What the numbers said
One made-up business, five real patterns. The business is a bakery with three locations, but the patterns show up in almost any business with a register, a payroll and a website.
Example business. Made-up numbers, real pattern.
Why does Northgate make less than Westside on the same sales?
What it felt like
“The new location is doing great. Sales are the same as our second store.”
What the numbers said
Same sales. Half the profit. Rent is 40% higher and you're scheduling it like the busy store.
What changed
Schedule Northgate for the customers it actually gets.
Is payroll creeping up, or does it just feel that way?
What it felt like
“Payroll feels high, but we're busy, so it's probably fine.”
What the numbers said
Between 1pm and 4pm, wages went from 28% of sales to 37% in six months. Fewer people come in the afternoon now. The schedule never changed.
What changed
Trim the afternoon schedule to match the afternoon customers.
Which thing we sell costs more than it earns?
What it felt like
“The celebration cake is our best seller online. It must be doing well.”
What the numbers said
It's the top seller online. But its ingredients cost 48% of the price. Everything else is 28% to 34%. Butter went up 22% eight months ago, and the cost sheet was never updated.
What changed
Re-cost the cake and raise its price.
We're spending more on Instagram ads. Is it working?
What it felt like
“More people are visiting the website, so the ads must be working.”
What the numbers said
Instagram now sends more visitors than anything except Google search. But only 4 in every 1,000 of them place an order. Each of those orders costs over $40 in ads, and the average order is $48.
What changed
Cut the Instagram spend and put a little of it into the Google Business Profile.
Is this just January, or is something wrong?
What it felt like
“January is always slow. It'll pick up.”
What the numbers said
All three stores dip every January. But Downtown's last three months are 9% below last year, and the other two aren't. Almost all of the drop is weekday afternoons.
What changed
Look at what changed near Downtown on weekday afternoons.
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