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Showing posts with label Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Training. Show all posts
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
7 Top Communication Tips for Retail Staff
03:07 | 
Posted by
ATC
I was in one of the big supermarkets yesterday and couldn’t find the product I was looking for, so I stopped one of the sales assistants to ask for help. I was surprised by the assistant’s response as she looked panicked and said she had no idea where the product would be and told me to ask someone else. I then approached another assistant and got the same response! Finally with assistant number three, I was taken to the correct aisle and he found the product for me.
Maybe these two sales assistants were new to the job or maybe they were both having a bad day, but either way, they weren’t providing very good customer service. This got me wondering about how much training staff in this store were receiving.
I worked part-time in a few different High Street stores when I was at university and I remember that we received the most basic training, but I believe that I still offered good service to the customers who came into the shop because I used my common sense. However, retailers can’t simply rely on all staff using common sense and understanding how customers should be treated. Sales assistants need to understand how to communicate effectively with their customers and it is up to retailers to provide this training.
7 essential communication tips for retail staff dealing with customers:
- Language – the vocabulary that you use can totally change the message that is being given to the customer. Make sure that language used is appropriate for the target market e.g. the teenage market might be happy with slang, but will the rest of your customers?
- Grading – If customers don't understand what you are saying, don't just keep repeating the same thing more loudly and slowly! Maybe the customer doesn't understand because he/she is from another country, has literacy problems, or maybe you are just using the wrong vocabulary. Grade your language – if the customer doesn’t understand what you are saying, find another way of saying it.
- Intonation & Tone – the intonation and tone you use can change the meaning of your message. Something that is meant to be a simple instruction can sound rude or aggressive if said in the wrong way.
- Body Language – you may be saying one thing, but your body language could be saying something else. Looking bored/uninterested or panicked doesn’t give the right impression to customers. Dealing with customers in a confident manner will make you appear more professional.
- Eye Contact – make eye contact with customers when you are talking to them. This will make you appear interested in what they are saying and make you more approachable and friendly.
- Smile – nobody wants to be served by a shop assistant who looks like he/she wants to be anywhere else but in the shop. Customers want to feel welcome when they enter the store and feel that they can approach you.
- Find someone who can – if you really can’t help the customer then find someone who can. Either direct the customer to the correct person/counter or take them there yourself – don’t just say you don’t know and walk away!
Saturday, 16 October 2010
Learn how to use social media for your business – 5 Top Tips
05:43 |
Posted by
ATC
Is your company taking advantage of social media to promote your business?
You can’t avoid hearing and reading about how important it is to use social media to promote and market your business. Even if you haven’t got involved with social media yet, you will probably be aware that everyone is talking about it, so maybe you should start looking into it.
But where do you start? Look on the Internet and you’ll find lots of information, tips and advice, but do you really understand what you can get out of using Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In etc? Which of these sites are going to reach the right customer base for your product or service?
If you are going to spend time using social media sites as a marketing tool, you need to invest in some training to find out how to use them effectively. Take a look at our top tips below to get you thinking about what you need to find out before you get started.
5 Top Tips
1) Find out which social media sites are out there
2) Look into which ones will work best for your business
3) Decide how much time you are going to invest in building up your profile on these sites
4) Decide who is going to be responsible for managing your social media sites/profile
5) Remember these sites are about building up relationships with existing, and potential, customers and clients, so you need to engage
My advice to anyone about to start using Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In etc is to find out how to use them properly at the start - it will be money well spent and save you a lot of wasted time!
But where do you start? Look on the Internet and you’ll find lots of information, tips and advice, but do you really understand what you can get out of using Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In etc? Which of these sites are going to reach the right customer base for your product or service?
If you are going to spend time using social media sites as a marketing tool, you need to invest in some training to find out how to use them effectively. Take a look at our top tips below to get you thinking about what you need to find out before you get started.
5 Top Tips
1) Find out which social media sites are out there
2) Look into which ones will work best for your business
3) Decide how much time you are going to invest in building up your profile on these sites
4) Decide who is going to be responsible for managing your social media sites/profile
5) Remember these sites are about building up relationships with existing, and potential, customers and clients, so you need to engage
My advice to anyone about to start using Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In etc is to find out how to use them properly at the start - it will be money well spent and save you a lot of wasted time!
Labels:
business,
engage,
facebook,
Linked In,
Marketing,
Social Media,
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Training,
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Saturday, 18 September 2010
Do you know how to use social media effectively?
03:38 |
Posted by
ATC
I went to a Business Link seminar a few months ago to learn about Twitter. There were lots of people at the event, and from the comments in the room, I believe that most people were new or newish to using social media. Whilst the speaker was very engaging and encouraged us all to go away and start using Twitter, which I did, I didn't really understand what I was doing. I signed up for Twitter and half-heartedly attempted to use it, but I can't say it really grabbed me as I didn't know what I was doing.
I continued hearing about the great benefits to be had from using social media but this didn't mirror my experiences, so I must admit I wasn't convinced by the whole social media 'thing'. I then got talking to a social media trainer at a networking event and decided to invest in some training, which was money well spent. I now understand how to use social media sites, what I need to be doing and how often. Admittedly I'm still learning but I now feel confident that I'm on the right track.
My advice to anyone about to start using Twitter, Facebook, Linked In etc is to find out how to use them properly at the start - it will save you a lot of wasted time!
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