As we are now emerging from lockdown, it may be that an instore expert is the retail asset that aids the recovery. It’s clear there are retail casualties. Bankruptcy, job losses, you name it – the high street is going to get the thick end of the wedge. There is no doubt, those retail operations that emerge are likely to rely on a key part of their team.
What is an instore expert?
An instore expert is a shop assistant who has had a professional level of training in the products sold in store. The highest level of expertise is the kind of person that would say – they are a guru. You ask them a question about a product in the store and they have a detailed, encyclopaedic knowledge that is both informative and helpful.
Instore experts are crucial assets in retail right now
The knowledge they possess represents valuable corporate knowledge inside in the high street. Good retailers have invested in training programs. Some of these experts are the ones giving the training. Importantly, these people are beyond a shop assistant, they know how to sell your product better than many of your marketing tools.
They see the reactions of shoppers when they push new product features, so they know intuitively what customers want. When retail doors reopen, they will be able to read the customer on the ground better than any survey or statistic. They can judge how to get sales across the line in a socially distanced environment.
The best operators are yielding results from their human capital. Well trained human capital converts ten times better than a self service website. that’s quite a difference. Smart businesses are listening to what retail experts are reporting back to head office, they are equipping these resources with the tools that they need.
What are the tools an instore expert can use to aid growth?
Here is a list of the top toolsets available to the modern retailer.
- Clienteling tools
- Immersion tools
- Remote interaction tools
- Cueing tools
- Report ordering tools
In each of these toolsets, shop assistants will excel if they have strong product knowledge. Interactions are higher quality, more intense and come with greater expectations from shoppers.
Confer With provides best in market toolsets, planning and resourcing solutions to aid high quality retail interactions online.
