ABCDs OF CORPORATE TRAINING FOR RETAIL SALES ASSOCIATES

Nov. 15, 2017  I  Gage team

Most retail organizations today know it’s essential to provide effective corporate training to sales associates for onboarding, customer service and new product introductions. Check out the ABCDs we’ve developed based on our award-winning experience in brand training for retail sales associates.

 

A) Accessibility

The sooner sales associate can get to the sales floor, the sooner they can get to selling. Offer employees a sales platform that allows them to take training on any device, at any time. When associates deal with a variety of products, have your content double as a customer service tool. Provide them with access to a tablet so they can engage customers in a more meaningful discussion on product features. In other words, enable sales associates to respond to a customer’s micro-moments, which occur when people reflexively turn to a device for more information. According to Google, these are intent-rich moments when decisions are made and preferences are shaped.

Nov. 15, 2017  I  Gage team

Most retail organizations today know it’s essential to provide effective corporate training to sales associates for onboarding, customer service and new product introductions. Check out the ABCDs we’ve developed based on our award-winning experience in brand training for retail sales associates.

 

A) Accessibility

The sooner sales associate can get to the sales floor, the sooner they can get to selling. Offer employees a sales platform that allows them to take training on any device, at any time. When associates deal with a variety of products, have your content double as a customer service tool. Provide them with access to a tablet so they can engage customers in a more meaningful discussion on product features. In other words, enable sales associates to respond to a customer’s micro-moments, which occur when people reflexively turn to a device for more information. According to Google, these are intent-rich moments when decisions are made and preferences are shaped.

B) Branding

So many Learning Management Systems require that a brand flex itself to fit its structure when it should be the other way around. This leads to boring content and a boring experience for the learner resulting in huge drop offs in engagement. Good retail training incorporates both brand awareness and advocacy. When sales associates are often the first face-to-face interaction a customer has with your brand, shouldn’t your training emphasize this?

B) Branding

So many Learning Management Systems require that a brand flex itself to fit its structure when it should be the other way around. This leads to boring content and a boring experience for the learner resulting in huge drop offs in engagement. Good retail training incorporates both brand awareness and advocacy. When sales associates are often the first face-to-face interaction a customer has with your brand, shouldn’t your training emphasize this?

C) Customization & localization

If your brand is a larger retailer, it doesn’t make sense — nor does it take advantage of the latest technologies — to standardize content across the board. Instead, customize and localize content so it’s relevant to the individual learner. After all, it doesn’t make sense to promote snow shovels in Florida or bikinis in Minnesota in December. And if associates only see the products and services they’re authorized to sell, this allows for further customization, and for your materials to work even harder for you – promotions can be localized, and service can be optimized based on job title. Gage even has the experience to take localization and customization to the extreme. For one client, we’ve developed a learning platform that engages with associates from multiple retailers in 70 countries and 24 languages!

D) Delivery

Content should not be standardized, nor should delivery. In fact, there are seven distinct styles of learning. Your content should support all kinds of learners. Consider utilizing video, quizzes, self-assessments, helpful mnemonics or jingles to help an associate remember the steps in a process. And consider providing access to social media groups to foster a sense of community.  

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