Customer Service
Why it's critical to enhance retail associate culture, training
As consumers flock back to brick-and-mortar retail stores, brands are facing challenges as the holiday shopping season kicks in. There's not enough staff and employed associates are not engaged with shoppers. But there are solutions and strategies retailers can easily and quickly deploy.
October 29, 2021 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
As consumers flock back in brick-and-mortar retail stores, eager to resume the physical shopping experience, retailers are facing a big challenge with holidays just two months away.
The ongoing labor shortage across the U.S. means fewer store associates to help customers, and that means fewer opportunities to engage and interact with shoppers and less chance of creating a loyalty bond to boost customer return trips.
And then there's the current retail sales force and the big segment that aren't committed to the brand store or the brand's values or even the idea of engaging with customers beyond the "hello'" when a shopper steps in.
That's as dire a situation as store associates play an invaluable, critical role for any brand as customers have very high expectations and can be more than flighty when it comes to loyalty. In fact some recent studies revealed consumers jump ship when expectations or interactions aren't high quality — leaving merchandise in the cart both in store and online and heading to another retailer.
But there are solutions and strategies retailers can easily and quickly deploy to develop a customer-centric culture within the workforce that can prove to be a win-win for the customer, the retailer and the store associate.
Putting customer-centric into action
Engaging store associates is about connecting associates with the brand and those who love the brand — customers. One strategy is encouraging employees to take risks to meet customer requirements and push boundaries further.
"Communicating the importance of delivering these good customer experiences and what this means for the wider business can also help teams to take ownership and responsibility for these areas of work," James Alty, founder and managing director of Apteco, said in an email interview. Apteco is a software development business specializing in marketing data analysis.
On the brand level, it's about keeping up to date with smart data analysis and CRM platforms, said Alty.
"This ensures that the full team is on the same page; understanding the status and segment for each customer will help service delivery to run more smoothly."
Store managers should be nurturing key traits in team members, he added.
"For example, being flexible and adaptable are both essential skills needed when changing approaches in order to meet customer needs and unpredictable circumstances," he said.
The value of tools, training
Another good strategy is ensuring that the frontline workforce is given the right mix of tools land training as it enhances their role as well as the shopping experience.
"As retailers gear up for the new year and continue to reimagine strategies, they have to make sure their frontline workforces are equipped with the right mix of tools and training to ensure they are cared for and customers get the shopping experiences that are most comfortable to them," J.D. Dillon, chief learning architect at Axonify, stated in a blog post on Retail Customer Experience.
"Sales and promotions will not win over customers alone in 2021. Safety and efficiency will not only drive revenue, but they will also make or break a retail brand moving forward. Frontline associates must have the knowledge and confidence needed to set the stage for continued retail evolution in 2021."
Some brands are already on the path to boost employee and customer experience.
Dollar General has launched employee training via Axonify to provide personalized business learning and development to its more than 157,000 frontline, supply chain and corporate employees. The platform is mobile-enabled and will allow Dollar General to employ a people-first device strategy through existing systems and mobile devices.
Supermarket chain Kroger has a personalized training program to spur deep associate engagement and retention. It's about improving associates' experience and building an environment where everyone wants to thrive and advance. Through a program app, associates can access personalized training quickly in the course of their day. Each associate's training experience is tailored to their individual needs and knowledge gaps via the app using gamification.
"This past year and a half has been extremely challenging for retail organizations and their staff. Employees have been forced to navigate the stress of uncertainty of massive layoffs, with almost 2 million workers losing their jobs during the pandemic, and a record-breaking number of employees leaving their jobs — in April alone 649,000 retail workers quit. Furthermore, labor shortages are putting more pressure on current employees to do multiple jobs and work more hours than usual," Dr. Natalie Baumgartner, chief workforce scientist at the Achievers Workforce Institute, shared in an interview with Retail Customer Experience.
Baumgartner offered up study statistics regarding how associate engagement is invaluable for both recruiting associates and keeping them.
"Creating a sense of belonging and welcoming employees into the workplace is a necessity for every retailer," he said. "Research from the Achievers Workforce Institute found employees who are warmly welcomed and invited to be part of their organizational community are twice as likely to feel a sense of belonging. The same report also discovered employees with a strong sense of belonging are twice as likely to say they would recommend their company to others and that they rarely think about looking for a job elsewhere. Highlighting that a welcoming environment is an important asset for both retention and recruitment."
About Judy Mottl
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