Methodological aspects of formation and use of benchmarks for trade enterprises

At the present stage of development of the enterprises including the trading companies there emerges a problem of competitiveness in the different spheres, especially in the conditions of constant changes. One of the tools contributing to the solution of the problem is benchmarking, which allows enterprises to adapt quickly and easily enough to an intensified competition, particularly in a constantly changing environment. In classical understanding benchmarking is a comparison with a standard. A benchmark can be an object, a business-process, performance indicators, methods of the competitor, in relation to which the comparison is carried out. Presence of benchmarking is obligatory in application of a benchmarking tool. As a result of analysis of the use of benchmarking and existing techniques, the structure of benchmarking was identified and justified, which served as a basis for the methodology of formation and use of benchmarking for trade enterprises. The structure of benchmarking includes its elements, requirements and conditions of definition and use. This understanding of the structure is revealed when analyzing the complex of terms: “quality”, “consumer”, “cost”, “benchmarking”. Taking into account the formed structure of benchmarking, research of available methods on using and implementation of benchmarking has been conducted, from which a unified method has been chosen for the service sector. On the basis of the criteria, the stage “Benchmark identification and establishment” was introduced into the phase “Benchmark identification”. The method became a part of the improved approach to the implementation and use of benchmarking for service enterprises, including trade. The method helps to increase the effectiveness of a benchmarking tool, which in turn provides an improvement in the overall performance of companies.