The unfortunate reality, which anyone who ventures into a mall these days can confirm, is that today's retail store employees often lack basic sales and customer-service skills. Just practical, award-winning content sent straight to your inbox. Employee-level Customer Orientation (CO) There is a need of employee level orientation when the employees level issues reach at its peak. Do Everything with a Smile. There’s Vend U, our retail resource center which contains guides and on-demand training on using the software and on becoming a better retailer; and we’ve also teamed up with Vend Experts and resellers who can set up and teach merchants how to use the software to its full potential. This also helps when looking for opportunities to develop their skills further.”. What will sparkling-clean facilities and fantastic products do for your business? “We don’t actually have a return policy for purchases made at Nordstrom stores or at Nordstrom.com,” they state on their website. ", 8. The success of your training program doesn’t just rely on your teaching methods, it also hinges on the inherent attitudes and values of your staff. Training session can give them more customer service … If you answered yes to any of these questions, keep reading. You cannot go over these items too many times. Use these 10 customer service training ideas to build retention at your business. 2. (More on this in a bit.). Build retention with 10 fresh customer service training tips. Role-playing can be quite effective, especially when it comes to sales. This skill is known as "keeping your finger on the pulse." So the next time you’re on the lookout for new employees, be sure to look at their nature and disposition first, before evaluating their knowledge and skills. Customer service training activities: Although customer service reps are part of a team, they can often feel isolated as they interact with customers individually. Program. “For example, some people are visual learners, so I use images and infographics to communicate my point. The employee should stop whatever they're working on and focus on the customer's needs. ", How Your Decisions Affect Customer Service. Incorporate virtual reality. Identify the Needs and Focus on Solutions, The customer always has a basic purpose for shopping, whether she hovers in front of a new display or speeds through the on-sale section. It’ll be much easier to train a positive person who’s open to learning and who shares your values than it is to modify someone’s default attitude and disposition. ‘‘We can hire nice people and teach them to sell, but we can’t hire salespeople and teach them to be nice.’’ – Bruce Nordstrom [Tweet this]Â, As you might have guessed, Nordstrom is one company that hires people based on attitude rather than experience. Implement ways to assess their natural inclinations through personality quizzes or, like JetBlue, by conducting group interviews. Build a rapport with your employees so you know when they need help. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should chuck your store policies out the window. Looking inside the bag to, As a bonus, studies have shown that smiling and, laughing can induce relaxation and relieve stress. Running a retail store can be time-consuming. As they learn your processes, even the seasoned workers won't have answers for every customer's question. 10. “We handle returns on a case-by-case basis with the ultimate objective of satisfying the customer. To drive this point home, you should ban cell phone use by employees in all areas except the break room. Gain Loyal Customers. Also, learning about their interests helps me create analogies or examples that are familiar to them.”. “The first thing I like to do is learn about my new employee; who they are, why they chose this job, what motivates them, how they learn best in school, their interests, etc.,” says Sarkis Hakopdjanian, principal at The Business Clinic. You know the phrase, "actions speak louder than words." Retail employees should identify those needs with a simple question: "How can I help you today?". “People learn and retain information best when they are using several aspects of their brain simultaneously,” comments Hakopdjanian. This customer service course for retail employees will: Provide a forum for participants to identify actions that make a customer experience great and those that create a bad one. Focus on keeping the register and checkout area organized at all times. It’ll be much easier to train a positive person who’s open to learning and who shares your values than it is to modify someone’s default attitude and disposition. That’s why it pays to hire trainable individuals with the right attitude. If your customer wants something that they can’t find in your store, offer them … “Stepping into the shoes of your customers” exercise. In the same report from the RCC, retailers cite lack of training… Connect with her on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Google+. Good customer service is essentially good problem-solving. Toll Free: 800-322-0160, Claims: Take its store returns policies, for instance. New Employee Orientation . Suggest words and … We stand behind our goods and services and want customers to be satisfied with them. We have recently provided some customer service training, it was excellent and really suited the style of customer service we are wanting to provide for our customers. Go the Extra Mile. No fluff. ", Addressing a group with "Hey, you guys" in place of "Hello, everyone.". Some retailers can’t afford not to have a return and refund policies. In these situations, employees should answer each person's question or concern and move on. These kinds of customer service training programs often teach customer service skills by simulating interactions with customers. Your customer service training should focus on the following traits of good body language: Some retail employees make the mistake of speaking too informally with customers. They'll call and give your customer service reps an earful about a not-so-great experience. Nobody wants to drive home from a store, only to realize they were given someone else's purchase. The same logic goes for "you're welcome" or "my pleasure" instead of "no problem. Saying "Be with you in a sec" instead of "I'll be with you in one moment. That’s where role-play scenarios come in! Instead of playing a deer in the headlights, encourage your employees to find the answer by asking a coworker. Retail sales training and customer service training are similar, but are not really the same. “You can train for skill, but you can’t train for attitude.” – The Disney Institute [Tweet this]Â. “The company hires nice people and teaches them to sell rather than trying to retrain salespeople taught other methods. You will receive a confirmation email shortly. Please, Thank You, and You're Welcome. Some people learn best by doing, so we focus more on role-playing. Recognize that you don’t have to implement your training program on your own. This is a tough balance to strike, as there's no "one size fits all" approach that works for every type of business. Nordstrom believes the best people are have been trained by their parents while growing up.”, Another notable example is JetBlue. Make Sure They Go Home With What They Bought. They'll call and give your customer service reps an earful about a not-so-great experience. We’ll always do our best to take care of customers—our philosophy is to deal with them fairly and reasonably; we hope they will be fair and reasonable with us as well.”, Of course, this doesn’t mean you should chuck your store policies out the window. Without a single training plan, managers and co-workers may train each staff … Nodding your head as if to say "yes, I understand.". https://www.trainingconnection.com. The store is packed, and customers have to wait a little longer to speak with a representative. Customers with questions expect respect and cooperation . To ask a good question, the employee needs to listen patiently and understand what the customer thinks she wants. According to Graff Retail, there are several ways to eliminate role-playing’s awkward factor and make it fun. want your staff to be up-to-date on all of the products you sell as well as best practices that improve sales and decrease common retail security issues like inventory theft To ensure that your employees can internalize what’s being taught, utilize multiple learning methods to train them. In other words, Nordstrom leaves each return situation up to the employee and encourages them to use their judgment and focus on satisfying the customer. An overly casual tone could show a lack of professionalism. Part of your customer service training can serve to help employees see that each customer service touch point, no matter how small, is a golden link in the overall customer experience chain. Nordstrom believes the best people are have been trained by their parents while growing up.”, , the airline believes that you can train for skill, but not for attitude, and it “has embedded this conviction in its front-line hiring process.”, “The first thing I like to do is learn about my new employee; who they are, why they chose this job, what motivates them, how they learn best in school, their interests, etc.,” says Sarkis Hakopdjanian, principal at, “People learn and retain information best when they are using several aspects of their brain simultaneously,” commentsÂ, Nordstrom is famous for it staff empowerment practices. Need more staffing tips and insights? Really nice tips seem pretty helpful got to try some of them. In some cases, it may be more beneficial to empower employees to use their judgment and be creative. Responding with "Yeah, no problem" instead of "You're welcome. Pay attention to the rules and guidelines that you train employees on. Customers respond well to common courtesy, so train your staff to retain these phrases in their permanent vocabulary. Service quality plays a huge role in customer … Courses Focused on Helping New Retail Sales Representatives, Customer Service Representatives, and Store Management Personnel Improve Their Productivity and Their Customer… What will sparkling-clean facilities and fantastic products do for your business? In this guide, you’ll learn: We’ve just filled you in on some of our best retail training tips, and now we’d love to hear from you! Pekin, IL 61558-0001 There are plenty of trainers out there who specialize in retail and can create tailored programs for your business. According to Michael Provitera, author of Mastering Self-Motivation, retailers can “develop a system of continuous improvement for their staff using Total Quality Management techniques.”, “Knowledge retention can be enhanced with knowledge management tools, the use of technology, newsletters, best practice examples, publications, and most importantly, monthly staff recognition.”. when "Good morning" can be said instead. Do you think your store could use more motivated, top performing employees? If the happy-go-lucky sales rep has dark rings around her eyes and is constantly frowning, now might not be the time to say, "Just smile!". The high turnover in retail and customer service roles adds another complication to maintaining a staff of capable front-line employees, which can make or break a service-based business. Hire problem-solvers. She's also the author of Retail Survival of the Fittest, a free eBook to help retailers future-proof their stores. 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