Top courses all retail staff should complete

With a stabilized economy, many industries now experience substantial growth. Among those is retail. For 2018 alone, experts predict this market will see a healthy increase between 3.2 and 3.8 percent. Obviously, this is an exciting time to have a retail business. But it’s also a time when proper staff training could not be more important.

No matter the type of product you sell or whether you have an online presence in addition to a brick and mortar location, you vie for many of the same customers as your competitors. That means to enjoy company growth and increased generated revenue, it is imperative that you sell an incredible product and have an extremely competent sales staff.

Fantastic Training Options

• Dealing with Angry Customers – Even when providing superior service, facing disgruntled customers is inevitable. Depending on the individual and the situation, things could become hostile quickly. Fortunately, there are excellent online courses that offer training for this type of scenario. Your staff will learn that a customer’s anger is more about frustration and that at no time should they take harsh words personally. With a few simple strategies, your employees can calm an otherwise negative situation.
• Solving Problems – Solving problems in your retail store goes beyond dissatisfied customers. With proper training, your staff will know how to recognize a conflict of any kind, followed by taking the appropriate steps for a positive resolution. Many of these online courses focus on day-to-day challenges that arise, not just conflict. With training, your employees become more empowered and motivated to solve issues correctly without always running to management.
• Motivating Customers – There are even online courses that will help your retail staff motivate customers. With a little bit of persuasion, you will see an increase in sales and a higher level of customer loyalty. Using insider marketing tips gained from online training, your staff can sway customers into buying or returning for additional purchases without them even knowing it.
• Working Efficiently – Although hard work goes a long way in the retail industry, your employees might ultimately waste time, effort, and money. With the right online courses, your employees will gain insight into making their efforts more efficient. In addition to boosting sales, they will feel more accomplished in their jobs.
• Leadership and Management – When positions open for a leadership or management position in your company, you want trained employees who can step in and take over. Thanks to multiple courses that focus specifically on this arena, you can promote the right employees and see both company and personal growth.
• Listening Skills – While everyone hears what you say, not all of your staff listens. A lack of listening skills is a common problem, especially in the retail industry. After completing one or more online training courses, your staff will never again miss important clues from customers or vital messages from management. While your employees become more efficient, your customers feel appreciated and respected. Developing good listening skills is a win-win solution for everyone.
• Enhanced Technology – You can use online courses to bring a new employee up to speed on the system you use in your retail store or to help an existing staff member hone his or her skills. Remember, the faster and more efficient an employee is when checking customers out, the more likely it is for those people to return for additional purchases at some point.
• Risk Management and Safety – There is no question that one of the most critical of all online training courses for your retail staff has to do with risk management and on-the-job safety. With this, your employees will learn how to spot potential issues and the appropriate ways to deal with them. In the retail industry, criminals use a myriad of techniques to steal merchandise. For a smaller company, even a minor theft could prove devastating. As for safety, it is important for your staff to recognize warning signs for their protection and that of the customers.
• Big Ticket Items – When it comes to retail, there is a significant difference in selling clothes versus big-ticket items like cars, boats, high-dollar computer systems, and so on. In exchange for spending a lot of money, customers have a much higher expectation from the staff. If your company sells big-ticket items, it is essential to provide your employees with specialized training. In addition to gaining a wealth of knowledge about the business itself, they will learn the proper way to approach customers, how to dress, and the language to use.