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With over two decades of experience in Space and Range management, I’ve seen firsthand how unique attributes can make or break the impact a team has on a retail business. Yes, technology and data play a crucial role in modern retail success, but it's the team behind the decisions that truly drives performance and profitability.
From my experience, the best-performing teams share six characteristics that set them apart. Here, I discuss how they can transform a traditional retailing cost-centre into a profit-driving powerhouse and strategic enabler.
The most successful Space and Range teams embrace learning. They don’t just rely on gut instinct or experience, they actively seek out new ideas, methodologies and most importantly, technologies. This means:
A team that continuously learns and adapts will always have an edge over those resistant to change.
Gone are the days when teams were solely composed of individuals who worked their way up from the frontline. Today’s high-performing teams understand diverse perspectives and skills are paramount and bring in talent from a variety of backgrounds. My top teams have included:
This diversity fosters creative solutions and well-rounded decision-making, preventing tunnel vision and reliance on habitual, suboptimal approaches.
Retail merchandising functions, like many corporate functions, have traditionally been structured in functional teams, which creates silos – assortment planners over here, space planners over there, and category managers somewhere in between. The best teams proactively break these barriers by:
When Space, Range and Display teams collaborate effectively across functions and stakeholder groups, they generate more cohesive, strategic and actionable plans that drive better commercial results.
Too often, Space teams are treated as execution arms, simply implementing decisions made elsewhere. The best teams don’t just react, they influence. This means:
When teams have a seat at the strategy table, their impact on commercial outcomes grows exponentially.
Data is only useful if teams know how to interpret and apply relevant insights. High-performing teams don’t just pull reports; they:
Retailers that invest in data literacy training see a direct improvement in decision-making speed and accuracy.
Top teams don’t just 'do the work', they advocate for the value they bring. Space management teams are uniquely placed in the retail organisation, seeing and curating the customer offer across categories, across store networks and down to each individual store. Instead of being viewed as a service function responding to requests, they leverage their skills and perspective to:
By repositioning themselves as revenue drivers and strategic enablers rather than cost centres, these teams gain the influence needed to secure funding, drive innovation and make lasting contributions to the business.
Teams that embody these six characteristics don’t just improve collaboration and efficiency, they drive measurable business results. In fact, companies that embrace this approach can see:
When a team transitions from merely executing tasks to proactively influencing commercial outcomes, they become powerful drivers of profitability and growth.
Building a high-performing Range, Space and Display team isn’t about hiring more people or buying the latest tech, it’s about fostering a culture of learning, proactive collaboration, and expert strategic influence. By developing these six key traits, retailers can unlock new levels of innovation and profitability.
If your team is ready to evolve, start with small changes: break down silos, upskill in data literacy, and ensure your team has a voice in strategic conversations. The results will speak for themselves.
We offer expert advisory services and outsourced resources to help retailers evolve and expand their range and space management capabilities.
To learn more please get in touch at info@scalenesolutions.com.