Man's apparel works like a preliminary round in every interview and confidence at every stage of his life. Today, employees are spending more time at the workplace than at home. There's no doubt that the focus on looks, apparel, etiquette, and mannerisms has interestingly taken a front seat in every business unit. So out of the 8 Ms of management (man, money, market, material, machines, management, mind power, mannerisms), the management of manpower is proving to be the greatest challenge. Also, let us say that a man can be judged by his mannerisms, his attire, which is largely reflecting from his apparels. Mannerisms of a man can be reformed, refined, and redefined with his apparels which make him composed, sophisticated, and elegant in his outlook.
Frankly speaking, a person with basic attitudes can overcome every hurdle and live up to his personal and organizational objectives. The personal qualities cater a lot in Apparel Retailing. They are:
Composed behavior
Acceptance
Tolerance
Emotional intelligence
Reasoning
An employee has to handle many tasks, withstand pressure, and maintain tolerance. He has to carry many things along with the productivity and profitability of a company. So the role of an Apparel RM is constantly changing and evolving along with enhanced focus on technical and managerial capabilities. Steering a managerial post is no longer limited to day-to-day functioning and achieving targeted financial profits. It is surely going to be a daily challenge, convincing and satisfying day-to-day human conflicts at the workplace. They are the leverages that can balance technology, trendy designs, ever-changing lifestyles, and attitudes.
So today's companies are no longer looking at profitability alone. They are aspiring to create a second home for all its employees. This is possible only with well-charged basic attitudes. This is a magnificent task, possible only with proper employee morale. A fat paycheck, air-conditioned workplace, and other comfortable amenities can satisfy an employee only to a certain level. The rest, without any argument, depends on his attire and its reflections.
Apparels, no doubt, silently portray one's confidence along with his expertise in solving business problems, providing technical solutions. It also enables one to balance accounts, increase profitability, face dynamic market challenges, and make strategic decisions. It allows one to combine technical, business, and communication talents to achieve the set targets. Obviously, Man's Apparels work like a preliminary round in every interview and confidence at every phase of his life.
Companies like Reliance India, Pantaloons, RPG Group, Raymonds, Westside, Peter England and Trendz are some of the big Indian and International companies who have opened their retail textile and apparel chains in India. This has created huge employment opportunities for trained textile retail management professionals. A retail student can look for Jobs such as:
- Mall Manager
- Department managers
- Floor Manager
- Assistant store managers
- Buyer trainee
- Merchandising assistant
- Purchase manager
- Logistics Manager
- Customer service representative
- Management trainee
- Technical Manager for electronic Security, video surveillance and IT
- Customer Relationship Manager
- Inventory Manager
- Textile manager
- Textile and apparel consultant
These are the few available jobs in the retail sector:
1. Mall Manager- Mall manager will ensure the proper control and coordination of the mall. He has to ensure that there is proper ventilation, ambience, lighting, routing, and seating arrangements, control and parking space.
2 Department managers- He arranges the location of independent business units and ensures routing of the various stores. The performance of the individual departments depends upon the respective departmental managers.
3. Floor Manager- It is very essential to see that the correct prioritizing of the retail outlets is ensured. The floor should be attractive and enthusiastic with variety of apparels creating interest in trendy and ever changing designs.
4. Assistant store managers- The shopping habits of the buyers induce them from purchasing one item after the other. For example, jeans, trousers, trendy tops, kurtis in mesmerizing shades and designs. The apparels should be arranged in such order which prompts the buyer buy one after the other.
5. Buyer trainee The buyer trainee will be assisting the customers in locating the required items. He can also assist in quick mix and match selection in textile shopping.
6. Textile Merchandising assistant Textile merchandising assistant will ensure from time to time that the apparels are arranged matching with the desires of the customers. He should do the correct forecasting and also ensure proper seasonal and regional textile requirements.
7. Purchase manager- He should procure the goods at most reasonable and minimal cost so as to ensure maximum profits. Bulk buying is a very ideal way of stocking the goods in a business unit along with care and due credit to the fashion apparels. This will result in large scale economies.
8. Logistics Manager- Any business unit will be successful only when the logistics manager ensures proper assessment of the situation. Logistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources in a repair cycle between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of customers.
9. Customer service representative- Enquiring about the shopping experience and taking the personal opinion of the individual consumer makes the customer feel his importance. It will bring a proper relationship with the business unit. This way style and decorum of the consumer can be upheld by stocking such apparels which can be ethnic, modern, trendy, gorgeous and simply stylish and splendid in looks.
10. Management trainee- Management trainee will work in different positions and learn the work during on the job training. He will assess the various jobs and also understand his capacity in a particular area of work. Generally, management trainees are young and can read the pulse of the young and stylish youngsters.
11. Technical Manager For electronic Security, video surveillance and IT areas an efficient Technical manager is very essential. Business units are totally dependent on the technology and this alone can make an organization a world class apparel business unit.
12. Customer Relationship Manager- Customer relationship has to be carefully and delicately managed in todays business. If the customer can be convinced it makes a sure business opportunity. This is purely because of the customer awareness, knowledge and education.
13. Inventory Manager - There is a powerful inventory management system at the heart of every good retail software package. An inventory management system lets you know what you have, what you need, and when you need it. Retail software and inventory management system can help run a business more efficiently.
Textile Retailing is the most important area of management. It enables the smooth functioning of a retail outlet with required knowledge and expertise. This makes apparel shopping a new experience with great international standards. Textile Retail is the in thing in every area of business and market. In the future the many nations will open up with new kind of business and job opportunities, which is sure to bring a tremendous boom in the world economic structures.
There are various opportunities for textile and apparel retail management professionals abroad. They can work as store manager, inventory-monitoring officer or as marketing and sales executive. A flair for communication and a burning zeal to sell with an aggressive go getter attitude is a must for applying for managerial and administrative jobs in companies abroad.
Indian textile retail market is ranked as the most attractive emerging market for investment in the retail sector and the fifth largest retail destination globally. According to a recent study, it is likely to gain strength with income of major retail players expected to grow consistently by the end of the current fiscal period.
The author is a lecturer by profession and has 24 years of experience. She has authored a book on Retail Management and Customer Experience.
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