Something which so many in retail get wrong is the level of training which their staff receive. Many businesses within this sector will give a great deal of attention to the hiring of the staff, yet beyond introductory training, they will then fail to continuously ensure that their staff are up to speed on everything which is happening in the business. There should be a clear program for your staff which begins at their initial training, and then involves a series of refresher courses as they continue to work for you. In doing this you can ensure high quality staff and satisfied staff. Here are some of the most common areas where your staff need more support.
Order Management Systems
The efficiency of the order management system which your business uses is critical to ensuring good stock levels and satisfied customers. Even the most automated system however does require the right kind of human interaction in order to deliver for your customers. For this reason training your staff on what is order management system functions, the problems which exist and the solutions which can be used, is going to be critical. Not all staff get this right away and the better that you train them, the more it will help your business.
Customer Service
There is a tendency of assuming that staff know how to talk to customers, but this is not always the case. Another mistake many make is to try and get their staff to perform when the customer comes in, and offer a wooden and emotionless sales pitch, which rarely works. The key is kindness, making time for the customer and showing them that you are on hand for whatever it is that they may need. Staff should also know that customer service is about more than speech, and that clean, stocked shelves is also how to satisfy the customer.
Security
If you don’t train your staff well then you will find that they do not care about the products as much as they should, and this could lead to a laissez faire attitude when it comes to the security of your products. What most staff don’t recognize are the risks which exist, and this is often the reason why they don’t act in a way which makes sure that your products are as safe and secure as they could, and should be.
Teamwork
We live in a world which is more diverse than ever before and this is why equality and kindness in the workplace is an essential part of their training. Because topics like bullying, race and gender are so hot right now, we have to ensure that we are doing our part to bring about harmony in the workplace. This only happens through smart training and a clear outline of what the company’s position is on teamwork.
If you fail to invest the time in training then you will end up with staff who don’t always work for the good of the business.
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