Setting The Standard
Executive summary
Retailers are facing a paradox: traffic remains strong in 2025, but delivering a consistent, world-class experience across every store is harder than ever.
Traffic remains strong in 2025, yet many specialty retailers struggle to deliver a consistent, by aligning staffing with service benchmarks and monitoring traffic per labor hour (TPLH), retailers can protect the customer experience even during peak periods. When executed effectively, this approach drives conversion, increases average transaction value, and builds loyalty that keeps customers coming back.
Setting the Standard
According to NRF Smart Brief and Placer Labs, traffic in early 2025 is comparable to or higher than pre-pandemic levels—for example, +9.2% in January compared to 2019. Shoppers are driven by value and perceived value, the appetite for offline retail is stronger than ever, and many consumers are willing to go the extra mile for the perfect product or brand. The challenge isn’t demand; it’s consistency. Executives must ask: how do we ensure every store delivers the same high standard of service?
The STYLE Method
The session introduced the STYLE method, a framework designed to elevate each interaction into a personal experience:
– Say Hey! – Warmly welcome and connect. (Drives conversion)
– Tune In – Build rapport and show genuine interest. (Drives conversion)
– Your Vibe – Discover customer needs through thoughtful questions. (Drives AUR)
– Level Up – Curate customer needs through thoughtful questions. (Drives UPT) –
– Elevate and Celebrate – Confirm choices, boost confidence, and close with appreciation. (Drives NPS and loyalty)
This alignment makes service standards measurable and actionable, tying behaviors directly to business outcomes.
Service standards in action
The STYLE Method is grounded in operations. A meaningful interaction averages 14 minutes, allowing an associate to engage with about 13 customers per hour, often balancing three at once. Staffing to this benchmark ensures coverage aligns with the service promise.
When TPLH rises beyond staffing capacity, service breaks down. The session showed a clear progression: at 14 TPLH, service meets expectations; at 18, stress begins to show; by 22, 26, or 30 TPLH, standards collapse and opportunities are lost.
Why TPLH gets too high
Rising TPLH isn’t just about traffic—it’s often preventable. Key drivers include:
– Not scheduling to recommended coverage during busy times.
– Low peak coverage scores.
– Missed or unfilled shifts.
– Shifting selling labor to non-selling activities
Each of these factors can quietly undermine execution, even when traffic is predictable.
The STYLE Sprint
For peak traffic, the condensed STYLE Sprint maintains consistency even at speed:
– Uncover the need
– Energized welcome
– Connect and engage
– Close and stay connected
– Add-on and build the sale
This shortened sequence protects customer experience without sacrificing efficiency during high-volume periods.
Protecting the standard
Leaders must actively guard against slippage. Key questions include:
1. Are schedules aligned with projected TPLH?
2. Were peak hours staffed to match the service standard?
3. What was the TPLH on the last opportunity day?
Unfilled shifts and labor diverted away from selling directly erode the standard. Monitoring tools and leader accountability are essential to keep execution on track.
Delivering a world-class experience
The message is clear: consistency wins. A defined service standard like STYLE, supported by smart staffing and vigilant protection, ensures every store delivers on the brand promise. As the session closed, the message was unmistakable: delivering your service standard is delivering a world-class customer experience.
Takeaway for executives
For senior leaders, the priority is straightforward: set a clear service standard, align labor to it, and protect coverage at peak moments. Doing so transforms traffic into revenue, interactions into loyalty, and stores into destinations that consistently deliver a world-class experience.