of these professionals. Thus there is great scope for the Store Managers in the immediate future.
As far as remunerations are considered one can get anything between Rs.15,000 to Rs.20,000 as far as a starter is concerned and largely depends upon the organization one is joining. After gaining some on job experience one can expect as good as Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 in the multinational Retail outlet and even get more than that depending upon individuals experience and abilities.
