Unlike most sales, the average life cycle of a retail sale in a store is 20 minutes. Where an untrained employee will do little more than showcasing products and reading features off of the box, a well-trained salesperson will engage with a stranger, build quick rapport, decide which benefit will sell with little knowledge of the customer’s needs, overcome objections, and most importantly, close the deal.
Any retail training will have three essential elements—Onboarding, product knowledge, or customer delight (soft skills). However, the content and delivery method will be anchored on the learner’s operational level, their readiness and receptiveness to different training delivery methods, and learning infrastructure investment.
A timed and measurable, clearly defined performance metrics is as critical as the training itself to assess the level of skill transfer and learning outcome. The assessment result further determines the need for reinforcement and the design of the performance support module.