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When you go to the theatre, you are captivated by the actors’ skillful performances and the smooth unfurling of the story they are portraying. It is easy to forget that it took months of rehearsal to achieve this effect and make the audience laugh, cry, and gasp with surprise.
Your store is your stage; you, too, need to prepare it for action. Here are a few ways to show your customers that you are ready and qualified to serve them.
Know your products
If you worked in a self-serve store, your job would consist in stocking shelves. As a sales consultant, however, your work involves much more than that. It is vital to know your products and your line of business well.
Consult websites, read books and magazines, and take courses in your field. You have to be a sales expert to advise and serve your customers knowledgeably.
Know your stocks
How do you think your customers feel when you look for a product they have requested and discover that it is not available? To avoid frustration and lost sales, it is important to know which merchandise is in the store, which is in the back-store, and which is on order.
At the beginning of each workday, take stock of the merchandise in the store and back-store. Take a look at order forms, too, to know which items you should be receiving soon.
When you know your inventory, you don’t waste time suggesting unavailable products to customers, and you can answer their questions better.
When customers ask you when you expect to receive a particular item, it is safe to assume their interest in the product. If you have developed a good rapport with the customers and convinced them of your expertise, and if their need is not urgent, then they will place an order for the product and wait until it becomes available.
Know your company’s policies
When you were hired, your employer undoubtedly informed you of the company’s main policies. The full range of policies is usually found in the store’s reference guide, including the dress code, the returns policy, customer service, etc. Take time to read it carefully so that you can inform your customers properly. They want precise answers, not vague guesses.
Know your competitors
Customers are increasingly well-informed, and they shop carefully. Before buying an item in your store, they often visit all your competitors to see what distinguishes your product from other similar goods on the market. To answer your customers’ questions about competing products, I recommend you visit the stores that sell them. You will learn a great deal about your competitors’ sales approach and customer service, as well as about their products. Maybe you don’t feel comfortable with this idea, but there is really no reason to hesitate. Don’t be afraid; your competitors have probably already visited your store!
Know your computer system
The computer system provides essential support for you and the rest of the staff so that you can all work efficiently. But you have to know how to use it!
When customers come into your store, they are often in a hurry. You can serve them better if you know all the cash register functions and can receive payments or provide refunds as quickly as possible.
MATERIAL SUPPORT
Material support includes all the tools you can use to make your job easier. Make sure you have everything you need to work efficiently before the store opens for business.
Advertising and promotional materials
Have all your advertising and promotional materials ready, as well as any other documents you might need. Put them in a place where customers can’t miss them, and make sure you have enough to distribute as needed.
Registration forms
If you offer membership cards or payment plans, your registration forms for them must be ready and easily accessible.
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
The physical environment of your store is important to customers. If the store looks neglected or if your displays are half-empty, customers will be less tempted to come in and look around.
Dress code
Some retailers have a dress code to create an impression of uniformity and familiarity from one store to another. Make sure that you know your company’s requirements and that you respect them.
Cleanliness
It might not really be next to godliness, but cleanliness is important. In the retail business, this implies minor tasks like keeping the sales counter neat and picking up any odd objects and papers lying around the store. Your sales floor has to be clean and tidy to be attractive to customers.
Labelling
The price tags on your products must be clearly visible to customers, and the prices indicated must be correct.
Samples
If you offer samples or have testers in your store, they must be near at hand and in excellent condition. Make sure testers are clean, well-filled, and in good working order.
In this article, you have seen how to prepare yourself and your store so that you can receive customers properly in an attractive environment for them and a well-ordered workplace for you.
Now that you and the store are ready, it is time to welcome your customers!
Copyright 2007 - Daniel P. Baril
