Admin
Staff training and educational updates are one of the most important aspects of any business, but unfortunately, they are also one of the most easily overlooked during busy seasons or when everything appears to be going smoothly—at least from the perspective of store managers and owners.
However, customers may have a different point of view.
I think we’ve all had times when we’ve been disappointed in a retail experience because of poor or untrained customer service. It doesn’t even have to be because of something intentional. It can simply be a matter of store staff not being encouraged to play to their strongest abilities, or a lack of regular training updates. Those experiences illustrate a basic principle: If you want to have a vibrant business that is truly plugged into your community and fosters an ethic of well-being, investing in your staff is one of the best strategies you can follow.
Let’s face it; even with the best team, it’s always a good idea to review staff training and make those sessions a regular part of your business operation. It will not only make your store more successful, but you’ll find that more education is something employees genuinely want. In fact, one of the biggest complaints from new hires in any line of work is that there is a lack of training.
It’s understandable that employees would be frustrated—after all, without an understanding of procedures, products and practices, how could anyone know what’s expected of them or their workplace’s operating philosophies? That’s why I think there are definite ways to ensure your staff knows what is best from Day One, and that they are ready, willing, and able to learn and grow.
So, how can you coach, educate and improve your team’s knowledge and effectiveness? There are a few things to keep in mind. The good news is, you may already be putting them into practice.
Lead by Example: One of the most important things you can do is to lead by example. Be patient, knowledgeable, and approachable to your staff and customers. Let your team see you interact with customers and hopefully they’ll notice how you establish sincere relationships with them. Give your staff a model to follow!
Instill a Customer-focused Philosophy: It pays to always remember the big picture, and to encourage your staff to remember it, too. We know that the customer is our priority in any retail business. But how often does that idea get pushed out of our mindset when the day gets hectic or stressful?
So, continuing to review and improve expertise in the realm of customer service is a must. It is absolutely crucial that nobody on your staff becomes complacent regarding customers. After all, your customers are the ones who ultimately sign everyone’s paycheck. Your staff’s mission is to always make the customer feel truly welcome. Every person who walks into your store needs to be greeted genuinely, and your staff—which you’ve hired wisely and helped train—needs to have that in mind at all times. You’ve got to be willing to drop whatever else you’re doing and be there for them. Your customer doesn’t care if your delivery truck was late, if your guest speaker for the evening canceled, or if your assistant manager called in sick. Your customer’s experience needs to be as seamless as possible, whether you are experiencing a perfect day or not.
It’s key that your employees understand this, too. Because of their training, your staff should know that they have the freedom to take care of customers and not be criticized for taking time from stocking shelves or other routine business to go the extra mile for customers. They need to know they have the support from you and other managers to exercise some discernment about how to best help everyone who comes through your door.
Invest in Staff Training: How much does training boost the profitability of your store? More than many people may realize. A few years ago, a study commissioned by Wharton School of Business professors examined the value of employee training. They found that for every hour of training, a sales associate will see a 5 percent gain in sales. Overall, the more training an associate had, the better sales numbers for the business. Those who had training saw 46 percent more sales per hour than those who didn’t train. The researchers reported that about half of that boost in business was due to the type of employee: outwardly focused, personable, and naturally able to make connections.
But that still leaves 23 percent of those results based on better training alone. Interestingly, they also found that training across store brands lifted sales across the board. Of course, that makes sense—it makes it much easier to help customers compare one product to another and help them discover the best choice, based on their own needs. And with a well-stocked business, the variety of brands, supplement forms and dosage levels help make the conversations between your customers and team members even more important and only natural.
Additionally, two of the main takeaways of the Wharton study also reflect my own experience and previous recommendations: hire the right people and train them well.
Allow Your In-house Experts to Shine: After leading by example, mentoring and training, it’s critical to let your team show how valuable they are to your store’s success. Everyone has areas of interest in natural health, and if you have experts on your staff in any of them, consider yourself lucky. Not only will these star-player employees cultivate segments of the store’s business, but their enthusiasm will become contagious for your customers as well.
If there are health-related seminars or educational opportunities available, allow your staff the time (and, if possible, help them with budgeting) in order to experience them. Whether they are interested in nutrition or botanical-related classes, want to attend vendor-sponsored product webinars, or are considering branching out to add more knowledge to their skill set, the end result can be great for their personal growth and the success of your store.
Investing in proper employee training pays big dividends. And I’m not just referring to store profits, either. Your businesses’ in-store experts deserve to feel confident and have the freedom to shine. It enhances their lives, radiates out to every customer who they encounter, and will make a positive difference in a multitude of ways. I think that encouraging that is something to be proud of and is well worth the effort.
A Successful Store Is a Team Effort
There’s a well-known saying I’m sure you’ve heard before: “There’s no letter ‘I’ in the word ‘team.’” And that’s certainly true. But I also think that any successful team needs a good coach to bring out the best in every player. Likewise, I think that in order for any effort to be profitable, you have to make an investment. Whether that investment is in time, money, mentorship, or all three is up to you. My experience has been that investing in all three and in your team will pay off for your store, for their fulfillment, and for the lives of your customers for years to come.VR
A highly regarded leader in the natural products industry, Terry Lemerond is founder and president of EuroPharma, Inc. He also founded Enzymatic Therapy, Inc. and PhytoPharmica, Inc. and is currently co-owner of the Terry Naturally Health Food Stores in Green Bay & Suamico, WI, which recently won its eighth consecutive consumer choice award as “Best of the Bay.” With more than 50 years in the natural products industry, Lemerond has researched and developed more than 400 nutritional and botanical formulations that continue to be top-selling products in the market. Lemerond shares his wealth of experience and knowledge in health and nutrition through his educational programs, including a weekly radio show and newsletter, podcasts, webinars and personal speaking engagements. He is author of 13 books, including Seven Keys to Vibrant Health, Seven Keys to Unlimited Personal Achievement and 50+ Natural Health Secrets.
