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As liquor and cannabis license consultants, we spend a lot of time helping our private retail clients remain compliant with their license terms and conditions. Compliance becomes even more important when licensees are busy, as they inevitably will be in summer.
Summer is a busy time of year, second only to Christmas. With get-togethers, barbecues, and fun in the sun, the warmer weather increases sales volumes. Higher customer traffic and sales also increase the risk of compliance missteps. Spring is the time to double down on compliance preparedness before your store and staff are overrun during peak season in July and August.
Below are a few things to check as summer approaches.
Staff Training and Certifications
Confirm that all staff certifications are current and properly documented. This includes Serving It Right for liquor stores and Selling It Right for cannabis retailers. Give employees a refresher on internal procedures. Managers and staff must proactively use what they’ve learned in certification training.
Start by discussing the following with staff:
- ID verification procedures
- Handling refusals and difficult interactions
- Recognizing signs of intoxication or impairment
- Escalation procedures for supervisors
In-store refresher training is helpful as is a daily compliance checklist. Thrive Liquor & Cannabis Advisors can create training checklists, manuals and conduct training sessions for your team.
ID Checks and Enforcement Risk
While staff are busy, interactions with customers may become more cursory and rushed. It might be tempting to skip the occasional ID check or allow intoxicated patrons to make purchases. If employees let down their collective guard it can cost your store in fines, license suspensions or worse.
Remind staff:
- Never skip ID checks, even during busy periods
- Take the time to verify unfamiliar or questionable ID
- Not to serve intoxicated customers
- Record service refusals
- Escalate issues to management or police when necessary
Enforcement activity doesn’t slow down in summer. In reality, enforcement officers are busier when you’re busier, and so is the Minors as Agents Program.
Store Layout and Visibility
Before summer begins, check your store layout. Layout plays a vital role in compliance and loss prevention. Make sure staff at cash desks have clear sightlines to all areas of the store, especially where high-value, high-risk items are displayed.
Review:
- Your store layout for changes that may be contrary to the floorplan that was approved when you received your license
- Sightlines from the main service areas
- Placement of high-value or high-risk products
- Displays that may interfere with the visibility of parts of the store
- Security camera operability and coverage
- Staff security procedures
The best security is low-friction. Something as simple and low-cost as having an employee “working” the aisles while customers shop is the most effective defense against theft and a deterrent to underage customers.
Compliance Infractions Grow in Darkness. Let Thrive Advisors Shine a Light
Our retail cannabis and liquor license consultants provide compliance guidance and training that safeguards your hard-earned license. We offer compliance-issue checks, manual and checklist writing and staff training.
