You're facing team conflicts over merchandising decisions. How can you navigate these challenges effectively?

One way we ensure that everyone is aligned with a common purpose is to look at the data. Once the brand’s value system is in place and the vision is clear, everyone has to drive in one direction. The overarching ambition of the brand becomes the ultimate checklist and decision maker. Conflicts can occur in a number of places with merchandising challenges, price points, number of skus, market positioning, distribution of range and design concepts. All of these are dealt with good clean data, market research and good idea of market direction and conditions. Clarity only comes from clear intention.

To navigate team conflicts over merchandising decisions, foster open communication by encouraging all team members to voice their perspectives. Focus on the brand's objectives to align everyone on common goals. Facilitate collaboration by finding a middle ground or combining ideas where possible. Use data and customer insights to guide decisions, making the process more objective. If necessary, bring in a neutral third party to mediate and resolve differences. Regularly check in with the team to ensure ongoing alignment, and promote a culture of respect and teamwork to prevent future conflicts.

There is a proverb “ All five fingers are not same “ similarly you will have people of different views in your team. Conflicting views on Merchandising within the team is natural. As a leader one has to listen and understand pragmatically the views of each member , dissect the thought behind it and then explain , your decision on the same , which should be looked at from larger perspective of the Brand . It is natural to have different views and in a congenial , professional organisation one should be always welcoming to hear the views of every individual. This should be encouraged and should come from the top .

To navigate team conflicts over merchandising decisions, start by fostering an open dialogue where everyone can express their perspectives. Encourage active listening and empathy to understand underlying concerns. Focus on common goals, such as customer satisfaction and business success, to find common ground. Facilitate collaborative problem-solving, possibly considering a compromise or testing different approaches. Involve data-driven insights to support decisions and reduce emotional bias. Finally, ensure that all voices are heard and respected to maintain team cohesion.

This is the key! Often the focus is what “looks nice” and that should never be the total focus of a merchandising decision. Make analytical moves based on measurable KPI’s. Works every time! Yes visual appeal is important, but there’s nothing like a fact based decision.

Disagreements around the best merchandising methodology can originate from various experiences within the team. In some cases, each person could be correct or partially correct. This could be due to geographic differences, ethnographic differences, or prior experience from a similar project in the past. In addition, we have to consider the magnitude of a merchandising decision, which today can be quite large and material to the P&L. For these reasons I have found testing the various ideas the best course of action. It creates a positive sense of competition, mitigates risks, and can help solve for varying geographical preferences or needs. Base the test on the best data you have and do not be afraid to make changes.