Brian M. Straukas
Cary
Summary
A Supervisory position within your organization, with a focus on team building and Increase in sales and profits
Experienced with team leadership, strategic planning, and operational management. Utilizes effective communication and organizational skills to drive project success. Track record of fostering productive work environments and achieving set goals.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Driver /Retail Merchandiser
Canteen Vending Service, Corporate
01.2021 - Current
- Ensured timely and safe delivery of goods to designated locations.
- Maintained vehicle cleanliness and performed routine maintenance checks.
- Assisted in route planning to optimize delivery efficiency.
- Monitored traffic patterns to adjust routes as necessary for prompt service.
- Trained new drivers on safety protocols and operational procedures.
- Developed relationships with clients to enhance service satisfaction and retention.
- Followed all relevant traffic laws and safety regulations.
- Cleaned and maintained vehicle and assessed vehicle for damage after each shift.
- Maintained professional and friendly demeanor during deliveries to uphold company reputation.
- Completed routine pre- and post-trip inspections to evaluate vehicles and assess maintenance needs.
- Coordinated efficient routes to avoid delays and optimize schedules.
- Provided exceptional customer service, addressing concerns and resolving issues promptly.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by providing courteous and efficient service during deliveries.
- Developed and executed visual merchandising strategies to enhance product visibility and customer engagement.
- Improved overall store aesthetics by consistently maintaining clean, well-organized merchandise displays.
- Answered customer questions regarding store merchandise, department information, and pricing.
- Enhanced store sales through effective product placement and targeted promotions.
- Enhanced overall store appearance by applying careful consideration to product and display locations.
Store Manager
Graham Enterprises
05.2020 - 01.2021
- Oversaw daily store operations, ensuring adherence to company policies and standards.
- Managed inventory levels, implementing efficient replenishment processes to minimize stockouts.
- Developed staff schedules, optimizing labor allocation to enhance customer service during peak hours.
- Trained and mentored team members, fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment.
- Analyzed sales trends and customer feedback to drive merchandising strategies and improve product placement.
- Executed loss prevention strategies, reducing shrinkage through effective monitoring and employee training.
- Cultivated strong relationships with vendors, negotiating favorable terms to enhance product offerings and margins.
- Implemented promotional initiatives, increasing foot traffic and driving sales through targeted marketing campaigns.
- Managed daily operations to ensure smooth functioning of the store, maintaining a clean, safe environment for customers and employees.
- Addressed customer complaints promptly and professionally, resolving issues to maintain positive relationships with clientele.
- Managed store employees successfully in fast-paced environment through proactive communication and positive feedback.
- Maximized sales by creating innovative visual merchandising displays and store layouts.
- Conducted regular performance reviews for staff members, providing constructive feedback and opportunities for growth.
- Coached sales associates in product specifications, sales incentives, and selling techniques, significantly increasing customer satisfaction ratings.
- Set effective store schedules based on forecasted customer levels, individual employee knowledge, and service requirements.
- Maintained open lines of communication with corporate headquarters, sharing pertinent information about store performance and requesting support when needed.
- Upheld and communicated store programs and standards to employees for optimal quality, freshness, safety and cleanliness.
- Boosted overall store sales by implementing innovative marketing strategies and exceptional customer service standards.
- Analyzed sales data to identify trends and adjust inventory accordingly, preventing stockouts of popular items.
Customer Service Manager
Avenue C / Canteen Vending
10.2014 - 04.2020
- Visit accounts and clients to maintain good relations and respond to any feedback, suggestions or concerns for the purpose of account retention
- Analyzed feedback data to identify trends and drive process improvements.
- Established performance metrics to monitor team efficiency and service levels.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to streamline operations and enhance service delivery.
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement through regular team meetings and workshops.
- Managed escalated customer complaints, ensuring timely resolutions and positive outcomes.
- Resolved customer complaints while prioritizing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Followed through with client requests to resolve problems.
- Conducted regular performance evaluations for team members, identifying areas for improvement and creating targeted action plans.
- Developed strong relationships with key clients, ensuring their needs were met consistently and promptly.
- Collaborated with upper management to improve customer service processes and support structures company-wide.
- Increased team productivity by providing ongoing training and support to customer service representatives.
- Fostered culture of continuous improvement, leading to consistently high service standards.
- Evaluated employee performance and conveyed constructive feedback to improve skills.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Recruited, interviewed and hired employees and implemented mentoring program to promote positive feedback and engagement.
- Successfully managed budgets and allocated resources to maximize productivity and profitability.
- Support sales activities that include client presentations, grand opening events, trade shows, pro forma development, and retail space design
- Coordinate retail market installations, merchandising, and promotional activities in new and existing accounts; perform retail location inspections and inventory audits to ensure company standards are met
- Review retail market reports to ensure client satisfaction, data integrity, acceptable spoilage rates; monitor accuracy of retail market collections and labor control; ensure quality, cleanliness, merchandising, plan-o-gram compliance, customer service and governance of company policies and programs
- Maintain the retail operating system within accordance of program standards. Utilize reports to determine proper replenishment, merchandising, and inventory level in established retail locations
- Review service frequencies to assure maximum retail sales without jeopardizing customer satisfaction that includes: monitoring schedules and modifying retail service structure to improve productivity and control overtime usage, and confirming the operation has sufficient labor each day for service obligations
- Verify proper handling of perishable foods, inventory controls in the retail locations, pre-kit warehouse and trucks; analyze financial reports to determine profitability and opportunities to increase revenue with proper merchandising, product introduction, and promotional activities
- Ensure a safe working environment and communicate company safety policies and goals to employees; secure necessary vehicles for retail service personnel and ensure proper maintenance of fleet vehicles; oversee all aspects of building maintenance including repairs, housekeeping and security
- Developed strategies to improve customer satisfaction and retention rates.
Store Manager
Jimmy Jazz
05.2012 - 05.2013
- As store manager oversee daily operations, opening and closing of store, cash handling, and customer service.
- Control cash and inventory loss thru counting of cash and inventory everyday.
- Control labor and other expenses.
- Hire, train employees also give daily feedback about performance while using company programs to increase productivity. Give quarterly and yearly performances. And when training and performance issues are not resolved thru performance correction notifications then terminate employees Insure customer satisfaction.
- Maintain overall store appearance and performance thru daily cleaning and using company programs to insure we are meeting standards.
Store Manager/Training/DMIT
Little Caesars
12.2010 - 10.2014
- As store manager oversee daily operations, opening and closing of store, cash handling, and customer service.
- Control cash and inventory loss thru counting of cash and inventory everyday.
- Control labor and other expenses.
- Hire, train employees also give daily feedback about performance while using company programs to increase productivity. Give quarterly and yearly performances. And when training and performance issues are not resolved thru performance correction notifications then terminate employees.
- Insure customer satisfaction.
- Maintain overall store appearance and performance thru daily cleaning and using company programs to insure we are meeting standards.
Store Manager
Stride Rite Corporation
07.2008 - 07.2010
- As store manager oversee daily operations, opening and closing of store, cash handling, and customer service.
- Control cash and inventory loss thru counting of cash and inventory everyday.
- Control labor and other expenses.
- Hire, train employees also give daily feedback about performance while using company programs to increase productivity. Give quarterly and yearly performances. And when training and performance issues are not resolved thru performance correction notifications then terminate employees.
- Insure customer satisfaction.
- Maintain overall store appearance and performance thru daily cleaning and using company programs to insure we are meeting standards.
Store Manager
7 Eleven Store Lake Barrington, IL
08.2008 - 07.2009
- As a store manager oversee daily operations, cash handling and customer service.
- Control cash and inventory loss thru counting of cash and inventory everyday.
- Control labor and expenses.
- Hire, train employees, also give daily feedback about performance while using company programs to increase productivity, Give quarterly and yearly performances, and when training and performance issues are not resolved thru performance correction notifications then terminate employees.
- Insure customer satisfaction.
- Maintain overall store appearance and performance thru daily cleaning and using company programs to insure standards being met.
- Oversee ordering of products from cereal, automotive goods, to alcoholic beverages and supplies.
Store Manager
Bp Oil Company Carpentersville, IL
01.2008 - 08.2008
- As store manager oversee daily operations, cash handling and customer service.
- Control cash and inventory loss thru counting of cash and inventory everyday.
- Control labor and other expenses.2009
- Oversee ordering of products from cereal, automotive goods, to alcoholic beverages and supplies.
- Oversee cafe operations, Hire, train employees, ordering supplies.
Store Manager
Finishline Lincolnwood, IL
07.2004 - 12.2007
- As store manager oversee daily operations, opening and closing of store, cash handling, and customer service.
- Control cash and inventory loss thru counting of cash and inventory everyday.
- Control labor and other expenses.
- Hire, train employees also give daily feedback about performance while using company programs to increase productivity. Give quarterly and yearly performances. And when training and performance issues are not resolved thru performance correction notifications then terminate employees.
- Insure customer satisfaction.
- Maintain overall store appearance and performance thru daily cleaning and using company programs to insure we are meeting standards.
Store Manager
Mac's / Circle K Normal, IL
10.2000 - 07.2004
- As store manager oversee daily operations, cash handling and customer service.
- Control cash and inventory loss thru counting of cash and inventory everyday.
- Control labor and other expenses.
- Hire, train, employees also give daily feedback about performance while using company programs to increase productivity. Give quarterly and yearly performances, And when training and performance issues are not resolved thru performance correction notifications then terminate employees.
- Insure customer satisfaction.
- Maintain overall store appearance and performance thru daily cleaning and using company programs to insure standards being met.
- Oversee ordering of products from cereal, automotive goods, to alcoholic beverages and supplies.
Assistant Store Manager
Long John Silvers Waco, TX
08.1998 - 09.2000
- As an assistant store manager oversee daily operations, cash handling, food preparation and customer service.
- Control cash and inventory loss thru counting of cash and inventory everyday.
- Control labor and other expenses.
- Hire, train employees also give daily feedback about performance while using company programs to increase productivity. Give quarterly and yearly performances. And when training and performance issues are not resolved thru performance correction notifications then terminate employees.
- Insure customer satisfaction.
- Maintain overall store appearance and performance thru daily cleaning and using company programs to insure standards being met.
- Oversee ordering of products from store supplies to food products.
Education
High School Diploma -
Normal Community High School
Normal, IL05-1995
Skills
- Time management
- Customer focused
- Training and mentoring
- Decision-making
- Excellent time management skills
- Cash handling
- Adherence to high customer service standards
- Exceptional interpersonal communication
- Team building and leadership
- Exceptional telephone etiquette
- Product knowledge
- Training and coaching
- Work prioritization
- Employee scheduling
- Performance evaluations
- Customer relations
- Multitasking and organization
- Valid Driver's license
- Customer service
- Clean driving record
- Problem-solving
- Microsoft outlook, word, and Excel
Accomplishments
Successfully trained and developed all levels of a team from associates to future managers.
Increased sales and profit in all positions .
AWARDS
Finishline, Labor Award for 2005, 2006, District Team of the Year 2006, Sales Leader for 2006, Rookie Manager of the year for 2005, Inventory of -.30 (company aegis -.45), Mac's / Circle K, Bonus for 12 straight Quarters, Image Award winner
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
- Twenty years' experience providing leadership in managing different businesses, while building Diverse teams to give excellent customer service
- A skilled thinker, able to plan and implement new company programs
- Focused, organized,and direct. An articulate and persuasive communicator able to reach individuals and groups from all backgrounds, and education levels.
- A dynamic team leader and mentor, able to accurately assess candidates, match individuals with Specific positions, and motivate team members to work cohesively and fulfill company goals.
Timeline
Driver /Retail Merchandiser
Canteen Vending Service, Corporate
01.2021 - Current
Store Manager
Graham Enterprises
05.2020 - 01.2021
Customer Service Manager
Avenue C / Canteen Vending
10.2014 - 04.2020
Store Manager
Jimmy Jazz
05.2012 - 05.2013
Store Manager/Training/DMIT
Little Caesars
12.2010 - 10.2014
Store Manager
7 Eleven Store Lake Barrington, IL
08.2008 - 07.2009
Store Manager
Stride Rite Corporation
07.2008 - 07.2010
Store Manager
Bp Oil Company Carpentersville, IL
01.2008 - 08.2008
Store Manager
Finishline Lincolnwood, IL
07.2004 - 12.2007
Store Manager
Mac's / Circle K Normal, IL
10.2000 - 07.2004
Assistant Store Manager
Long John Silvers Waco, TX
08.1998 - 09.2000
High School Diploma -
Normal Community High School