Retail

Why it’s important to learn about retail

Retail training equips your employees with all the skills and knowledge they need to provide a solid customer experience. Without frequent training, your employees - even those who have worked in retail for many years - can develop bad habits, offer outdated information, and become frustrated at their lack of development.

With regular retail training, your employees will be able to:

• Communicate effectively with your customers
• Demonstrate sound knowledge and understanding
• Assist customers with their queries
• Ensure the safety of customers and colleagues
• Make sales and cross- and up-sell where appropriate

How to learn about retail

There are several ways employees can learn retail, including:

• Onboarding training - new starters, regardless of previous experience, will need onboarding training, which includes learning brand policies, processes, and procedures.
• On-the-job training - those with experience working in retail may already be comfortable with the responsibilities of their role so will be confident to learn as they go. Others who are new may also learn by jumping into tasks and picking up information as they go.
• External courses - classroom-based learning can be expensive, and often involves travel to a venue or head office. It can be useful but time-consuming and expensive.
• Books and videos - while these can be useful, they can quickly become outdated, particularly if related to health and safety or other policies.
• eLearning - online retail training is a convenient and flexible way for employees to regularly develop and upskill.

The benefits of taking a retail course

There are plenty of benefits to your employees taking regular online retail courses, not just for your employees, but for your business and your customers as well.

Benefits to your business

• Increased sales - with sales training your employees will be able to close more sales, as well as upsell and cross-sell, which of course brings in more revenue.
• More productivity - the more your employees learn the more skills and knowledge they’ll have, which will increase their productivity and efficiency.
• Ensure high health and safety standards - with regular fire, first aid training, and emergency training, your employees will be equipped to ensure the safety of themselves and your customers.
• Lower turnover - when you instill a development and learning culture at your business, you’re more likely to retain top talent. Promoting from within is also much cheaper than recruiting new employees.

Benefits to your staff

• More confidence and motivation - when staff receive more training they’re more confident in their roles, which in turn leads to more motivation.
• Career progression - the more staff learn, the more they’ll position themselves as candidates to receive promotions.
• Feel more valued - by providing training, you’re conveying to your employees that they’re valued.

How long does it take to complete a retail course?

The amount of time it takes to complete a retail training course depends on the topic and whether it’s intended for those new to retail or if they’re experienced employees looking to develop.

For example, some courses can take less than ten minutes to complete, such as Retail Top Tips. However, other courses that are more in-depth and cover several topics, such as Retail Sales Academy, can take around six hours.

Why eLearning is a great way to learn about retail

Learning and development not only has a variety of benefits to your business, your employees, and your customers, but online retail training is also a fantastic option for many reasons.

Cost-effective

In-person training can be expensive, however, because eLearning materials have already been produced and are instantly accessible, it’s far more cost-effective. Scaling up training is also budget-friendly, so whether you’re training one employee or a hundred, they can all learn from the same materials for an affordable price.

Convenient

Finding the time to train busy employees can be challenging. With online courses, employees can access their training as and when they have the time, whether during pre-booked sessions or even during the commute. eLearning is completely flexible, so training can be picked up and put down. With just 10 to 15 minutes of training per day, an employee can complete an hour of training in less than a week.

That means your employees can learn while having no interruptions to their daily responsibilities.

Track progress

Certain training modules, such as fire safety and first aid, may be mandatory. If your business utilizes a content management system, you can track how your employees are engaging with their training and provide additional support where necessary.

What are the best retail courses for your employees?

Whether new to working in retail or experienced managers, all of your employees will benefit from development. Here are a few training ideas for retail staff.

Retail courses for newcomers (and refresher courses for existing staff)

• Retail Sales Academy
• Operate Retail Technology
• Apply Safe Working Practices in a Retail Environment
• Working in Retail: Who is your Customer?: I've Got a Coupon for That
• Communicate in the Retail Workplace
• Retail Selling Skills - Body Language
• Retail Selling Skills - Dealing with Aggressive Behaviour
• Retail Selling Skills - The Importance of Listening
• Interact with Customers

Retail courses management

• Introduction to Leadership
• Developing your Leadership Style
• Fundamentals of Leadership
• Conflict Resolution
• Encouraging Team Communication and Collaboration
• Managing Customer Complaints
• Controlling Conflict, Stress, and Time in a Customer Service Environment

Can anyone take an online retail course?

Whether employees have worked in retail for many years, or they’re just starting their careers, everyone will gain knowledge and new skills through online courses. For those looking to get their first job, courses are a great way of showcasing your commitment and enthusiasm for a career in retail.

Interested in taking a retail course online with Go1?

Go1 has a wide range of online retail training courses that are available right now. If you’d like more information on how Go1 can help your business and how eLearning can benefit you, book a demo with a member of our team today.