INSIGHTS
Retail has a secret weapon – are you using yours?

Online retailers have a lot going for them. Thousands of products at your fingertips, free one-day delivery, the ability to browse whenever and wherever the mood takes you.

But physical stores still have something that online options don’t, something that can make all the difference if you use it right. That thing is people.

Once upon a time, whenever you needed anything, from a toothbrush to a TV, you’d go to your nearest high street and browse the products available. You’d probably talk to at least one member of staff, either to help you make your decision or just to pay for your items.

Now, with the rise of huge (and often cheap) online retailers like Amazon and Temu, you can get everything you need and more at the click of a button, usually with speedy delivery, without even getting out of bed.

How can brick-and-mortar stores compete?

So the question is, how do brick-and-mortar stores compete with that? Why, in an age where our smartphones listen to us and serve us exactly what we want on a silver platter, would we waste our time and energy leaving the house?

Luckily for retailers, we’re human. We crave social interaction like we crave food. So, if we can find a true connection in-store, that might just make the trip worth it. That means your secret weapon is your people, and you have to train them to be the life and soul of your store if you want to make it.

‘Help us, frontline workers, you’re our only hope’.

The death of retail?

You only need to walk down any high street that was bustling and buzzing 20 years ago and look at the ghost town that likely exists now to get an idea of the shape retailers are in. We might not have experienced the retail apocalypse to the full extent of what was predicted in 2017, but brick-and-mortar stores are certainly not the be-all and end-all they once were.

Some people seem to believe that online retailers are no real threat, and are going as far as to confidently state that ‘physical stores will prevail’ in the face of the growing e-commerce market.

But I wouldn’t be as bold as that in the current climate. I believe that physical stores absolutely can prevail, but they’ll really need to put the work in to do so. That starts with knowing what customers want and how you can optimize your training to meet their needs.

What brings customers into stores?

1. Service

It wouldn’t be fair to say that customers never interact with other people when they’re shopping online. They might chat with an assistant (usually virtual, then human), email a customer service rep, or pick up the phone. But if we’ve learned anything from virtual meetings and Zoom parties, it’s that nothing can substitute speaking to another human face-to-face.

Of course, the draw of seeing and talking to another human being isn’t going to be enough to bring customers in. The experience needs to be top-tier. That doesn’t mean going overboard and rolling out a red carpet for everyone who walks into the store, but it means making sure your frontline staff are on the ball when it comes to spotting customers’ needs and making sure they’re met.

2. Expertise

One of the best things about shopping online is the choice, but that can also be overwhelming. How many times have you searched for something simple like ‘HDMI cable’ only to be bombarded with 4K, 48G, high speed, ultra high speed, mini, micro, ethernet, HDMI to USB-C, HDMI to VGA… It can be overwhelming if you don’t know exactly what you need.

The benefit of heading into a store should be the expert staff who are able to understand your needs, answer any questions, and point you in the right direction based on superb product knowledge, bringing clarity to the buying process.

Making the most of your secret weapon

Just because someone is an expert in the product they’re selling doesn’t mean they have the customer service skills to provide a great shopping experience. And just because someone is naturally skilled in customer service doesn’t mean they have the knowledge needed to guide customers toward the product they need.

The magic comes when staff get the training they need to bridge their knowledge and skills gaps, creating frontline teams who can offer a valuable and enjoyable in-store experience that keeps customers coming back for more. Plus, helping your staff become great all-rounders is how you can get the best out of smaller teams.

What about sales?

Money makes the world go round so, of course, you’ll want your staff to be great at selling. Luckily, the best salespeople have excellent product knowledge (expertise) and interpersonal (service) skills. Rather than training frontline staff to ‘sell, sell, sell’, teach them the subtle art of sales through service, understanding their customer, and upselling without being pushy. These skills make an excellent sales team maketh.

How can game-based training help?

1. A safe place to fail

When you’re training staff to develop their customer service skills, you want them to be able to practice in realistic but low-pressure situations. While role-play scenarios have long been the go-to for this kind of training, virtual interactions are the new standard.

2. Personalized learning

With AI-powered coaching and learning pathways stored on one central learning management system, each member of your team can access the training they need based on their role, strengths, and challenges, with instant feedback.

3. Training in your pocket

Working in retail can be full-on, meaning it’s rare to find large blocks of time for e-learning or training workshops. Bite-sized, mobile-friendly modules allow staff to refer back to their training anytime, anywhere.

Ultimately, if retailers want to keep their physical stores open and remain successful in the long term, they have to take training seriously. It’s sink or swim time, and high-quality, personalized training is the buoyancy aid that will keep brick-and-mortar stores afloat.