Opening a new store is a really exciting time for many businesses, and it’s a great time to ensure you have the right processes and equipment set up so your store can thrive. Whether you’re a retailer or restaurant, here you will find our best checklist for a new store opening.
Metal Products Direct specialise in safety and productivity solutions for many businesses including retailers, restaurant owners and more. We can help provide conveyor systems, barriers and bollards that will be essential to your new store. Keep reading on to learn more about how our solutions should be part of your checklist for setting up your new business.
New business checklist
As your store opens, there will be many things to consider. This list will vary depending on what type of business you are running. However, below you can find a number of checklist items to consider.
Safety and security
This should be your first point of call when opening a new store since it can have implications across your business. With a new store you will want to check some of the following things:
- The stores electricity and heating works appropriately
- That compliance and safety has been observed. Some store safety checklist items might include: accounting for trips and falls, food preparation procedures and more
- Correct documents in place particularly notifying the government of the opening through companies house and setting up as a limited company
- That the property is insured, including liability insurance
- Bollards and barriers for your carpark are in place. This will ensure traffic flow is going the correct direction and both pedestrians and your business itself are safe from vehicle damage
Marketing and administration
With a new store opening it’s easy to forget that marketing will be a fundamental part of letting people know you are open. Work with your team to create a strategy and write a business plan to ensure that you can look ahead and market your new opening. For example, a new store opening is a great opportunity to post on social media and celebrate with your team.
Merchandising and displays
How your store looks will also play an important role in getting sales for your business, so it’s a good idea to consider getting some display cabinets or shelving for your products or items. This will allow your customers to browse and easily navigate your store. Visually, you can try out unique ways for displaying your products and work with your team so they can restock appropriately.
Equipment
Do you and your team have the right equipment to run your store? This includes any safety equipment you may need out front, cleaning supplies including mops and bins as well as any technical equipment. In your stockroom, you may also need to consider how your team navigates and circulates stock.
One consideration that Metal Products Direct can help you with is a conveyor belt which may be useful if you have large items or expect huge quantities to stock. You can learn more about the different types of conveyor systems to understand how they might work in your new store.
POS and technology
When your customers visit your new store they will be expecting a payment point so they can purchase goods. Many businesses will have POS systems or a cash register to navigate both card and cash transactions. In the modern post-covid world you might even consider being a completely cashless store so it’s a good idea to have the right technology for card payments including card machines etc. that are linked to your business bank account.
Smoking shelters
As it is illegal to smoke indoors in the UK, you might want to consider an outdoor smoking shelter. This is an essential item to ensure customers and staff avoid smoking too close to the door and have a dry area aware from the store to smoke.
Store exteriors
You should consider how you will lock your premises and keep your store safe. Beyond this you might want to consider additional structural elements to your store exterior such as bollards and barriers to your store. For example these might be useful if you are trying to reduce the impact of on street parking outside your store.
Metal Products Direct: Assistance with store opening
Metal Products Direct can help with architectural products for your business including barriers and smoking shelters so your new branch is prepared for every eventuality.
It’s truly an exciting time to start your new venture but it’s good to have everything in place so your customers and team are safe and comfortable. Contact us today to learn more about how Metal Products can help your business.