The Lifetime Value of a Donor (3 of 3)
In Receiving a Donation, we make the case for why receiving a donation well is vitally important. In Creating a Great Donation Experience, we share how you can begin putting all the pieces together for your thrift operation. Now, we want to discuss the payoff, the lifetime value of a donor. Calculating the Value The value […]
Creating a Great Donation Experience (2 of 3)
In Receiving a Donation, we mentioned three components needed in a great donation experience. A Clean and Uncluttered Receiving Area One of the biggest challenges in thrift is to keep the back door free of clutter. The higher the donation volume, the bigger the challenge. In part 1 of the video series, 3 Steps to […]
Receiving a Donation (1 of 3)
Receiving a donation at a typical thrift store is a benign transaction, at best. The donor drives up and drops off their stuff. He or she is thanked (maybe) and a receipt offered as the donor drives away. Often times, we never learn the donor’s name. This event takes place hundreds of times across thousands […]
Coaching Individual Employees for Needed Change
Retaining a great team is critical to the success of every thrift operation. Unfortunately, there are occasions when team members need to be corrected for not meeting the expectations set forth in the job description. Having a tool and well-defined process for critical feedback and effective instruction goes a long way to keeping the right […]
Transportation Unloaded (2 of 2)
Your transportation department could be the greatest untapped opportunity for your thrift operation. So, how do we maximize it to support your non-profit? Focus on Timing In evaluating the current state of a transportation operation, two questions need to be asked. What is your pick up request volume? How far out is your promised pick up time? Both […]
Transportation Unloaded (1 of 2)
As in all aspects of the thrift store operation, there are critical questions to be addressed for your transportation department. Interestingly, there are three reasons management does not ask the questions of cost and efficiency. There is a major lack of control. The phone rings for a pick up whenever the donor chooses. The request comes […]
The Real Cost of Trash (Part 4 of 4)
What are the hidden costs of retaining non-sellable goods? Unlike a payroll expense, the dollars and cents of not disposing of non-sellable goods quickly is not as easy to see. But, I believe you’ll quickly see there is a very real and tangible cost as demonstrated by the three drivers identified below. The age old […]
Overcoming Trashy Roadblocks (Part 3 of 4)
Why are non-sellable items not identified and disposed of rapidly? These answers are many and varied. I’ve included three. (Feel free to include other roadblocks in the comments.) A quick answer is insufficient staffing to keep up with donation flows. While this answer may be correct, at least in part, it does not have to […]
Pre-sort = Your Just-In-Time System (Part 2 of 4)
Our previous post discussed the first step in a pre-sort process: removing the trash from the treasure. The reasons are numerous. Without a pre-sort system, many valuable items can be left in bags with trash for days, if not weeks. A pre-sort process minimizes damage since fragile items can be quickly shown needed care in […]
The Art of Disposal (Part 1 of 4)
In evaluating a thrift store processing operation, the expedient removal of non-sellable items is step number one after receiving a donation. There is nothing more detrimental than having a backroom operation that is not structured to identify and dispose of non-sellable items efficiently. To maximize the throughput model, three questions must be answered. Who determines whether an […]