J.D. Associates Retail POS Solutions Blog

Holiday Tips for Retailers - #5 Get the Most Out of Your Employees

  

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We talk a lot about "touch points" in retail sales. None is more important than your employees. Customers seek them out when they have questions, and that transaction alone can make all of the difference in making a sale. How your in-store employees think, speak and act can be your best friend or your worst enemy at the retail point of sale. Here are a few sure-fire ways to get the best out of your employees and maximize sales this Holiday Season.

Involve them in developing strategy, store layout and design

Regardless of their roles, your employees want more than to be told what to do. They want to be involved and to learn how to be  successful. The more you are willing to seek out their feedback and ideas, the better. Try to make them feel like members of a team with common goals and involve them in the process of setting up the store for special events. Ask them about their encounters with customers - what's working and what isn't. Which items are flying off the shelves and why. Ask for their opinions on sales strategies and best practices. By doing so you will improve morale as a whole, improve your relationships with them and instill a sense of responsibility and "ownership" that will translate into higher revenues.

Train them to understand your products and competitor products

You can't expect people to know how to sell your products without some training. Teach them not only what your products are but how they are best used and how they compare to competitor products. Require your staff to know their stuff through reading your website materials and brochures and asking questions. An uninformed sales person is a turn-off to any customer - it just says that they don't care about the product or the customer.

Observe your employees in action and offer advice to obtain better performance

Your veteran sales people probably don't need much supervision, but the less experienced ones do. You can't assume they will do well the first day and every day since. Try some role playing at first to see how they will do in different situations. Watch them during business hours, but be subtle about it. You don't need to hover, just be around and watch how things are going. Let them know that they can come to you for help if needed, and give them feedback on their performance after hours or prior to opening.

Don't forget to reward them for outstanding performance

If you have a great Holiday shopping season, spread some of the love around, especially to your top perfromers. Show that you appreciate their hard work and point out to them why they are receiving a bonus. Tell them how the store did and how that matched expectations. Let the team know how they did as a whole and make some recommendations for the next special events. This all goes back to effective team building which ultimately builds loyalty and improves performance over time.

For more great tips download your copy of our "8 Ways Retailers Can Have a Happier Holiday Season" guide.

Photo credit: lululemon athletica