Customer Service
Frontline retail preparedness will go a long way in 2021
JD Dillon, chief learning architect, atAxonify, explains why retailers need to make sure the frontline workforce is equipped with the right mix of tools and training to ensure they are cared for and to also ensure customers get the most comfortable shopping experience.
January 8, 2021 by JD Dillon — Chief Learning Architect, Axonify
Frontline retail workers are tasked with handling the majority of annual sales each holiday season. But 2020 was not business as usual.
We've seen significant pivots in how retailers try to attract new and current customers as retailers looked for strategies to help them overcome COVID-19 restrictions. Online ordering, contactless and curbside pickup have been critical. Hot ticket holiday items, like the Playstation 5 and Barbie Signature 2020 Holiday Doll, and everyday items like holiday lights were hard to find. These changes to the traditional holiday shopping experience created confusion and frustration for customers who were already concerned about their safety.
Retail associates have been on the frontline of the pandemic for more than nine months. Most are bone tired. Some are nearing their breaking point. 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.
The 2020 holiday season was a stress test for ongoing retail preparedness and agility. To make sure the frontline continues to execute, operational strategies must include the following considerations.
De-escalation tactics. Retailers have been experiencing a rise in upset and abusive customers. Everything from mask requirements to product availability will push on already-frayed nerves. Every customer situation is different, but retailers must protect and enable their associates with training and guidance on how to safely resolve these situations. Employees should be equipped with a checklist of de-escalation techniques, including how to recognize a potentially difficult situation before it gets worse, how to approach an upset customer with empathy and when to get help. Getting proactive about this unique and timely service issue will provide the confidence boost associates need to provide the best possible customer experience.
Focus on frontline fatigue. Retailers can take additional steps to reduce the stress and fatigue being experienced on the frontline. Associates must receive clear, reliable, timely communication as restrictions, processes and promotions shift. This includes digital messages that can be accessed away from the store so they aren't surprised by changes when they come in for their next shift. Managers must provide work schedules as early as possible so employees can proactively handle their finances while also arranging for childcare and transportation. Managers can also reduce fatigue by making sure associates take breaks, including scheduled lunches as well as brief timeouts after overwhelming situations.
Provide backup. It doesn't matter if they've worked in the store for six months or six years. Frontline associates have never faced challenges like this before. They need help dealing with safety protocols, customer demands, pop-up concerns, etc. Make sure managers are front-and-center so they can be relied on for additional support at all times. Prioritize ongoing training and reinforcement so employees build the new skills and habits they need in this new retail environment. Schedule enough people to handle potential unexpected surges in volume, especially as a result of new online ordered and curbside pickup options.
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.
JD Dillon is chief learning architect at Axonify
About JD Dillon
For 20 years, Dillon has worked in operations and talent development with some of the world’s most dynamic organizations, including Disney, Kaplan and AMC. At Axonify, he builds technology, content and services that enable frontline employees around the world to do their best work every day.
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