Store Manager Case Study

In Canada, the retail sector makes up the highest proportion of the work force at 11.5% or approximately 1.9 million workers. With this many employees, someone is needed to oversee them, this is where the managers come in. Although one might not consider this to be a glamorous position, managers are essential to keep a business running smoothly. I intend to uncover some of the details of what a manager does and how they operate on a daily basis.

I was lucky enough to interview the Assistant Store Manager at Home Depot, Chip Berry. Berry has been a manager for many years, at various different retail outlets across Canada. He brings a distinctive perspective to the interview because of his experiences; he’s been around the world, witnessed many events, and gathered a wide variety of perspectives. He understands the particulars of the retail business and what is needed for success.

Berry chose a career in management to fulfill his passions. He has been involved with charitable groups such as Siloam Mission and the Salvation Army. As Berry puts it “work is one of two things:

Gross margin is the overall profit to the store or the sales that actually make the company money. In his role, Berry indicates there needs to be a balance between these as well as any controllable expenses at the store level. In order to achieve these objectives, there is a necessity to motivate each individual employee to be on the same page. Some are happy with the store reaching sales goals, others are driven to reach individual goals, and some just want to feel involved in the system. Determining which category an individual falls into determines the approach taken. For those that want to feel involved, it can be something as simple as a high five and they will operate at maximum efficiency. For the others, providing the upbeat atmosphere and individual support tends to accomplish the desired