The retail industry is extremely competitive, and stores need to do everything they can to attract and retain customers.

Sales associates are a key part of this process. They are the face of the brand and are responsible for creating a positive shopping experience for customers. In fact, in many cases, they are the first and last point of contact with the buyer so they can make the difference between a shopper returning to the store or taking their business elsewhere.

Sales associates are responsible for more than just ringing up purchases. They also help customers find the items they are looking for, offer advice on products, and provide excellent customer service. By offering training on your brand, you can keep your brand top of mind. Retail sales associates are the tie breaker between you and your competitor. When an RSA can relate to your brand in a deep way, understand your product, and its competitive advantage, the likelihood of your product being recommended increases.

To ensure that your sales associates are providing the best possible service to customers and representing your brand in the best light, it is important to provide them with proper and engaging training.

This is especially important considering research from Middlesex University for Work-Based Learning, which indicates that 74% of employees view a lack of training as the primary impediment to achieving their best at work. Furthermore, 89% of untrained salespeople do not meet their targets.

To put it simply, investing in training will bring about incredible results like:

1. Increased Sales: When sales associates are trained, they learn how to better identify and meet customer needs, resulting in increased sales for the company.

2. Improved Customer Service: Well-trained sales associates provide excellent customer service, establishing trust and loyalty with customers that can lead to repeat business.

3. Greater Efficiency: Properly trained sales associates can work more efficiently, completing tasks in a shorter amount of time while still providing quality customer service.

4. Reduced Costs: By training sales associates effectively, companies reduce the number of mistakes made by employees, saving time and money.

5. Reduced Turnover: Your bottom line will thank you for investing in training, which can reduce your turnover rate, with a return on investment that is 5 times the original investment.

6. Enhanced Performance: Well-trained associates outperform those who are not by 103%.

By heightening retail sales associates’ product knowledge and teaching them how to effectively communicate with customers, you can help turn them into brand influencers who will help drive sales and promote your brand!