Author: Bindy

Bindy is a cloud-powered app to automate ✔️ audits, 🗓️ tasks and 📣 communication for retail and hospitality. Deploy and verify brand standards, tasks, and corrective actions to your sites with ease. Get real-time reports, signatures, videos, and photo verifications.

✔️ Equipment Checklist for Commercial Kitchens

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To assist multi-unit retailers starting or improving their retail audit program, Bindy regularly publishes how-to guides, best practices and checklists. Use this sample checklist to create or update your commercial kitchen equipment checklist across your locations to keep kitchens operating at a high level. Preventative maintenance on kitchen equipment minimizes breakage,  increases performance, reduces power consumption and extends … Continue reading ✔️ Equipment Checklist for Commercial Kitchens →

✔️ CPG Merchandising Checklist

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Use this sample CPG Merchandising Checklist to create or update your visual merchandising program across your retail partner locations. Shelves Shelves are stocked. No product holes. There are no unauthorized items. All authorized items are stocked on the shelf. Correct planogram used for the location and category (attach a photo). Number of “facings” is appropriate … Continue reading ✔️ CPG Merchandising Checklist →

✔️ Pharmacy Inspection Checklist

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A Pharmacy Inspection Checklist helps ensure stores have the right systems in place to comply with regulations and health and safety standards. Some of the information below comes from the office of the professional of New York State and is included here in case the information is moved or removed from their website. Premises Registered area … Continue reading ✔️ Pharmacy Inspection Checklist →

📚 Case study: How a Risk Management Firm Used Bindy for Safety Audits at 250 Sites

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Safety audits are an essential part of risk management to ensure safety standards are followed and sites are operating within regulations and best practice. In this post we'll explore how a risk management firm used Bindy for safety audits at 250 sites. Customer Privately owned UK insurance broker and their risk management partner specializing in … Continue reading 📚 Case study: How a Risk Management Firm Used Bindy for Safety Audits at 250 Sites →

✔️ Exterior Area Checklist for Commercial Sites

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The exterior areas around your stores are critically important to first impressions! Use an Exterior Area Checklist to ensure the area around your stores is clean, safe and invites customers to come into your stores. This sample Exterior Area Checklist comes from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety and is included here in case … Continue reading ✔️ Exterior Area Checklist for Commercial Sites →

✔️ Parking Lot Inspection Checklist

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The parking industry is largely divided into two types: on-street parking and off-street parking. On-street parking is predominantly owned by municipalities while off-street parking is privately owned. Both types need to ensure lots are in good repair and compliant with regulations and customer expectations. Here is a sample Parking Lot Inspection Checklist to help you … Continue reading ✔️ Parking Lot Inspection Checklist →

How to Make Your Furniture Store Easier to Navigate

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The furniture store industry has grown 1.7% per year on average since 2017 and currently stands at a market size of $75.7 billion. The market is extremely competitive, and one of the ways you can ring up more sales is by making your furniture showroom easy to navigate.  If you can help customers find what … Continue reading How to Make Your Furniture Store Easier to Navigate →

How to Make Your Pet Store Easy to Navigate

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Ever since the pandemic, there has been a notable increase in the number of households with pets. Most pet owners consider their pets to be a part of their family and care deeply about their needs. It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that the pet care market size in the US is expected to reach $22.5 billion … Continue reading How to Make Your Pet Store Easy to Navigate →

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Running a Pet Store? Audit These 5 Things to Ensure Safety and Compliance

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Your pet shop’s adherence to safety and compliance standards is crucial to improving the customer experience, employee safety, and perhaps most importantly, the health and safety of the animals you sell. You’ll need to run regular partial or full audits of your store to catch issues as they arise.  The best audit strategy is typically … Continue reading Running a Pet Store? Audit These 5 Things to Ensure Safety and Compliance →

How to Run a Successful Thrift Store

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As consumer demand for sustainability and minimalism continues to grow, secondhand products are back in vogue. The market is expected to grow 11X faster than the retail clothing sector and is projected to reach $77 billion by 2025.  Indeed, with 16-18% of Americans shopping at thrift stores in a year, the secondhand market is gaining … Continue reading How to Run a Successful Thrift Store →

7 Tips to Successfully Manage a Retail Co-op

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Values related to sustainability, community, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have become front and center for consumers, which is why many brands have ramped up their CSR efforts over the last few years.  However, it’s worth pointing out that some retailers have long been prioritizing these values.  We’re referring to co-op stores. Also known as … Continue reading 7 Tips to Successfully Manage a Retail Co-op →

6 Ways to Save Time During Retail and Hospitality Audits

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It’s no secret that retail and hospitality audits are incredibly important to your operations. Site audits and inspections enable you to evaluate programs and initiatives, ensure compliance, and even connect with teams on the ground.  However, they can also take time. Between audit preparations, travel time, inspecting stores, and following up, site visits can take … Continue reading 6 Ways to Save Time During Retail and Hospitality Audits →

✔️ Commercial Restrooms Cleaning Checklist

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Use this checklist to ensure the restrooms at your hotel, restaurant or commercial facility remain clean and healthy for customers and staff. To ensure your restrooms function properly and are pleasant for customers, also refer to the Washrooms Inspection Checklist. Pre-cleaning Protective equipment worn, including gloves and goggles where spraying is involved. Wet Floor signs … Continue reading ✔️ Commercial Restrooms Cleaning Checklist →

6 Store Inspection Mistakes District Managers Make When Auditing Retail Stores

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Having high standards and a strong plan of action is great, but even the best strategies will fall flat if they aren’t carried out properly.  As Larry Bossidy, former AlliedSignal CEO wrote in the bestselling book, Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, “Strategies most often fail because they aren’t well executed.” This lesson rings … Continue reading 6 Store Inspection Mistakes District Managers Make When Auditing Retail Stores →

✔️ Store Operations Checklist

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Use a store operations checklist and regularly inspect your locations to ensure brand standards are upheld and stores are running optimally. Use this sample Store Operations Checklist to create or update store standards or operations programs across your locations. First impressions On a scale of one to ten; how presentable is the store? Are carts … Continue reading ✔️ Store Operations Checklist →

✔️ Visual Merchandising Checklist

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Eighty-six percent of retailers report there is a correlation between well-executed visual merchandising and conversion rates. Using a Visual Merchandising Checklist in-store helps ensure your programs are executed on time and across all locations. Use this sample Visual Merchandising Checklist to create or update your visual merchandising program across your locations. STORE EXTERIOR The store … Continue reading ✔️ Visual Merchandising Checklist →

What Does It Take to Be a Successful Director of Operations?

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The director of operations is crucial to the success of national retail chains. Anyone who takes on this role is tasked with managing high-ranking staff such as district and general managers. In some cases, they’re also in charge of overseeing the high-level operations of multiple locations, as well as defining the operational strategy of the … Continue reading What Does It Take to Be a Successful Director of Operations? →

How to Scale Your Operations from Regional to National

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Many growing businesses reach a point where they start to outgrow their current market. Perhaps you’ve already managed to capture a large chunk of customers in your local area. Maybe your regional business has grown to become the top choice in your category. Whatever the case, you may find yourself exploring the possibility of expanding … Continue reading How to Scale Your Operations from Regional to National →

✔️ Health and Safety Checklist for Retail and Hospitality

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A comprehensive health and safety inspection program protects your business. Use this sample health and safety checklist to create or update your health and safety program across your locations. Employee Handwashing Employees are aware of company handwashing standards and practices including scrubbing hands for a minimum of 20 seconds and lathering backs of hands, between … Continue reading ✔️ Health and Safety Checklist for Retail and Hospitality →

✔️ Food Safety Checklist

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Incorporating a food safety checklist into your health and safety program not only keeps you compliant and protects the brand from claims, lawsuits, and other headaches but also encourages staff to act appropriately. “The audit process itself becomes a driver for people to not only comply, but to actually have the right behaviors and be … Continue reading ✔️ Food Safety Checklist →

Top 5 Complaints Guests Have About Massage Clinics — and How to Address Them

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The demand for massage therapy has been on the rise over the last few years as more and more consumers wake up to its benefits. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of massage therapists is likely to increase by 18% between 2023 and 2033 — far above average.  However, as a … Continue reading Top 5 Complaints Guests Have About Massage Clinics — and How to Address Them →

How to Audit Your Beer and Wine Retail Stores

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Despite being a mature category, the alcoholic beverages market continues to grow. Analysts are forecasting a CAGR of 2.2% from 2022 to 2031, a performance that’s driven by an increase in young adult consumers and a rise in disposable income. This is great news for retailers specializing in beer, wine, and spirits. However, it’s important … Continue reading How to Audit Your Beer and Wine Retail Stores →

8 Common Mistakes Retail Employers Make When Trying to Reward Team Members

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Most people would agree that rewards and recognition programs can be effective at motivating employees. Data from Reward Gateway shows that 90% of HR professionals believe that these programs help drive business results. In addition, research by Deloitte found a high correlation between employee recognition and engagement. The study found that organizations that implement recognition … Continue reading 8 Common Mistakes Retail Employers Make When Trying to Reward Team Members →

Running a Wellness Franchise? 7 Best Practices to Offer a Consistent Experience

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Did you know that wellness is a $1.5 trillion industry globally? However, the market is still extremely competitive and crowded — and the only real way to be profitable is to make sure that your brand connects with customers on a deeper level.  For wellness franchise owners or district managers, one of the best ways … Continue reading Running a Wellness Franchise? 7 Best Practices to Offer a Consistent Experience →

How to Ensure a Great Guest Experience at your Gyms and Studios

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Gyms, studios and fitness centers are a highly competitive market. There is a myriad of fitness activities available to consumers outside of the gym (e.g., virtual classes, home equipment, etc.), so if you own or manage one, it’s important to continuously engage your members to ensure that they keep coming back.  A big part of … Continue reading How to Ensure a Great Guest Experience at your Gyms and Studios →

How to Keep Your Hospitality Brand Experience Consistent Across Multiple Hotels and Channels

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If you’re in the business of running hotels, experience is everything. With the hospitality industry being more competitive than ever, the best way to set yourself apart is to offer unparalleled experiences time and time again. After all, consistent quality is one reason the hospitality industry can give guests to chose hotels over AirBnb. However, doing … Continue reading How to Keep Your Hospitality Brand Experience Consistent Across Multiple Hotels and Channels →

5 Reasons People Leave Your Stores Without Buying Anything (and How to Fix it)

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While industry data shows that retail foot traffic is up 4.8% this year, there’s still plenty of room to improve.  As such, it’s more important than ever to focus on in-store customer conversions. After all, attracting shoppers to your store is challenging enough as is it; the last thing you want is for customers to … Continue reading 5 Reasons People Leave Your Stores Without Buying Anything (and How to Fix it) →

3 Steps to Easier, Faster Store Execution

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Retail is a highly-competitive industry with generally tight margins. Managing inventory, leases and labor costs alone make retail profitability a difficult balancing act at the best of times. But that's not all. Today's retailers must adapt to rapidly changing customer sentiments, weather and the pressures of e-commerce. Protecting those tight margins is store execution. Today's … Continue reading 3 Steps to Easier, Faster Store Execution →

How to Minimize Injuries and Liabilities in Retail: 9 Tips

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No retailer likes to think about injured employees and customers, but it’s something that you need to consider and prepare for. Workplace injuries cost business owners and at least 1 billion a week — not to mention the tremendous hassle that comes with such incidents.  Simply put, accidents and injuries can land your business in … Continue reading How to Minimize Injuries and Liabilities in Retail: 9 Tips →

How to Offer a Consistent Dining Experience Across Several Locations

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In the food service and hospitality business, running a single-unit operation is hard enough, but managing several locations multiplies the challenges. Customers expect a dependable, consistent quality of food, service, and ambiance with each and every visit to each and every location.  You might be providing exceptional dining experiences at your flagship establishment, but that’s … Continue reading How to Offer a Consistent Dining Experience Across Several Locations →

6 Reasons Retailers Get Sued — and How to Avoid Them

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Getting sued is a retailer's worst nightmare. Lawsuits aren’t just stressful and time consuming, they’re notoriously expensive. With average attorney rates ranging from $250 to $550 an hour, businesses can expect to shell out hundreds of thousands dollars (likely more) in the event of a lawsuit. Then there are the hard-to-quantify costs that come with … Continue reading 6 Reasons Retailers Get Sued — and How to Avoid Them →

Visual Merchandising for Convenience Stores: 5 Great Tips to Try

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When it comes to running a convenience store, crafting an appealing visual merchandising strategy should be high up on your to-do list. In-store visuals and presentation serve many important functions, including guiding shoppers to the right places and driving sales.  That’s why it’s essential to continuously improve your visual merchandising practices. To help you accomplish … Continue reading Visual Merchandising for Convenience Stores: 5 Great Tips to Try →

7 Ways to Deal with Rogue Franchisees

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Consistency is the bedrock of any successful franchise business. Customers expect the same experience from your brand no matter where they’re shopping, eating or staying, which is why it’s important to keep your franchisees in check and ensure they stay consistent with brand standards, corporate guidelines and policies.  A good starting point to achieving this … Continue reading 7 Ways to Deal with Rogue Franchisees →

New Year, New Look: 9 Ways to Spruce Up the Design of Your Retail Stores

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The start of the year is always a good time to ideate and come up with new business practices. And one of the most important areas to consider when making changes is your retail store design. Aesthetics, shopping behaviors, and consumer preferences are always evolving, so you need to make sure that your store’s look … Continue reading New Year, New Look: 9 Ways to Spruce Up the Design of Your Retail Stores →

How to Use Site Inspections to Reduce Commercial Insurance Premiums

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A site inspection keeps your business, employees and customers safe by identifying potential hazards and risks. Here are some tips on using site inspections to reduce commercial insurance premiums. While an insurance company will often send an inspector to survey the site when you insure a new property and business, taking a preemptive approach can … Continue reading How to Use Site Inspections to Reduce Commercial Insurance Premiums →

7 Costly Mistakes to Avoid in Retail

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The retail industry has always been competitive, but the last few years have been more challenging than ever.  People’s shopping habits have evolved dramatically and consumer expectations continue to increase. As such, every retailer needs to be aware of the right strategies in order to be truly successful in the current landscape and beyond. To … Continue reading 7 Costly Mistakes to Avoid in Retail →

How to Hire Former Retail Employees

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When hiring, all businesses seek to do one thing: bring in the best person for the job. However, this is easier said than done, as the career marketplace can be a complex and competitive environment. Not to mention, the global economy was shaken by the events of 2020, so retail and other industries have changed … Continue reading How to Hire Former Retail Employees →

How to Be an Agile Retailer: 6 Expert-Backed Ideas

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Between rapidly changing consumer trends and more competition, agility is a super power in the retail industry. If you want to thrive today and in the coming years, it’s critical that you learn how to be fast, nimble, and adaptable.  This post explores the topic of retail agility in more detail, and sheds light on … Continue reading How to Be an Agile Retailer: 6 Expert-Backed Ideas →

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How to Prevent Human Errors in Retail

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The classic phrase “the devil’s in the details” rings very true in the retail world. A retail store may look simple and easy to mange on the outside. However, store managers and associates are constantly juggling multiple moving parts. From monitoring inventory levels to entering customer data, there are a lot of details to manage … Continue reading How to Prevent Human Errors in Retail →

Convenience store

12 Ways to Put the “Convenience” Back in Convenience Stores

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Did you know that the US has more than 150,000 convenience stores accounting for 80% of total motor fuels sold across the country? In such a fiercely competitive industry, staying competitive and profitable remains a huge challenge for c-store owners.  This guide discusses a handful of practical ways to enhance the c-store experience and boost … Continue reading 12 Ways to Put the “Convenience” Back in Convenience Stores →

7 Ways to Create an Inviting Restaurant Atmosphere

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We all know that food service is a very competitive industry. For a restaurant to be successful, it’s incredibly important for restaurant operators to assess their strategies and adopt innovative tactics to enhance the dining experience, boost traffic, sales, and profitability. Besides food quality, the restaurant atmosphere plays a very important role when it comes … Continue reading 7 Ways to Create an Inviting Restaurant Atmosphere →

Merchandise Planning: The Clever Retailer’s Guide for How to Do It Right

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Benjamin Franklin wisely said that “failing to plan is planning to fail.” While he wasn’t specifically referring to the retail industry, the adage could not ring more true — especially when it comes to merchandise planning for your retail store.  If the merchandise you order and so diligently display in your store and on your website … Continue reading Merchandise Planning: The Clever Retailer’s Guide for How to Do It Right →

How to Grow a Retail Concept from 5 to 50+ Stores

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Taking any business from one stage of growth to another requires knowledge, skills, and mindset. Growing from one to five stores requires a completely different strategy from scaling your retail store counts to double digits. In other words, what got your business to where it is today, won’t get it to the next level. So how … Continue reading How to Grow a Retail Concept from 5 to 50+ Stores →

Compliant IA Store Reopening Checklist

How to Grow a Retail Business: From 1 Store to 5 Stores

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Single-store retailers that have found success often start thinking about the prospect of setting up shop in other locations. This is a natural step that many businesses take, and for good reason: expanding to other locations puts your business in front of more people and opens up opportunities for growth. But as you think about how … Continue reading How to Grow a Retail Business: From 1 Store to 5 Stores →

Franchise vs. Corporate: 6 Things You Need to Know

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Franchise and corporate-owned retail stores are two different breeds. Casual shoppers shouldn’t notice the difference, as both types of stores have the same general appearance and product mix. But, when it comes to franchise vs. corporate, the people managing and running these stores will have a different experience. Have a look at these comparisons below, … Continue reading Franchise vs. Corporate: 6 Things You Need to Know →

Visual Merchandising in Retail: Best Blogs

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Visual merchandising in retail is the practice of presenting services and products to customers in a way that engages and motivates the customer to purchase. As stores reopen and we move into Q4, many retailers are looking for ways to level-up their visual merchandising to welcome customers back and attract new ones. We know you … Continue reading Visual Merchandising in Retail: Best Blogs →

11 Ways to Increase Your Local Retail Presence

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Most entrepreneurs have the urge to think big and grow their businesses. As a retailer, this can mean expanding to other locations and setting up multiple stores in other cities or states. And while this is a perfectly sound strategy, growing your business isn’t just about developing your physical retail footprint. In many cases, you … Continue reading 11 Ways to Increase Your Local Retail Presence →

Why and How to Measure Store Compliance

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Compliance with standard operating procedures, merchandising programs, health and safety directives, and loss prevention protocols is essential to the success of a retail business. Stores that stay on top of programs and brand standards run more efficiently and provide a better customer experience. But with so much going on, simply publishing standards does not guarantee they will … Continue reading Why and How to Measure Store Compliance →

How to Hold a Sale without Killing Your Profits

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All retailers should know how to hold a sale since promotions and discounts are easily one of the best ways to boost your bottom line. It creates a sense of urgency amongst consumers, and also helps to introduce your brand to new customers who haven’t encountered you before. However, sale events can also reduce your … Continue reading How to Hold a Sale without Killing Your Profits →

How to Manage Store Operations Remotely

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Pre-pandemic, district managers physically visiting the stores in their district, cluster or region (aka store audit, store walk, inspection, or visit) was considered a cornerstone of store operations best practices. When travel restrictions were put in place, many district managers became unable or limited as to how much time they could spend time on the … Continue reading How to Manage Store Operations Remotely →