Skill school

Those keen to effect change to combat the current climate of candidate shortages are increasingly looking towards retail training firms to provide a solution. But does the cost and effort involved translate to a happier workforce? Samantha Docherty investigates.

Lingerie Powerhouse Pleasure State goes to great efforts to prove it has genuine feelings about its customers.
Placing 18 specially-trained staff throughout Myer's top nine stores when it launched its shop-in-shop concepts across Australia in 2006; the Sydney-based brand employed the services of a business training firm to teach its new recruits that 'Customers Are Really Everything (CARE)'.

In hunting for what she terms "perfect" sales assistants, Pleasure State national retail manager Stacey Christie says the brand "needed women at the front line who represent the brand and what it stands for".

Utilising People in Progress' (PIP's) three-day CARE program - focused on all aspects of customer service, communication, attitude, selling skills and personal development - Christie says personnel proved a key factor in choosing the business training company above others.

"They are very customer-focused and very inspirational. They not only teach how to serve but also how to sell (without being pushy), which is important. They really helped create a culture we were looking for."

As well as giving a comprehensive understanding of the sales process and effective attitude and behaviour philosophies, the main objective of the program is to create confident, articulate salespeople focused on listening to the customers needs, giving them what they want and closing the sale.

PIP founder Terry Hawkins believes the secret to a successful business and relationship is to find out "what a person wants and give it to them".

"The ragtrade so emotionally affects someone's being. The only way to achieve long-term success for the company and [employee] is to create an emotional connection with the customer. When a customer comes into your store you have the opportunity to make a positive impact on their life for a few moments. Some may say this is a lot of mush, but when companies get that, their growth goes through the roof."

Hawkins says post training, companies need to realise that what their staff have learnt needs to be constantly refreshed. If not continually reminded staff will have a honeymoon period then go back to old habits, she argues.

Tanya Hamersfeld, chief executive officer at PIP competitor Corporate Training Australia (CTA), has seen an immense increase in fashion clients investing in their teams.

"We have been operating for 11 years and the demand for training (not only with our fashion clients but also our general retail, hospitality and corporate clients) is now at an unprecedented high."

"The reason is simple. We are currently experiencing the most significant candidate shortage this country has seen in more than three decades. Companies have realised they have to offer career advancement and education to keep their staff. It's no longer enough to just be a 'hot brand'. You have to be a great place to work with perks and a social conscience."

Hitting its tipping point mid-to-late last year, Hamersfeld says CTA was flooded with demand from fashion companies wanting to train their sales staff on how to move the relationship with customers from just transactional to making the customer's journey more enjoyable, intimate and interesting.

Offering a fashion styling program, the course encourages a higher and more meaningful level of service by empowering team members to take responsibility for the customer experience. To look at the customer and ask questions that will guide the sale.

"First we explore the purpose of the purchase", says Hamersfeld. "For example is it for a first date? Is it for an engagement party? Both of which are exciting times and worthy of a discussion. Then we encourage the team member to get personal and recommend items that will enhance the best features of the customer and hide the parts they feel less comfortable with. Women's self esteem is strongly linked to how they look and helping a woman to look her best is a fantastic service."

Taking the experience from merely being transactional to becoming interactive and meaningful, it's far more likely to encourage repeat business Hamersfeld argues.

"Not only is the demand for training higher but companies are really investing time and energy into ensuring that the training is targeted and meets the needs and desires of their team members."
She says smart companies are spending millions of dollars on assessing the level of employee interaction with customers.

Teaching engagement as part of all her programs, Hawkins finds having people who are empathic and sensitive, not only to their customers but also to each other within the company, creates engaged employees.

"Engagement is an outcome rather than a destination. It's about creating the big picture mentality, and that is why empathy and knowing how to connect to others is a vital part of our training. Successful businesses have people who not only care about their own individual success but also that of their greater community, such as customers, fellow team mates and the overall company."

National bodywear brand Metalicus is one such believer.

Improving skills across the company and teamwork within its departments, Metalicus says its strives for improved communication, team building, multi-skilling, confidence and motivation among its staff when undertaking a training program.

The Melbourne-based company also provides personal training and yoga to staff which, according to Metalicus' general manager Julie Milnes, helps in assisting health, motivation and teamwork.

"The more connected [staff] are the more likely they are going to be enjoying their jobs and also motivation increases which increases output from staff."

Spending four per cent of total staff costs on training, customer care and fashion styling are an ongoing part of the fashion company's training program, particularly in the retail part of the business.

"As the company is growing rapidly, the activities within the company are evolving and most staff [need] to take on new skills and responsibilities. Training is very important for staff to feel competent and confident with taking on new challenges", declares Milnes.

Glad to see "engagement" is now a very hot topic for employers, Claudine Rochecouste, managing director of business solutions company HRIQ, feels achieving "employee engagement" is so much more than a training course can provide.

"It really requires a total review of human resource management (HRM) systems and strategy. This is what I would normally do for my clients prior to offering 'engagement training'. However, I do see value in tailoring leadership workshops to focus on 'engagement skills' provided the organisation already has all the other essential employee engagement ingredients ticked off."

Rochecouste, previously an executive HR manager at national retailer General Pants, cites open communication, strong leadership, regular performance feedback, employee opportunities, clear performance expectations and goals as some of the necessary employee engagement ingredients.

Company values and vision, accountability, mentorship, internal career paths and the importance of performance and results, are also key points retailers should be instilling in their staff to achieve a successful business, she says.

"I have always been a huge advocate of training and the integral role it plays in engaging employees into the business. In my many years of experience in executive HRM it was a big cultural piece to the organisation. Training and development would always come up in employee surveys as one of the top three things employees valued in their place of work or the reason they stayed. It has to be interactive training, face to face, and tailored to specific company needs.

Training needs to be totally aligned to company objectives, context and culture to be effective."

By Samantha Docherty