IndexIntroductionRetail IndustryCommunicationLeadership RoleConclusionIntroductionThe retail industry is a small sector of global business, but it plays one of the most crucial and It's one of the most challenging jobs in global business. These challenges and difficulties grow exponentially when individual workers are also responsible for leading and managing retail departments. These individual workers in managerial roles must know the ins and outs of the retail industry while at the same time employing effective communication strategies such as listening and presenting, to name a few, to make the retail store a success. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To know the ins and outs of the retail industry, you must first know and understand what a retailer is and what their role is. Nic tells us that “A retailer is a company that focuses its marketing efforts on the end consumer with the intention of selling them goods or services.” On the other hand, “A retailer is an entity that sells goods such as clothing, groceries, or automobiles directly to consumers through various distribution channels with the goal of making a profit.” Since both authors have different but similar definitions of what a reseller is, I conclude that a reseller is a business that sells goods or produces a service to the end customer in exchange for a profit. Retail Industry Retailers act as a link between customers and manufacturers by purchasing goods from manufacturers in large quantities so that they can be resold to customers at a profit. Retailers help customers bridge spatial gaps, time gaps, quantity and assortment gaps, ownership gaps, information gaps and value gaps. Spatial gaps exist because the distance between producers and customers would be too great for customers to purchase only a few goods. Retailers overcome this gap by purchasing products from these manufacturers and reselling them in locations that customers are able to reach conveniently and do not need to travel long distances. Retailers have sought to eliminate the spatial gaps introduced in online shopping. With online shopping, customers do not have to leave their homes to purchase goods but rather purchase them online and have them delivered to their doorstep. Time gaps arise from differences in the times of production and consumption of products. A clear example of a time frame is when you want to buy a certain product, for example a fruit, but it is not in season in your country. Retailers make sure that these types of products are available to customers all year round. Quantity and assortment gaps occur when manufacturers reduce the product line to have the right quantity needed and the customer has a wide range of assorted products to choose from. Retailers overcome these two gaps by purchasing limited products offered by different manufacturers and wholesalers. This results in customers having a wide selection of products to choose from. To conclude on the quantity and assortment gap, retailers buy in bulk and sell smaller quantities to customers. Information gaps exist when manufacturers want to send a message to customers or make them aware of the products they are offering. They do this through advertising and promotions. Since customers may have access to the Internet, they may see advertisements through social media and this will keep them informed. Value gaps existwhen a customer needs changes to their product such as deliveries or repairs. These retailer-produced services add more value to a product or service. All these gaps in retail that I have covered tell you about the retail industry and how much interaction with other people it has. With a lot of interaction with other people, effective communication is needed and there is a greater chance of facing difficulties. Communication Before you understand the concept of effective communication and know effective communication strategies, you need to know what "communication" is. Sandra states that “Communication is the process of creating meaning between two or more people through the expression and interpretation of messages.” On the other hand, this is what Chris said about communication in the retail industry: "Communication, like gravity, is recognized by everyone but is not fully understood by anyone." Effective Communication in the Workplace Communicating effectively plays a crucial role in the business and is a positive factor for the business. With effective communication, employees and employers are able to understand each other and provide feedback during communication. With this type of effective communication between managers and employees, everyone is able to express themselves as they experience a feeling of acceptance among other employees and managers. It creates a positive atmosphere in the work area without anyone noticing, as this will also make them more productive. Effective Communication with Customers Retailers not only need to communicate effectively with each other in the workplace, but they also need to communicate with their customers. Effective communication strategies need to be adopted by employees, employers and customers. Communication strategies such as listening, writing, presenting and reading, to name a few, must be implemented for the purpose of selling products or services and identifying customer needs. Through effective communication strategies, customers need to be informed about product offerings, prices, store locations and services offered just to name a few. Your customers need to be informed about sales and promotions through advertising, and they need to have a great retail experience when they enter your store. With a great retail experience, they will start telling other people about their experience and this is called “word of mouth marketing”. As a manager, the main goal of communicating with your customers is to convince them to buy your product and make them loyal customers. This means that your communication with your customers must be goal-oriented, persuasive, must be handled in a formal manner and try to minimize any difficulties you may encounter. Leadership Role A worker in a leadership and managerial role who does not display any leadership qualities will face a lot of difficulties and challenges in the retail industry. Even when companies are looking for managers to hire, they will want to hire managers with good leadership skills and managers who love their jobs. Retailers with energy and passion, who really want to make a difference. Individuals who have a clear ability to not only successfully operate a commercial retail convenience store, but who exhibit strong leadership qualities and have the ability to continually challenge and raise the bar. Leadership begins with you as a leader taking initiative and having the ability to communicate effectively with your employees and implementing effective communication strategies. Above all, as a leader you must be authentic. Authentic leaders have a greater sense of awareness of themselves and the context in which they operate..