About this manual 

You are the face of Scott in its retail outlets, the link to its clients, and so this manual is to help you and guide you through most situations you will face. It also creates a standard for our company across its different retail outlets.

This manual provides relevant information about the company’s main policies regulating the work of its team based in its retail outlets. Additionally, your supervisor will inform you of any other policies and procedures that you are expected to comply with.

In case you need further clarification on a policy, contact your supervisor or a staff of the Human Resources Department.

For convenience sake, in this manual, your immediate superior is referred to as supervisor and Scott refers to all companies, subsidiaries affiliated with Scott & Co Ltd.

Wishing you good luck and a successful time working with Scott.

Who we are

We are a group of people passionate about the brand we bring to our market. Scott ranks among the leading importers and distributors of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), pharmaceutical and healthcare products in Mauritius.

We focus on improving people’s lives through top quality goods and services based on our brand promise: Each day, we aim to bring a smile to people’s lives

By people we mean not only consumers but also our people. At Scott we are committed to developing talent, enabling them to achieve their best and reach their full potential. We want people to live a healthy and fulfilled life, whether at home or at work!

At Scott we take our company core values very seriously. As members of the Scott team, from senior management to field staff, we each make an effort to live our values everyday and make decisions that are in line with them.

We are committed to be:

Trustworthy
We demonstrate honesty & transparency in the execution of all our actions
Key Behaviours: Reliable, Sincere, Ethical, Respectful

Responsible
We provide a safe & sustainable environment to our people, partners & our planet
Key Behaviours: Safety first, Be reliable, Dedicated & helpful, Be Accountable

Approachable
We believe & invest in relationships
Key Behaviours: Collaborative, Show empathy, Easily accessible

Passionate
We love what we do!
Key Behaviours: Commitment, Inspire, Motivate, Smile

Dynamic
We embrace challenges, constantly striving for improvement
Key Behaviours: Seek to continually improve, proactive, solution oriented, energetic

Depending in which outlet you are employed, there will be several specific roles, responsibilities and standards to fulfil. Essentially, you will fulfil a range of tasks and responsibilities, including but not limited to:

Dimensions	Main Duties
Customer Service	Help customers to choose products.  Demonstrate products or give customers advice on the most suitable products for their needs. Help customers to locate products or explain product features.  Deal with customers who want to exchange or return products, applying relevant company terms and conditions  Maintain sound product knowledge
Merchandising	Create product displays to increase visibility and maximise sales  Ensure that prices and labelling are affixed on all products  Prepare displays and ensure that they remain in good condition
Stocking Shelves	Ensure that products are available for customers to buy.  Place orders for stock replenishment  Check shelves and replenish supplies of any products that are running low.  Check dates on product labels and remove any products that have passed their sell-by date
Checkout	Process payment from customers.  Keep and update registers Operate scanning systems or enter purchase details manually on a cash register. Process and compile invoices Process cash payments as well as debit or credit card transactions. Help customers pack their products, depending on the type of purchase Issue a receipt to the customer for all sales transactions
Outlet Operations	Carry out basic operational duties such as opening and closing the outlet, and putting up any essential signs.  Supervise deliveries to the store and organize the stockroom Participate in inventories and cycle counts   Assist in floor moves, merchandising, display maintenance and housekeeping

Working Relationship

Ensure good working relationship with all company colleagues, property owners / representatives, transport workers and all those with whom official dealings are conducted. Always show interest and be as helpful as possible towards them.

Most importantly if you work in a team, remember that your contribution is critical to your team’s overall success.

Without your efficiency, effort and goodwill, your team systems and joint efforts cannot work; they depend upon everyone individually to do their bit

Your team mates need you; don’t let it be you letting them side down 

Workplace Etiquette

Your outlet can be a better place to work when all employees show respect and courtesy to each other. Sometimes there are problems when employees do not realize that they are bothering or annoying other people. If this happens to you, you should first try to solve the problem by politely telling your co-worker what is bothering you.

In most cases, if you use common sense, the problem can be fixed. We encourage you to keep an open mind. If another employee tells you about something that you are doing that makes it hard for that person to work, try to understand the other person's point of view.

The following are guidelines for how to be considerate of others at work:

• Replace paper in the copy machine and printer paper trays when they are empty.
• Retrieve print jobs in a timely manner and be sure to collect all your pages.
• Keep the area around the copy machine and printers orderly and picked up. 
• Be careful not to take or discard others' print jobs or faxes when collecting your own.
• Avoid public accusations or criticisms of other employees. Address such issues privately with those involved or your Supervisor. 
• Be conscious of how your voice travels, and try to lower the volume of your voice when talking on the phone or to others in open areas. 
• Keep socializing to a minimum, and try to conduct conversations in areas where the noise will not be distracting to others. 
• Try not to block walkways while carrying on conversations. 
• Refrain from using inappropriate language that others may overhear. 
• Avoid discussions of your personal life/issues in public conversations that can be easily overheard. 

We take the responsibility of representing our brands, products and services very seriously and we are sure you do too. So here are our standards and guidelines:

• Be knowledgeable of company procedures, policies and most importantly the products and services you represent and promote. 
• Feel free to request additional training and coaching to your supervisor on our policies and products/ services 
• Show loyalty at all times towards the company. Even if a genuine error has been made, never put the company or its associated partner, with a derogatory remark.
• Your grooming and appearance must always be of the highest standard. 

Housekeeping 

Ensure that your outlet and place of work is always clean and tidy. Although the commercial complex where your outlet is situated may have an internal cleaning service, it is also your responsibility to ensure that:

• You clean the outlet, product shelves and products in case they look dusty. Ensure that unused carton boxes are discarded and not kept in the customer and counter areas.
• Ensure that recycling of waste is well managed and discarded in a timely manner
• You arrange correctly products that may have been misplaced or inappropriately displayed.
• Ensure that products are correctly classified on the shelves in the store with same item number and product code.
• Ensure that the brand identity (logo, brand names, products) is displayed appropriately and in a manner, that will not cause any prejudice to the brand or the company 

Merchandising 

• Ensure merchandising of products in accordance with standards set by the company Ensure that in-store promotions are properly communicated and explained to customers and that the displays are adhered to – examples: promotional tags, leaflets, accessories, coffee wall etc
• Ensure that there is no merchandise of expired or damaged products 
• Ensure that the brand identity (logo, brand names, products) is displayed appropriately and in a manner, that will not cause any prejudice to the brand or the company

How do you appear to other people? 

Behaviour and attitude 

Your behaviour at all times must be impeccable as it reflects upon yourselves and Scott. It is important that you always maintain a cheerful, helpful manner and a positive approach to everyone.

Attitude:
Traits of a person who has a negative attitude:

1. Always complaining 
2. Not smiling very often 
3. Disorganised & non-compliance with procedures 
4. Arriving late 
5. Acts slowly to resolve problems 
6. Doesn’t like to anticipate 

Traits of a person who has a positive attitude:

1. Early (on time) 
2. Smiles often 
3. Responds quickly when solving problems 
4. Confirms and reconfirms that problems are solved 
5. Team Player 
6. Confidence & respectful 

Body Language

People respond more to what they see than what they hear. This is why it is important to be aware of your body language and use it to portray your desired message.

Your posture tells people a lot about you, your level of self-confidence, your enthusiasm and interest in what you are doing etc. You will need to assess the situation and adjust your posture accordingly.

Attentive eye contact shows that you are paying attention and care about what the other person is saying. It shows respect, courtesy and helps you receive the correct message.

Here are a few indications of specific body movements – some good some bad: 

1. Bouncing your leg – Impatience, Urgency, Lack of interest 
2. Raising an eyebrow – Disbelief, Questioning, Surprise 
3. Nodding your head – approval, encouragement, understanding 
4. Leaning forward - Interest, concentration, care 
5. Remaining Silent – concentrating, interest, respect 
6. Frowning - Disapproval, saddened, lack of understanding 
7. Looking away - distraction, impatience, lack of interest 
8. Rolling eye – disapproval, disbelief, lack of understanding

So be aware when talking to people about what your body is saying.

Your appearance must always be of the highest standard and you must wear the company uniform correctly at all times.

It is important that your uniform is kept clean, fresh looking and neatly ironed. Keep it brushed and dust free. Shoes are often forgotten about, so keep them cleaned and have them repaired when necessary.

If you are not provided with a uniform, you will be required to wear the company’s white overall. 

Remember: You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Acceptable Grooming Standards for Ladies

Items	Must	Must not
Skirt	Be worn mid-way off the knee	Alter to give a tight appearance or have length altered unless instructed by your Supervisor
Blouse	It must be worn tucked inside the skirt or trousers, unless the uniform standard requires that it is worn outside the skirt or trousers.
Name Badges	Be worn on the left side of the jacket or the left side of the blouse or shirt at all times	Should not be washed with uniform.
Sunglasses		Not to be worn when working indoors
Short Hair	Be well cut, kept clean and trimmed regularly
Long Hair	Be worn tied back in a suitable style eg French pleat, chignon roll or pony tail  Be well cut, kept clean and neatly groomed
Hair Pieces	Be worn and be of a corresponding colour and look natural  Hairnets to be plain and correspond with hair colour  Head scarves should match the uniform colours and should not cover the face	Be discoloured or old Rubber bands and pins not to be visible Bandanas not allowed Hair pieces that cover the face
Hair Colour and Styling Products	Natural regular hair colour styling Products approved	‘wild’ unnatural hair colours Appear wet or greasy
Make-up	Always be worn when in uniform. The minimum requirements are lipstick, foundation, blusher. It should be colours compatible with the uniform. If you are wearing eye shadows it should be neutral browns, beiges, soft peaches and greys and well blended to give a professional appearance. Be well matched to skin tones. Foundations and face powder should be applied to give a smooth, matte look to the skin. Blushers should be soft coral or peach in colour to compliment the uniform.	Liquid eyeliner must not be worn to create a heavy appearance
Nails	Be well manicured. If polish is worn it must be of a light colour complementary to the uniform. For Nespresso Outlets: No varnish/polish allowed.	Be stick-on or false Have any ornamentation
Jewellery	Be conservative and complement the uniform Earrings – Be ½ cm in diameter. Pierced or clip on. Stud style in silver or white gold colour. Alternatively, no earrings to be worn.  Necklace: Be only 1 small chain only, discrete and complementary to uniform  Rings – Be complementary to the uniform and be small and discreet. Maximum of one silver or gold ring on each hand. Wedding set is seen as one ring.  Bracelets – Only 1 to be worn. Chain or link style of gold or silver tone Watches – be complementary to the uniform. Be plain in style and one in total	Must not be worn during working hours: Facial jewellery such as eyebrow rings, nose rings, lip rings, tongue studs
Tattoos		Be visible when in uniform or on company business
Undergarments		Be visible through or under uniform

Acceptable Standards for Gents: 

Items	Must	Must not
Trousers	Be well pressed and hemmed professionally
Shirt	Be worn with buttons fastened except for the top button. Be worn tucked inside the trousers and be well pressed, unless the uniform standard requires that it is worn outside the trousers.  If you must wear a tie, then shirt must be button up to the neck
Belt	Silver buckle and colour complementary to the uniform.	Large, over styled buckle
Name badges	Be worn on the left side of the shirt at all times	Should not be washed with uniform
Sunglasses		Not to be worn when working indoors
Hair	Be collar length or shorter than a grade 3 Be well cut, kept clean and trimmed regularly	Unnaturally coloured hair and extreme hairstyles, such as spiked hair and shaved heads
Sideburns	Be at or shorter than earlobe length and kept neat and tidy
Moustaches / Beards	Be neat and well-trimmed
Make up		Not be worn
Nails	Be kept neat, trimmed and well-manicured	Have nail varnish
Tattoos		Be visible when in uniform or on company business
Jewellery	Be conservative, gold or silver tone and compliment the uniform  Necklace – Be only one small chain and discreet  Rings – Be only one ring on each hand. Wedding set is seen as one ring.  Bracelets – only 1 chain or link style Watches – Be plain in style. Be one in total	Must not be worn during working hours: Facial jewellery such as eyebrow rings, nose rings, lip rings, tongue studs

Common Standards for both Ladies and Gents

• Offensive body odour and poor personal hygiene is not professionally acceptable.
• Perfume, cologne, and aftershave lotion should be used moderately as some individuals may be sensitive to strong fragrances. 
• Jewellery should not be functionally restrictive, dangerous to job performance 
• Facial jewellery, such as eyebrow rings, nose rings, lip rings, and tongue studs, is not professionally appropriate and must not be worn during business hours. 
• Torso body piercings with visible jewellery or jewellery that can be seen through or under clothing must not be worn during business hours. 

If your Supervisor finds that your personal appearance is inappropriate, you will be asked to leave work and return properly dressed and groomed. If you are asked to leave, you will not be paid for the time you are away from work. See your Supervisor if you are not sure about the correct clothing standards for your job.

Our customers are very important to us. You represent Scott to customers and the public. Our customers judge all of us by how we treat them. One of the highest priorities at Scott is to help any customer or potential customer. Nothing is more important than being courteous, friendly, prompt, and helpful to customers.

Greetings:
You will greet all customers entering the outlet in a polite & respectful manner and bid them goodbye and thank them for their visit when they are leaving.

Dealing with customer comment:
If a customer wants to make a specific comment or a complaint, you should take note of it, respond politely and if needs be, direct the feedback to your Supervisor for appropriate action.

Building effective customer relations: 
Your contacts with the public, your telephone manners, and any communications you send to customers reflect not just on you but also on the professionalism of Scott. Good customer relations can build greater customer loyalty. 

It is important that: 

• You show interest and involvement with your customer by addressing them by Sir or Madam as much as possible and by being polite, respectful and approachable at all times, even if you are busy attending to other duties. Smile. 
• You show no favouritism or disapproval to customers, no matter how difficult (or lovely) they are. 
• You look after the welfare of all customers, especially in cases of emergency or illness. 
• You are informative and knowledgeable about the services and products you promote 

Managing Customer Complaints: 
If you are unable to respond to a customer complaint or query, in the absence of your supervisor, note down the name of the customer and their full contact details – e-mail, residence phone number and mobile number. Report the matter immediately to the supervisor through any customer complain process set by your Department.

If the supervisor is present, inform the customer that their complaint or query will be handled by your supervisor.

Other than the above, use the below guidelines to deal with a customer complaint:

• You are not out to win an argument. The situation should not become a battle between you and the customer 
• Your main objective when dealing with all types of complaints is to make the customer feel satisfied that some action has been taken to rectify their problem or to compensate them 

The five stages to handling complaints:
Listen, Empathies, Ask Questions, Agree a course of action, Follow up.

Listen 
It is very important to listen thoroughly to what the customer has to say and listen to the whole version of events without interrupting. Quite often, once the customer has got thing off their chest, they already feel better about the complaint because you have taken the time to listen.

Empathise 

Whatever the situation is, chances are that you will be dealing with someone in an emotional state. Hence the first words should show the customer that you understand the problem using phrases like ‘I am sorry to hear how you feel’ (Je suis désolé d’apprendre cela).

Handle all complaints with care. Do not substantiate the complaint by saying things such as ‘Oh my goodness, how awful, it happens all the time. I’m always telling the company’. In doing so you may be admitting liability when in fact the fault lies elsewhere.

We prefer that you empathies to show you understand the problem. Acknowledge their concern. Never justify a complaint. The customer wants to hear a cure, not a long-detailed account of why it happened.

Once you have listened to the customer, get the details down correctly and apologies for the inconvenience the complaint has caused them. You will have already calmed down the customer and started to put the customer in a better frame of mind so that they feel you are going to seek a solution.

Ask Questions
The next stage is to ask questions. This means you will be doing two things; First establish detailed information concerning the specific complaint, you will then understand exactly what the problem is and what the customer expects; Secondly you will see a way through to a possible solution to the problem

DO – make sure your questions are OPEN ones so that the customer cannot just answer yes or no

DON’T: interrupt them although it’s very tempting. Let them get the problem off their chest

ALWAYS: ask was there anything else apart from what we have discussed ‘at the end’ as this gives the customer the opportunity to clarify the specific problem and not to extend it at a later stage.

Agree a course of action
Anyone who complains will expect an answer and a solution to their complaint. Your role is to settle the complaint and find a solution which is satisfactory to both the customer and also the company or principal. If you really felt that compensation was justified then tell your supervisor

Follow up 

When something goes wrong it is inclined to go very wrong before it gets better. So, it is vital that once you have agreed with your customer a way to resolve their complaint, you check that the agreed actions have happened as promised, within the time frame talked about.

Make sure you check first before the customer comes to you to know what is going on. If you are responsible for the course of action, make sure you do not forget what you have promised.

Dealing with complaints is not as difficult as you may think. In fact, following the 5-step plan will result in a satisfactory outcome for everyone and it will give you a great sense of achievement.

On top and above of these guidelines, your Head of Department may issue other procedures and guidelines to deal with customer complaint.

REMEMBER:

• A customer who complains is giving you a chance 
• The customer is not a nuisance but an essential part of the job. No customer = No Business = No Company 
• Treat customers the way you would like be treated yourself or how you would like someone to treat your mum and dad or any other family member 
• What may seem unimportant to you could be of major significance to them 
• Remain calm at all times – this has a soothing effect on someone who is upset or angry

Opening & Closing Procedures: 

Opening of the outlet:
Every day, an employee of the outlet is entrusted with the outlet keys and is responsible to open the outlet on the next working day. Important: Employees are not allowed to open the store alone. It is the responsibility of the employee to whom the keys have been entrusted to ensure that at least one more employee is physically present during the opening of the outlet, that is when unlocking the door and entering the outlet. These are the steps to be followed by the employee entrusted with the outlet keys:

• Upon entering the outlet, you will lock the front door and disarm the premise alarm system.
• After disarming the premise alarm system, you will walk around the premise to look for signs of intruders or forced entry or any health & safety hazards. In case of issues,report matter immediately to your supervisor.
• Turn on lights and start sales floor preparation – shelving, cleaning, opening of tills
• You will ensure that the entry door(s) remain locked until usual opening time.

Closing of the outlet:
Every day, an employee of the outlet is entrusted with the outlet keys and is responsible to close the outlet. These are the steps to be followed by the employee entrusted with the outlet keys:

• At closing time, you will lock the entry door from inside. 
• You will ensure that another employee is stationed at the front door to guide the exit of any remaining customers remaining out, one at a time. 
• No customers shall be admitted after the doors have been locked. 
• After the final customer has left, you will close and lock the entry door. From this point onwards, the balancing of cash tills can start. 
• Prior to leaving, you will ensure that all lights, computers and air conditioners are switched off. 
• Close and lock the outlet in presence of another employee.

Keys Management

The supervisor is responsible to ensure that there is a log book kept recording all movement of the outlet keys. The supervisor will record such details as date, time, and name of employee to whom keys are being remitted, signature of the supervisor and that of the concerned employee to confirm the transactions.

In the event of the resignation of an employee, the supervisor is responsible to ensure that the employee has returned keys in their possession on their last date of employment.

In case of loss of key(s), the concerned employee will immediately notify their supervisor who in turn will promptly alert the attention of the Retail Manager.

Use of company equipment & asset

Equipment, computers and other assets essential in accomplishing your job duties are expensive and may be difficult to replace. When you use the company’s equipment, you should be careful, and follow all operating instructions, safety standards, and guidelines.

Tell your Supervisor if any equipment, machines and tools, appear to be damaged, defective, or in need of repair. When you promptly report damages, defects, and the need for repairs, you can prevent deterioration of equipment and possible injury to employees or other people.

See your Supervisor if you have questions about your responsibility for maintenance and care of equipment you use on the job.

The improper, careless, negligent, destructive, or unsafe use or operation of equipment may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Timekeeping and Roster 

The supervisor is responsible to prepare the work roster and ensure that it is communicated in writing to all employees or affixed on the notice board at least 7 days before.

The supervisor is responsible to ensure that the roster is in compliance with the law and the HR policies of the company. As per regulations, an employee is required to work 45 hours per week (excluding lunch & tea breaks) from Mondays to Sundays. The employee is entitled to one day off per week. These days off should at least fall on two Sundays during a given month.

Important notes for employees: 

You will comply with the roster and shift schedule in place. If your roster specifies that your start at 14:00, you must ensure that you arrive before 14:00 so that you are ready to start your duties at 14:00.

Use biometric attendance system to record the time you start and stop work. If the biometric attendance system is not working, you will be required to manually record your time in and time out. Falsifying time records or any other company records is a serious matter. You may not change time after it is already recorded, enter a false time on purpose, tamper with time records, or record another employees' time for them. If you do any of these actions, you may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

For exceptional reasons, employees can change shift/roster with another colleague if you have submitted your request in writing at least two working days prior and that the request has been approved by your supervisor.

Powers of Search 
Trust and control work together. In that spirit, we expect all our outlet personnel to comply with the following search policy at the time of leaving the outlet with their bags:

• The employee will voluntarily open their bag and show its contents to the Supervisor or in their absence to another employee. 
• The Supervisor will voluntarily open their bag and show its contents to their employees. 

We may provide you with desks, lockers, and other storage devices for your convenience but these are always the sole property of the company. Because they are our property, we may allow our representative or authorized agents to inspect them at any time, either with or without advance notice to you. We may also inspect any items that we find inside them.

Authorisation for Inspection
You shall not let unauthorised person have access to the back office and store of the outlet. If you have third parties who are required to make an inspection, they should have an authorisation letter from the company. If they are from the local authorities, they may be required by law to conduct surprise inspection. Whichever the case, you shall request and verify their National Identity Card prior to grating access to the outlet. You shall also make a copy of the National Identity Card for your immediate Head of Department. You shall ensure that at least one employee remains with the third party during the inspection. If you have any doubts as to the integrity of the third parties, you shall not provide access and shall contact immediately the Head of Department or the Retail Manager.

Armed robbery procedures 
If there is a burglary in the outlet, employees are advised the following:

• Not resist if confronted by armed or aggressive person(s). Give away whatever company asset is demanded. 
• Avoid eye contact 
• Listen and avoid conversation. 
• Avoid sudden moves. 
• Avoid threatening the robbers 
• Press the panic buttons only if it is likely that the employee will not be seen 
• Keep your calm 
• Report the matter to your immediate superiors and to the police as soon as you can

Fire outbreak
In the event of a fire, the following procedures need to be carried out in sequence:

• Use good judgement. If the fire is manageable, use a fire extinguisher and then evacuate the outlet to proceed toward the assembly point or a safe place. If you judge the fire outbreak to be serious, vacate immediately and proceed towards the assembly point or a safe place. 
• Do not take your personal belongings on evacuation 
• The employee shall notify the fire brigade services, security control room /information Desk or Floor Marshall and provide details on the location of the fire

You will comply with all procedures related to bookkeeping, cash taking, cash banking, or when handing over the money from your sales proceeds to another colleague.

All sales must be in cash or through credit cards. Cheque payments are not accepted unless the name of the customer is registered in our “Cheque Customers”. In case of doubt, always seek guidance from your Head of Department or in their absence with the Finance Manager. Credit sales are not accepted unless authorized by your Head of Department. 

Any company money or cash sales that you have made will be under your responsibility until accounted for correctly and given to your Supervisor. Should there be any negative discrepancy in your cash till, you will be held responsible and asked to return the amount to the company along with your written explanations.

Sales Receipt:
It is mandatory to issue to all our customers a sales receipt for any sales transaction you process.

Avoiding Fraudulent Practices
To ensure that frauds are not committed on your behalf, you shall take the following precautions.

• You shall not share with any other employee or external parties your login credentials (your username and password) for the cash register system. You log off from the system when another employee is taking over your shift 
• You shall log off from the system when another employee will temporarily work on your cash register system or when you are proceeding on tea breaks, lunch etc
• You shall log in with your username and password if you will temporarily work on the cash register system of your colleague 
• Make it a habit to change your password every month. 

You will be held accountable for any frauds committed in the event that you shared your credential and this information was used to commit a fraudulent act.

Money detectors
The Retail Manager shall ensure that all sales counters are fitted with a money detector and that all employees have been trained in the identification original bank notes.

• Each employee is required to verify through the money detectors notes of Rs 500 and above. 
• In the event that the Money Detector does not validate a note, the employee shall politely advise the customer that there is an issue in validating the note and to request for another note. 
• If the note is still not validated, the employee shall politely ask the customer to contact their bank. 
• The sales transaction in this case cannot be accepted.

Float Management
It is the responsibility of the Sales Specialist and the Supervisor to ensure that the cash management process is adhered to according to below procedures:

FLOAT MANAGEMENT – Keys & Responsibility

• Each Sales Specialist is allocated a cash box to keep their float. 
• The key will remain at all times with the Sales Specialist who will be solely responsible for maintaining accuracy of the float. 
• The Sales Specialist shall immediately alert their immediate Head of Department in case of any discrepancy or in case the key is lost. 
• The Sales Specialist is not allowed to give their key to any other employee or third parties except upon instructions from their Head of Department or the Finance Manager. 
• A duplicate key of each cash box shall be sealed in an envelope and will remain in possession of the immediate Head of Department. In exceptional cases where the duplicate key is needed, the Head of Department shall open the sealed envelope containing the duplicate key in presence of another Sales Specialist or a staff of the Finance Department. 
• In such circumstances, the Head of Department and the witnessing staff shall sign a common statement indicating the reason why the duplicate key was needed and the amount of cash contained in the cash box. 
• The Head of Department shall send a scanned copy of the signed statement immediately to the Finance Manager and the Retail Manager.

FLOAT MANAGEMENT – Steps to be followed: 
Before starting the working shift, each employee is responsible to perform the following tasks:

1. Take your cash box from the safe.
2. In case of insufficient change, ask the Head of Department or the Senior Sales Specialist who shall be responsible to provide the money change needed from a reserve cash float. 

Note: The reserve float is a sum of money kept in the safe and is used exclusively in case of insufficient change in the cash float. 

This reserve float shall at all times be under the responsibility of the Head of Department and the Senior Sales Specialist. 

At the end of the working shift, each employee is responsible to perform the following tasks: 

1. You shall count your float in presence of another employee (Sales Specialist, Senior Sales Specialist or Immediate Head of Department) and place the monies in your cash box. 
2. Both you and the employee (Sales Specialist, Senior Sales Specialist or Head of Department) shall sign in the Cash Float Logbook and specify the amount counted.
3. You lock your cash box with the keys and place it in the safe 

Banking:

Banking is the process of counting your cash, credit card and mobile (like Juice) sales proceeds and reconciling it with the sales report. This process is performed at the end of your working shift.

Each Sales Specialist is responsible to prepare their own banking. These are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Counting your monies and reconciliation:

1. Log off from your point of sales software 
2. Take all monies from your cash till and bring it in the back office for counting
3. Segregate your monies by separating cash sales proceeds from the float 
4. Count your monies by grouping all similar notes and coins together (E.g.: all hundred rupees note will be bundled together…) 
5. Update your daily cash taking sheet by completing the mode of payment and inscribing the monies received in cash and through, credit card transactions. For mobile payments, these will be updated by you after each transaction. 
6. Then you complete the banking slip 
7. Verify all the details of the reconciliation and the banking slip in presence of the Senior Sales Specialist or the Immediate Head of Department. 
8. Both, you and the Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department will sign the cash taking sheet once verification is completed and is accurate. 
9. The Head of Department or the Senior Sales Specialist scan the Banking Slip 

Step 2: Banking cash bag (If applicable in your outlet)

1. You request the BRINKS CASH BAG from the Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department 
2. Take all your cash sales proceeds along with the banking slip and seal it in the BRINKS Cash Bag provided 
3. You complete all details that are required on the BRINKS CASH BAG and sign in the space provided 
4. Handover the seal bag to the Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department who shall have the responsibility to insert the serial number of the BRINKS CASH BAG and the amount inserted and name of the Sales Specialist who reconciled the banking in a BANKING LOG BOOK. The logbook is signed by both parties (Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department and the Sales Specialist)

Step 3: Reconciliation with sales report 

1. The Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department will retrieve from the sales system the sales report of the concerned Sales Specialist. 
2. The Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department fills in the Cash Taking Sheet, the amount shown on the sales report according to the different mode of payments.
3. In case of discrepancies, the Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department will immediately query with the concerned Sales Specialist.
4. If there is no discrepancy, The Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department and the concerned Sales Specialist signs the Cash Taking Sheet.
5. The Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department scan the signed Cash Taking Sheet. 

Step 4: Documents to be sent to finance department 
This process is under the entire responsibility of either the Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department:

The following documents are sent by email:

• Sales Report o Signed Daily Cash Taking Sheet 
• Signed Banking Slip 
• Settlement report for credit card payment 

Distribution List for the email: Retail Manager, Finance Manager, Accountant, Junior Accountant

Step 5: Handing over of monies to Brinks (if applicable in your outlet) 

This process is under the entire responsibility of either the Senior Sales Specialist or the immediate Head of Department:

• When Brinks arrives, hand over the seal cash bags 
• Brinks will remit to you a receipt which you must verify if the amount and the seal bag number is correct. In case of issues, stop the operations and call the Accountant or the Finance Manager and the Retail Manager 
• Take the receipt number and insert it in the Banking Log Book on the same line where the cash bag was initially recorded 
• The Senior Sales Specialist or the Head of Department will file the receipt 

Note: In case the Head of Department or the Senior Sales Specialist is not present, you are required to inform the Retail Manager beforehand so that necessary arrangements are made during the banking process.

Petty Cash 

A petty cash fund is an amount of cash money kept in the outlet for paying miscellaneous expenses like kitchen expenses, minor repairs and stationeries. The amount of petty cash shall not exceed Rs 5,000/-. The Head of Department or the Senior Sales Specialist are fully responsible for the safekeeping of the petty cash, for ensuring that it is used for its intended purpose and for recording and reporting petty cash transactions.

Custodian Responsibilities 
The Head of Department or the Senior Sales Specialist shall:

• Exercise caution in the administration and safekeeping of the petty cash in their possession. 
• Restrict access to the petty cash 
• The petty cash should be locked in the back office safe. 
• Ensure that the petty cash is kept in the safe at all times 
• Ensure that the petty cash is used only for sundry expenses like stationery, kitchen replenishment and small repairs. 
• Record all petty cash expenses incurred in the Petty Cash Report, annex all receipts to it and submit it to the Junior Accountant. 
• Be responsible to account for any discrepancies in the petty cash and may be liable to refund the company if needs be. 
• Replenish the Petty Cash funds on a regular basis

Surpluses and Shortages 

• The Head of Department or the Senior Sales Specialist shall immediately notify the Retail Manager and the Finance Manager in case of any surpluses or shortages noted in the Petty Cash Fund. 
• The Head of Department or the Senior Sales Specialist shall be fully responsible to document in writing discrepancies found in the petty cash and the reasons for the occurrence after thorough investigation. 
•  In case Management is not convinced on explanations, the Head of Department or the senior Sales Specialist may be required to refund the company.

Verification of Fund by Department
The Head of Department shall conduct a monthly reconciliation of all petty cash expenses incurred against physical receipts and submit a discrepancy report to the Retail Manager and the Finance Manager. Such report shall be compiled and submitted on the 15th of every month

Manual invoice
A manual invoice can only be used if the computer system is not functioning and unable to print automatic invoice. In these situations, the Head of Department or the Senior Sales Specialist shall immediately advise the Retail Manager and the Finance Manager that the outlet is reverting to manual invoice. The following rules apply to manual invoice:

• Manual invoices booklet shall be under the custody of the Head of Department.
• Manual invoice should not be used in any other situation other than that mentioned above unless advised by the Finance Manager. 
• Manual invoices shall be issued in sequential order. 
• The used manual invoices number shall be recorded on the established monitoring sheet along with the reason for use and signed. 
• Once the sales system is operational, the Head of Department shall update and process on the sales system all manual invoices issued. The sales system will generate its own invoice number and the Head of Department shall ensure that this invoice number is written on the duplicate manual invoice. 
• Within 24 hours of using the manual invoice, the Head of Department shall send a reconciliation report to the Retail Manager and the Finance Manager detailing the reason for using the manual invoice, the total invoice amount and the manual invoice number, system generated invoice no and name of salesperson. 
• Any cancelled manual invoices shall be crossed and written “cancelled “on the original and the Head of Department shall send a copy to the finance department. 

It is the responsibility of the Head of Department to ensure no out of stock or over stock situations.

Taking delivery of orders: 
It is in the job role of a Sales Specialist to receive delivery of orders. The Sales Specialist or any other employee authorized to receive delivery of orders shall adhere to the following:

• Count all products being delivered and their expiry date against the invoice and purchase order in presence of the supplier’s delivery person. 
• Report immediately to the supplier’s delivery person and the Head of Department of any discrepancies – in quantity, product code, expiry etc 
• Upon satisfactory delivery, sign all documents (good received note and/or delivery note) and file documents after processing on the POS system or any other system as may be designated by Management. 
• In case of damaged products, you shall refuse delivery for these specific products. In such cases, inform your Head of Department and you shall call the supplier to inform them of the situation. 
• Finally, you are required to sign the stock count sheet as acknowledgement.

Cycle Counts

It is the responsibility of the Head of Department to ensure that a weekly cycle count is performed, and reports sent to the Retail Manager and Finance Manager.

Product return policy for thewinestore customers:

• Check the original receipt from the customer 
• We are only allowed to take the return of products provided that the return is made within 7 days of purchase date in case of quality issues 
• Upon return of products, the Sales Specialist is required to issue a credit note. The client can choose to be refunded by cheque or in credit sales. 

Product return policy for Nespresso customers: 

• Check the original receipt from the customer 
• We are only allowed to take the return of machines and accessories provided that the return is made (1) within 7 days of purchase date, (2) the product has not been used and (3) packaging not tempered. 
• Upon return of products, the Sales Specialist is required to issue a credit note. The client can choose to be refunded by cheque or in credit sales. 

In the course of your interaction with customers, you will surely find work processes that deserve to be reviewed or implemented for improving the customer experience and increasing sales.

We welcome your ideas and you are encouraged to share them with your supervisor and with a company manager when the latter visits your outlet.

Finally, if you have suggestions to improve this manual, please discuss with you supervisor and send a note to the Human Resources Department.