9/23/16
Inspiring your sales staff to perform at their best helps retailers achieve higher profitability in the competitive consumer retail technology marketplace. Low self-confidence can reduce the effectiveness of sales associates, limiting their ability to interact with and to provide valuable information to customers.
The right training programs provide your sales associates with the in-depth information they need to communicate with customers and to provide the right in-store support.
Providing your team with the opportunity to learn about the products and services offered at your store can boost not only their confidence in dealing with customers, but also their ability to provide useful information upon request.
Any product training offered should be meaningful and rewarding. Learning materials should provide valuable information about new products, cutting-edge technologies and trends.
Training needs to deliver general sales strategies and tips that can generate greater confidence in real-world situations that occur on the sales floor. This training is ideal for younger members of your sales staff who may need a little extra help to make the most positive impact on your customers.
Ideally, product knowledge training should be measurable and reinforced with some type of reward system. The more knowledgeable employees are, the more confident they will feel when interacting with customers and fellow associates. Rewarding them for learning is a great motivator, and rewards can be as simple and inexpensive as saying, “Great job!”
Assigning a mentor or a sales coach for newer members of your team provides them with the guidance they need to develop their skills and achieve their goals and those of the business.
Choosing the right mentor or coach is essential. In some cases, one of your more experienced staff members may volunteer for the task or may be the obvious choice to train newer additions to your sales team. Managers serving as mentors to top sales associates helps prepare them for coaching and mentoring duties of their own in the future.
Taking time out to recognize staff members who achieve exceptional results in customer service and sales can provide valuable motivation for your top performers. It can also serve as a motivator for associates who may be lagging.
Applaud and praise smaller gains and improvements among those still acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to sell devices and other products effectively. By offering incentives and recognition for improvements in performance, you create a team environment that will serve your brand well.
Empower your sales team by providing them with the tools they need to succeed while removing roadblocks that make it harder for them to experience success. When possible, allow sales associates to make decisions about their jobs or offer suggestions to improve operations and customer experiences.
These are the types of things that make employees feel valuable, and feeling valued is very empowering. Empowered employees are generally more successful in their roles and in the case of associates, this translates into more sales and better customer experiences.
Many of us lack self-confidence when we are in unfamiliar settings or situations. As we learn more and become more familiar with situations, our confidence improves. Lack of self-confidence can be detrimental to job performance, particularly for those in sales or those who must have one-to-one interactions with customers.
Those in management positions have the power to create an environment in which sales associates can learn and thrive. Take time to find the best ways to increase the confidence levels of your sales team members.
The Intel® Retail Edge Program is an excellent starting point for building confidence and expertise among your sales associates. By providing the right training opportunities and motivating your staff members with positive feedback and reinforcement, you can ensure the best performance among these key members of your retail team.
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