Seven Tips to Ensure Your Business is Ready for Black Friday

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

With experts predicting a record $630.5 billion¹ in sales this holiday season, it is imperative for retailers to prepare their stores for the massive influx of holiday shoppers. With Black Friday just around the corner, Cintas Corporation CTAS offers seven tips to help retailers experience a successful and safe holiday season.

Cintas offers seven tips to help retailers experience a successful and safe holiday season:

1. Inspect. In the days leading up to Black Friday, inspect doors, locks, seals, windows and other glass surfaces such as display cases for minor glass cracks. Also inspect fire protection and emergency systems such as sprinklers, extinguishers, emergency lights and exit signs to ensure all systems are working.
2. Prepare. With the influx of customers, employees may fall behind on daily cleaning duties so make sure the store is in top condition before opening. Make sure all building repairs are made, windows and floors are sparkling, staff uniforms are clean and the store is in pristine condition at the start of the day.
3. Prepare for unexpected weather conditions. Weather during this time of year is unpredictable at best, so protect floors – and customers – with a mat system. In the case of excess moisture, place mats near entryways to eliminate puddles that can accumulate throughout the day. Stock ice and snow removal products, such as salt or sand, to help prevent slips and falls on outdoor walkways and parking lots.
4. Safety first. Be sure first-aid cabinets are stocked and up-to-date with adequate supplies to limit the impact of cuts, bruises and other injuries resulting from slips and falls or other accidents. Make sure employees have basic first-response training so they know what to do in an emergency situation.
5. Stock up. From toilet paper to cleaning chemicals, make sure each store has enough supplies to account for the additional traffic.
6. Practice the plan. Increase your employees' confidence and readiness to handle various situations by conducting simulations of different scenarios. How are traffic flows and longer lines addressed? What actions should be taken if there is a heavy storm, electricity outage or emergency closure?
7. Know who to call. It's the morning of Black Friday and the front gate won't open. Is a plan in place to handle this type of emergency situation? Limit interruptions such as broken doors or drain backups by contracting with an emergency service provider who can resolve issues quickly and minimize the impact of any disruption.

"As one of the busiest shopping days of the year, Black Friday is a nationwide event enjoyed by millions of shoppers each year," said John Engel, Senior Marketing Manager, Cintas. "With holiday sales expected to represent nearly 19 percent of the retail industry's annual sales, it is imperative for retailers to ensure their stores are equipped to handle the surge of holiday shoppers."

With just a single point of contact, Cintas Managed Solutions helps businesses reduce the downtime associated with an emergency. Services include, but are not limited to, examining and repairing glass doors and windows, disinfecting and deep cleaning contaminated surfaces and floors, and restoring plumbing and water lines. With the highest first trip resolution rate in the industry, the Cintas Emergency Repair Group completes 73 percent of repairs on the first trip, reducing cost, eliminating unnecessary trip charges and allowing retailers and restauranteurs to get back to business quickly.

For more information about Cintas Managed Solutions, visit http://www.cintas.com/managedsolutions.

About Cintas Corporation:

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas Corporation provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types primarily throughout North America. Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides entrance mats, restroom cleaning and supplies, tile and carpet cleaning, promotional products, first aid, safety, fire protection products and services. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.

¹ https://nrf.com/media/press-releases/national-retail-federation-forecasts-holiday-sales-increase-37

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