MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Situation

Customers

Ask three recent customers what convinced them to purchase—note the most repeated benefit.

Identify one recurring customer complaint—what does it reveal about fit or expectations?

Rewrite your top product description using only customer review language.

Ask your most loyal customer what they consistently praise—feature it in messaging.

Check your site’s top exit page—what may confuse or frustrate potential buyers?

Compare satisfaction across segments—who is happiest with you, and why?

Think of when a shopper said, “This is exactly what I needed”—what was unique about that sale?

Think about your last lost customer—what didn’t connect, and were they really a fit?

What hidden assumptions have you made about your customers’ goals or habits?

When were you last surprised by customer behavior—and how did you respond?

How often do you ask about long-term customer needs, not just immediate ones?

Which customer group do you overlook most—silent churners, small buyers, or early fans?

Ask three customers about their biggest shopping challenges—don’t sell, just listen.

Create a simple empathy map for your ideal shopper using only last month’s feedback.

Run a “Why Us?” survey with five recent buyers—record real reasons they chose you.

Call a lapsed customer—ask why they stopped and what could bring them back.

Record a 1-minute video walking through your store from the customer’s view.

Review your onboarding or checkout—test it yourself or observe a shopper live.

Ask a customer: “If you recommended us to a friend, what would you say?”—note their exact words.

Send a thank-you note with two quick questions to five shoppers—what’s clear, what’s confusing?

Ask your sales team: “Which products delight shoppers—and which create issues?”

Invite a loyal shopper to share what built their trust first—and what keeps it.

Show three product headlines to customers—ask which one feels most relevant.

Ask a shopper: “How would you explain our store to someone in your network?”

Shift from “we serve everyone” to “we serve our best shoppers and why they return.”

Change “we have many features” to “we solve this specific shopper pain in this way.”

Reframe complaints as signals—what new opportunity is hidden in the frustration?

Replace “we’re chasing more buyers” with “we’re deepening loyalty with our best ones.”

Stop asking “what do you want?” and start asking “what outcome matters to you?”

Instead of assuming churn is about price, ask what goal they failed to achieve.

Read customer reviews—what phrases repeat across the most positive comments?

Watch recordings of online checkouts—where do shoppers get stuck or excited?

Track which email headlines drive the most opens from your customers.

Observe how long shoppers take between visit and purchase—what slows the step?

Pay attention to customer onboarding questions—what aren’t they understanding?

Listen for silence during calls—what needs aren’t being named openly?

Employees

Ask three staff members what tools help them serve customers best—track patterns.

Read your last team memo—was it clear and motivating from a staff point of view?

Adjust one team routine (stand-up, huddle) to feel more focused and energizing.

Reflect on one recent decision—did you clearly share the reason with your team?

Scan your last five staff chats—how often do you give recognition or feedback?

Run a quick anonymous poll—ask staff how supported they feel in their roles.

Reflect on when your staff felt most motivated—what conditions in your store enabled it?

When did an employee positively surprise you—what conditions made that possible?

Think back to your last tough staff talk—did you create space for their view?

What assumptions guide how you think staff stay motivated—are they accurate?

When have you unintentionally blocked an employee’s initiative—what could you change?

Do you consistently make time for training, not just sales—what gets in the way?

Ask two staff members what they’d change in daily operations—note it without defending.

Shadow one staff member for 30 minutes—observe their workflow closely.

Swap feedback with a colleague—trade insights on teamwork and leadership.

Give specific recognition today—state the behavior and impact.

Facilitate a session where staff share one blocker and one enabler at work.

Re-delegate a task you hold tightly—watch how the team manages it.

Ask your staff: “What’s one thing I could stop, start, or continue to better support you?”

Run a pulse check: “On a scale of 1–10, how connected do you feel to our shop’s mission?”

Ask each staff member to share their personal goal for the season—compare with role goals.

Ask another team in your shop: “How do you see us contributing to the bigger picture?”

Invite a junior employee to speak first in your next team meeting—note the shift.

Ask a peer owner how they build staff trust—what practice could you borrow?

Shift from “managing staff output” to “unlocking staff potential to serve customers better.”

Reframe low staff energy not as laziness, but as mismatch between support and workload.

Instead of “staff aren’t stepping up,” ask “what clarity or support are they missing?”

Replace “top-down orders” with “two-way dialogue”—where can you invite more staff input?

View staff resistance as care—what values or fears drive the pushback?

Instead of “checking in,” frame 1:1s as “co-creating success” with staff.

Watch who speaks up most in staff meetings—what dynamics shape that behavior?

Pay attention to how staff respond to feedback—curious, defensive, or disengaged?

Monitor what energizes or drains your staff during the week—are roles aligned?

Track how often staff act without prompting—what conditions encourage initiative?

Observe informal chats—what topics spark enthusiasm or frustration?

Notice how staff introduce each other—what strengths or qualities are highlighted?

Partnerships

List your top three suppliers—note one joint goal you have not yet pursued.

Review your last supplier email—does it clearly state what’s in it for them?

Schedule a quick check-in with a supplier—no agenda, just relationship care.

Spot one delayed supplier task—clarify ownership and unblock it today.

Rewrite one supplier pitch to highlight shared outcomes, not only your needs.

Scan old suppliers or partners—spot one you could reactivate with a new angle.

Recall your most productive supplier partnership—what built success beyond the numbers?

When have you over-invested in a supplier that failed you? What did you take away?

How well do your current partners match your retail strategy—not just last year’s?

What assumptions guide what suppliers value from you—are they still correct?

Recall when trust eroded with a partner—what early warning did you miss?

Do your partnerships energize or drain you—what’s the recurring pattern?

Ask a supplier what’s one thing you could do to make collaboration smoother.

Map a supplier relationship—where is energy high, low, or blocked?

Pitch a co-branded promotion to a supplier—emphasize joint value creation.

Send a short “success recap” to a partner—highlight wins and suggest next steps.

Write down shared risks in one supplier deal—clarify what makes success mutual.

Create a shared dashboard with a supplier—use transparency to build trust.

Ask a supplier: “What do we do better than your other retail clients?”

Ask staff who deal with suppliers what strengths or frictions they notice in collaboration.

Share your supplier presentation with a peer—ask what feels credible or confusing.

Run a quick feedback loop with two suppliers: “What’s one win and one wish from working with us?”

Ask a supplier: “What’s a project you’ve wanted to try but lacked the right partner for?”

Check in with a supplier’s junior contact—how do they see your collaboration?

Reframe from “leveraging suppliers” to “co-creating solutions”—how does this change your mindset?

View supplier delays not as failures but as chances to realign expectations.

Shift from “what do we need from suppliers” to “what are we solving together?”

Instead of “it’s their fault,” ask “where did we miscommunicate with the partner?”

Reframe small suppliers as innovation labs—safe space for experiments.

Replace “suppliers aren’t responsive” with “have we earned their urgency?”

Notice which supplier ties bring new opportunities—what signals real strength?

Observe how fast suppliers respond to requests—what does it show about engagement?

Track which supplier links lead to referrals or repeat deals—what’s the pattern?

Monitor how often supplier wins are shared inside—are they celebrated or ignored?

Watch for misalignment in language—do you and suppliers describe deals the same way?

Listen for vague answers in supplier talks—where might trust or clarity be missing?

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