TRAINING ESSENTIALS

You have to work hard, and to a cohesive plan to get you staff working as a team. Professional training is a vital element in running a successful ands upported business. Helena Cotter is the expert in the field

One of the largest costs for a small business is having to rehire and retrain staff because research shows a whopping 45% of employees leave a company within the first 90 days.

Therefore, high quality training is great for enhanced staff retention and reduced absenteeism, whether it be ongoing sales training, product knowledge training, industry training or procedures training.

Any training you offer gives your team a fantastic opportunity to expand their industry knowledge and display courage and tenacity on the sales floor and behind the scenes.

Essential training in a busy retail environment

It will help them improve their job skills and become even more efficient and effective in your business. They’ll learn in a consistent and systematic way, negating the trial and error costly way of learning.

STANDARDISING WORK PRACTICES

This is the way to ensure that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet. Learning about your professional ethics, values, policies, business morals and goals will give your team the assurance they need to do their jobs well.

Applying and following the same guidelines and foundations with their own personalities on top, makes for a happy team and we all know a happy team = happy customers.

Despite the cost, the return on your investment can be immense and guaranteed provided training is dependable and relevant.

Training will help with performance appraisals and reviews. Any areas individual staff may need extra help with can be identified, improved and solutions worked towards.

You’ll be able – where applicable – to move team members up the ranks with extra training; taking on more responsibilities and goals.

Excessive supervision and checking up will become unnecessary; you will feel assured you can spend more time actually running your business which is a fulltime job in itself!

When you invest in your team it shows them they are supported, appreciated, and valued. They will not only feel like better workers, but will feel like more productive members of the team. Ongoing investment improves morale, motivation, and work capabilities.

You’ll be letting your team know exactly what is expected of them, where you want your business to go, and how they can help you reach the top of your game – all together.

Being known for looking after and training your employees will help you attract and retain the highest calibre of staff and further, increase confidence and trust as far as your customers are concerned.

WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING WILL SUIT YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS?

SALES TRAINING

It goes without saying that anyone who steps onto your shop floor should feel safe in the knowledge they have all the tools needed to help them achieve.

On the job training and shadowing helps, but nothing compares to an outside professional trainer coming in to help your team hit the ground running.

Sales can be seen be seen as a dirty word. It shouldn’t be! The reasons you are in business are, I imagine, varied. Being successful financially and literally I am sure are right up there in your long-term goals.

So sales success should be regarded as a good thing. Don’t be shy when shouting about success. Be proud of your team, your prices, and your business.

The bridal retail selling environment is totally different today therefore ongoing sales training will help you stay one step ahead of any competition.

Your team deserve to learn how to help you reach and maintain your top slot as the number one bridal retailer in your area.

Learning the best possible skills to enhance what they do will show in your sales figures. Winging it by throwing them in at the deep end is probably not a good idea.

Today’s bride is very buyer savvy. They know if they are being manipulated or pushed. Customers love to buy and be sold to – well. They’ll be able to determine very early on if the person who is serving them isn’t confident or knowledgeable. This tends to be when guests take over an appointment (we’ve all been there!) and the poor member of staff gets swallowed up.

Customers want to know they are dealing with an expert. Sometimes though, they will defer to the person who appears to know more, and that may not be the staff member who is with them. This eats away at the trust and rapport you’ve worked hard to build.

Offering an elevated, superior buying experience will have your customers talking about you for all the right reasons and grow your standing in the industry.

Your team will love putting new ideas, best systems, processes, and fresh knowledge into practice. You’ll find your staff will work harmoniously together as a tight knit team. PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

Being on the sales floor can be a learn-it-on-the- job type of arrangement. However, sending a team member out there without sufficient knowledge can be viewed by customers as inefficiency and they may doubt their abilities. On that basis alone, they’ll probably decide not to buy from you irrespective of how good a price/deal the gown appears to be. MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Over 35% of managers do not receive adequate ongoing training. Training to manage a boutique and a team is paramount, preparing them for more responsibilities and managing all aspects of the business.

Working with different personality types, team dynamics, people who work at a different pace and who take in information and duties in different ways, and being able to manage – that is vital.

Dealing with customer complaints, managing customer expectations, analysing team roles, working with multi-generational staff members, inclusive leadership and working wellbeing team training, setting goals, maximising performance, building trust, providing support, communication to the owner and the

team, thinking creatively, delegation. There are many, many hats a manager needs to wear in this role. Training them to prepare for it is highly desirable. SYSTEMS, IT AND ONLINE SAFETY Do you use a computer to book appointments, to order your gowns, to run your diary? If so, it’s very important your team are familiar with all the technology needed to run a modern bridal boutique. Training should be ongoing. PROCEDURES I am a firm believer in a procedures manual. The go-to file/folder with everything in it. Any one of your team should be able to access it and know how to do their jobs in your “Being known for looking after and absence or when left to their own devices. training your employees will help you attract and retain the highest calibre SOCIAL MEDIA This is so important in today’s of staff and increase confidence and world. Social media is hot to trot and you’ll need to be firing trust as far as your customers are on all cylinders to succeed concerned.” in delivering your message. Creating a cohesive message across all social media and instore will help create the best for your customers. Due to the nature of most social media, younger staff will have a good handle on how to use it for maximum effectiveness. You can see the full list of in-house, online and live chat courses available to you here: E: info@helenacotter.co.uk W: helenacotter.co.uk Insta: hccoaching Twitter: @HCSalesTrainer Linkedin: Helena Cotter Tel: +44 (0)1582 451238 +44 (0)7896 944759 Book a free business consultation at the Harrogate show: 11–13 September, 10am–4pm The Morrison Suite, Hall Q The Harrogate International Centre.