A Training Module For Retail Srore 5fk4c

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Foreword

The present Training Manual is based on my observations I have made during my stay at different H.K.B express stores for last few days. It is apparent, when working with this Training Manual, that retailing and selling are more complex issues than it looks from the surface that need careful consideration. There have been successes in the past, this is true; but however, a careful observation of the present situation will make sure that competition is getting tougher & rigorous and in these circumstances we can¶t rely on yesterday¶s success. One result of participating in the training will be a growing awareness of the importance of sales and best possible practices for selling techniques at express stores and thus playing important role for sustainable growth of the organization. Fact sheets contained in the Manual provide a general understanding of the issues. Sharing experiences and applying the participants¶ knowledge and understanding will be even more important. The Manual includes some exercises which encourage participants to bring in their own experiences, share their ideas, and apply them to their own work situation. Furthermore the Manual emphasizes the importance of involvement of lower management, the holders of best knowledge, in the decision-making process This participatory process takes time, but it leads to more effective and sustainable results. And in the very end I want to it at this very early stage that this training manual would have a lot of mistakes and areas of improvements so hope you will try to ignore them considering my inexperience and lack of knowledge

| ||| Intern @ H.K.B Friday, July 23, 2010

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u| 3eneral room / space presentation u| oom should have capacity for at least 30 persons u| esources / quantities as per preparation sheet ± Handouts / Tools & Aids / Questionnaires / Notepads / Pens & Pencils/audios/videos/multimedia u| quipment working u| xist of participants u| Participant¶s Name tags u| Attendance sheets (two) u| üour watch

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u| èelcome music playing u| 3reet attendants & make them relax Tip? u| a u| è u| r 0.06

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| ||everyone is settled before you begin | yourself u| üour role u| auration you have been with the company u| How long you will be working with them as their trainer

u| Importance of this training module for them & their future session finish time | 0.18

participants to introduce themselves to the group before getting started them to say u| their name u| their role in the operations of the store | Tip| V

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u| xocation of toilets u| Other facilities like: èater / efreshments 0.23

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u| Mobile phones should be on Silent mode . u| Punctuality to be maintained ± report on time after the refreshment breaks u| Obedience and discipline is necessary during course time u| Participants are responsible for their action u| They can ask questions if not clear about any thing by raising their hands u| No discussion within groups unless there is an activity planned.| u| Seriousness and concentration is obvious| | Tip|

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$ slide. èhy are you Here?

!"# Sharpen the Saw Tell participants a short story that is relevance to this Concept ± Sharpen the Saw

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The Story goes like this: #: Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asks for a job with a timber merchant, and he got it. The Salary was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. : The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees "Congratulations," the boss said. "3o on that way!" Very motivated by the boss¶ words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. aay after day he was bringing lesser and lesser trees. "I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to his boss and apologized saying that he could not understand what was going on. "èhen was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."

#% - Invest in improving your skill If you go on only Selling products to every Customer at our Store you will run out of skills that you have gained from the previous experience or on this job and what will you do then? That¶s right you will have to invest in time and effort to gain new techniques and tricks to convince and delight customers in this ever changing business. Tell them, that¶s exactly what we are going to do in this session. It is more like learning from each other. I am sure we will learn mutually from each other. This is more like mutual exchange of knowledge and skills through this programme.

Now we will see what are the different areas that we will be covering during this session ""|$: The primary objective of this programme is: we want you to walk out from here Smiling and in-turn makes your Customers Smile with your Service.

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""|$&||In the end we have also included some |#!: èhat you will practice as a store in order to become successful at your job and career ± to become a successful express store employee ""|$: The whole module is divided into small topics so that it will be easy to understand and will be effective when you practice them as a whole. Please contribute your learning and experience as and when required so that we can make this session a process of knowledge sharing. equest you not to jump immediately if you know something in advance, however, you may raise your hands if you want to add a point that will be helpful for the group. To make it more interesting we will also be watching Videos and engage in activities.| 0.40

$|"#&||An Activity: Questionnaire

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In this upbeat activity, all attendants will fill a Questionnaire that is provided to them to check their Customer Service level in respect to our Customers. This is like the Customer Service personnel inventory. è$||'| Ask respondents to fill the Questionnaire with the following instructions below: Ask them, how they performed the task of filling the Questionnaire. Now do you know where you are good at and where you need to improve? Tell them: üou leave it here. This is just an exercise to know ourselves. ao not worry about it. All you need is to concentrate and participate actively to take more out of this programme. |

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These and concepts are very important to and must be discussed in details with the customer

- k R aiing The sale of goods or commodities in small quantities directly to consumers r r n iniin r- ric knwb r |(#|#|||||#(#)*|!|| gingah a ||!$#"!$)+| "Customer service is the ability to provide a service or product in the way that it has been promised" "Customer service is about treating others as you would like to be treated yourself" "Customer service is an organization's ability to supply their customers' wants and needs" "Customer Service is a phrase that is used to describe the process of taking care of our customers in a positive manner" "Customer Service is any between a customer and a company, that causes a negative or positive perception by a customer" "Customer service is a process for providing competitive advantage and adding benefits in order to maximize the total value to the customer" "Customer Service is the commitment to providing value added services to external and internal customers, including attitude knowledge, technical and quality of service in a timely manner" "Customer service is a proactive attitude that can be summed up as: I care and I can do." That is why generally speaking, one single customer service definition does not exist. xet's give it a shot anyway.

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Ti anag n 3enerally, time management refers to the development of processes and tools that increase efficiency and productivity

rchani ix The breadth and depth of the products carried by retailers |

1:00

Training cahi r

Before explaining how I will create training manual for cashiers, it is first necessary to describe the job of cashier. èorking as a cashier in a big store is a demanding job. The cashier enters the merchandise sold, totals the bill, receives money, makes change, handles cards, and gives receipts. The work is extremely repetitive and there is no margin of error in handling money. The cashier is required to focus precisely on an unending stream of details in a fast-moving environment with many distractions. There is the physical strain of lifting a large number of items over the scanner to make sure it automatically s the sale, with the danger of repetitive motion injuries. A cashier is dealing directly and intimately with many people. In spite of the best professionalism, good manners and eye , a considerate and empathetic demeanor, flexibility in response, and a diplomatic approach that seeks to please, some customers are rude, demanding, and even threatening. èorking in the public eye also puts a subtle pressure on the employee, because all of his or her behavior is being constantly scrutinized by the customers, as well as being monitored by the management. |ºb i A cashier in any field can expect some basic responsibilities. u| Cashiers most often complete transactions for customers and handle their money, u| Make change, and render receipts. u| Oftentimes a cashier will be responsible for counting and documenting the money received during the day in their till. u| Such as helping the staff with merchandising, sales, promotions, and shelf stocking u| Cashiers must help customers locate merchandise. The job of cashier is one that is often sought out because it requires a minimal amount of training. Aside from basic courtesy and math, Our Company can show them what they need to know about their computer in as little as an hour and a half. The more challenging aspects of being a cashier are often dealing with the customer, not with the money, as the cash software does most of the math and work for you. So, even though your typing skills should be sharp, the amount of time you'll spend dealing with the customer face-to-face means that your interpersonal skills should be even sharper. Cashier is the only person whom with every customer has to interact for a while or long so he must be very well trained l|-

aetermine the cashier¶s current skill level. Cashiers must be

skilled in customer service and basic math. Aside from these, cashiers must also be punctual to ensure that their computer is being manned, responsible to ensure that all security tags are removed, merchandise has not been tampered with and the tender is legal tender, ethically responsible with money and able to stand for long periods of time and lift heavy packages, often up to 25 pounds. l-

Make them aware of customer service. These include how to greet a customer at his table/counter, how far away he should stand from the customer (usually 5 feet), how to give the customer her total and change and how to handle any complaints or discrepancies in price or payment. If the customer has had to wait in line, thank them for waiting.

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3ive instructions on how to use the software & till. This includes how to open and close the cash box, entering the records, closing system for the night, scan an item, enter the item's bar code if it does not scan correctly and remove an item from the bill that has already been rung up. l- "

3ive them lessons on how to handle money and tender. This includes basic math skills, how to input how much money was handed to you into the record, how to run a debit or credit card, how to acknowledge discounts and how to handle price conscious customers. |

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3ive them lessons on how to perform other tasks a cashier may have to undertake. These include reloading phone cards, checking currency notes to ensure they're not counterfeits, bagging items, scanning heavy or large items and checking personal identifications during the sales of tobacco.. l- $

It's an important part of any retail shop, getting customers the right change quickly. Managers should spend major time training entry-level employees to get the right change back to customers, and cashiers use some common techniques to get good at cashing out buyers and selling quickly.

u| Count out loud. Counting the change out loud helps you keep track and also establishes between you and the customer how much they gave you. Problem customers may come back later, claiming you short-changed them on a large bill. Counting out loud takes care of this problem while helping you provide accurate change. u| Anticipate "tricky" customers. üou may have seen these tricksters before. Seniors are among the most enthusiastic testers of your math skills. | u| Set limits on giving change. If you're swamped with customers at any given time, you may need to tell them to provide cash as exactly as they can. üou can also refuse to give change for very large bills as a matter of cash flow security. Knowing your limits and managing unusual situations will help you become a better cash handler and keep you from being overwhelmed. l- %

u| Finally, thank the customer for their business. üou should always do this verbally. However, sometimes it may be appropriate to exceed the customer's expectations by a nice gesture of thanks. In many cases, it is great to give a chocolate or some other small item as a gift to a baby with the customer who has made a lot of shopping.



1:30

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The principal responsibility of a express manager is handling and overseeing all the day-to-day processes that are carried out in the store. He manages the product inventory, salespersons, goods for display, sales, etc. However, he doesn't manage every single record of a product, but roughly has a record of all products and the people who are responsible for managing the products. Apart from product and customer management, he also has to take care of the interests of the in his sales team, as they are the ones who are in direct with the consumers. The retail store manager is an individual who oversees the daily operations of a express store. That individual is responsible for overseeing the daily work of subordinate employees and sales staff ensuring that customers have a pleasant shopping experience and completing many other duties necessary to run the store in an effective and efficient manner. | è$||$|#||!#,#"##||| !|| %'| The position of express store manager is one that holds vast duties and great responsibilities. èe employ express store managers to maintain the overall quality and day-to-day

operations of the establishment. In order to learn more about the duties and responsibilities of a express store manager, it is important to highlight what in fact these individuals do on a daily basis There are many duties this individual is responsible for completing and each duty in and of itself is vital to the smooth operation of the store. These individuals are ones who make the store a success and it takes a strong manager to ensure that the perfect individuals are hired to fill sales associate positions, clerical positions and other important job titles. In addition to these tasks, the express store manager must see to it that each individual is adequately trained to fill their job title and supervise the work that they do throughout their employment at the store. Another important duty and/or responsibility of the express store manager deals with the money that comes into the store and goes back out as well. The express store manager is responsible for handling the turning in of cash at the end of each sales associate¶s day and is required to ensure that all the money is ed for in the end. In addition, a express store manager is usually responsible for paying the employees and ensuring that the paychecks match the hours worked by each individual. Attendance records are needed to be kept by the express store manager to ensure that all money which has come into the store is ed for and sales associates and other store employees are paid as they should be. Inventory is another responsibility of a express store manager. Since there needs to be goods in stock to sell, it is imperative that the express store manager check the inventory on a frequent basis and make sure that orders are in when they are supposed to be. In addition to checking express store stock and ordering goods, the express store manager also needs to be responsible for paying for the goods which are ordered as well as keeping track of how much is spent on procuring the goods. One very important duty of the express store manager relates to customer service responsibilities. From time to time, shoppers within the express store will ask to speak with a manager whether it is to issue a complaint regarding their shopping experience or provide a compliment to an employee or the store itself. The express store manager is the higher up individual in the express ranks who provides an ear to customers who wish to express either their pleasure or displeasure regarding an aspect of the store. Therefore, the express store manager must be extremely well versed in matters of customer service.

The express store manager is also the pertinent individual at an express store who confers with the higher up individuals on the corporate level. Since the express store manager is on the premises on a daily basis, they are the best individuals to let the corporate office know how that particular store is doing. This relates not only to sales but to employer-employee relations as well. This individual is also the one who handles occupational safety and employee relations within the store and relates any issues back to the head office. xastly, the express store manager is the person at a particular express store who may handle advertising and promotional displays. The express store manager is one who must make their individual store shine when it comes to presenting various promotions in a favorable and enticing manner. Although they may not be responsible for drafting the advertising materials, they should be knowledgeable in how to display the information so that it has the maximum amount of potential possible - ni r anag rǯr nibiii È| mployees training and development, performance È|

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management, payroll, and schedule workplace scheduling Store business operations, including managing profit and loss, facility management, safety and security, loss prevention Product management, including ordering, receiving, price changes, handling damaged products, and returns Team aevelopment, facilitating staff learning and development Problem solving, handling unusual circumstances

è$| |$|| !|| %'| There are a few things which the perfect express store manager will embody. One positive trait which makes a wonderful express store manager is an individual who has exceptional conversational skills. Since a main component of an express store manager¶s daily duties is to interact with customers and employees, it is very important that they know how to converse in such a manner which is courteous yet effective. xooking for individuals with this trait will help interviewers to find the best type of express store manager. Past experience is another important aspect which all express store managers should have. Although past employment may not be the only contributing factor to obtaining the best possible candidate for the job, it still is a highly desirable one. Choosing

a express store manager who has some past managerial experience will equate with less training that is needed and perhaps a more established and useful manager overall. Another trait to look for in a potential express store manager is professionalism. A professional store manager not only will benefit the customers who enter the store on a daily basis but will be a good morale booster for other employees as well. A professional express store manager does not have to be stuffy yet must know when it is the right time for serious behavior and when he/she can take a lighter attitude with both the customers and employees. A great express store manager should also have excellent analytical skills which may benefit the store the most. Since efficient math¶s & analytical skills is an important thing for express store managers to have since they will be working with money on a daily basis, it is good to have this particular quality. 3:30

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Test ± èhat is the purpose of your job ±| Is it waiting on customers? ±| Stocking shelves? ±| aelivering a great customer experience? ±| ducating the consumer? ±| Making a sale?

bj ci h rgra u| Shift the engagement with the customer from transaction to relationship building. u| 2nderstand and develop skills needed to delight customers at the store u| èhat can our Sales Agents get out of the Program| |

T h ab h irir in ß| üou are the First point of with the Customers ß| üou are the Store¶s image ±| Customers observe your personal grooming and grooming of your Store ±| Organized product display

±| Clean products on the shelf ±| 3reet customer saying ³|"||"#-

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ingac r ß| |"||"# or 3ood Morning/Afternoon/vening ß| 2se a warm and friendly voice ± be careful of the tone of your voice

nicaingwih r ß| U - èords ß| 38 - Tone & Pitch ß| 55 - Body xanguage !||,|$#"|##%|#$|$| | ß| Non-Verbal ±| Body language ß| Verbal ±| èords, volume, pitch and tempo

ha rwan?| ß| 2nderstanding customer needs is not always a simple task ß| The customer does not generally state what he/ she needs. ß| It is the SA¶s task to identify what exactly the customer desires

Twwa w can n ran r| ß| Questioning ß| xistening

i ningiiranb ca ß| to understand customer needs ± advising them the right product ß| to demonstrate to customers that you understand them ß| to expect future needs / unstated needs ß| customer satisfaction depends upon listening actively

nc r ri ß| ao you have«.?

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How much is«.? èhere can I find«? èhat goes with«? èhich product is better? How long will it last? èhen are you open? ao you provide home delivery?

- in aingwihc r ri 1.| 2nderstand / valuate query 2.| Answer query 3.| aecide whether you can answer the query, if ües, go ahead and help them 1.| Stop what you are doing if you can & help them 2.| 3ive the customer your complete attention 3.| If the customer wants to know where an item is located, 4.| escort the customer to the product, 5.| do not give direction how to reach that particular product or category

h n& annnw rh ' r ß| Inform the customer that you will get the assistance ß| scort the customer to the person who can answer the query È| xplain the customer¶s query to the person providing the assistance ± Validate with Customer È| If still not resolved ± scalate to the Store Manager

ighh c r| ß| Shift the engagement with the customer from mere transactions to experiences that build relationships ß| èhy is it important to aelight Customers? ß| etains customers ß| Increases referrals ±

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ngage very Single Customer Focus on the Floor xisten to üour Customers xook professional Product Features Must be xinked to Benefits Product Knowledge is Key Aim to be 2nique Know why Customer is leaving the Store without making a purchase

>.| ngaging with nthusiasm 10.|üou Must Ask Questions 4:00

|$& èhy do you think we should wear 2niform? How

r c r does a 2niform benefit us or our Customers? èhat is the a | importance of 2niform on the Floor?

: 2se the following situations to drive the importance of 2niform: Imagine you walk into a Store to buy a pair of clothes, and notice SA / Cashier dressed in the dark or are just trying to make a new fashion statement with his colorful and purple pants and a green shirt, do you think this will take your mind off from the buying mood or not? Or If you are sick or injured and find yourself in the hospital would you feel like your life was in good hands if the nurse was dressed in all black, ing the latest fashion trend? I am sure you will have double pain. üou would think twice. Here comes the doctor, a middle-aged man, slightly over weight, dressed in Jeans and a T-Shirt with a.O.A. (dead on arrival) written across the front of it. : The above scenarios will help you to create humor and also stress on uniform. |$& ao you what are the reasons for introducing 2niform in organizations? Acknowledge their responses.

""|$: These are some of reasons for introducing 2niform / aress at ITC or any organizations: Ô| 2niform/aress is important in a service industry like ours and that compliance to a dress code is a criterion for employee performance evaluation. Ô| Most companies agreed that dress is a significant factor in their companies success Ô| üour appearance shows your customers the "real" you. Ô| Promotes a positive company image to customers. ""|$: So give a greater service and image to our Customers

and follow simple guidelines like: (M2ST follow) o| o| o| o| o| o| 4:10

Store uniform is must èear clean socks every day. Shoes should be clean and polished Simple belts

Black shoes & socks 2niform should be Clean & ironed

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o| All Customers want to see our products in an organized manner rather than thrown here and there. If our displays are not maintained, customers think that we are lazy and not interested in customer service. very time you set your display right after the customers leave your store or aisle make other customers feel comfortable shopping in your aisle. o| "|$|!||$|$"| o| Cleanliness is next to 3odliness. It is always irritating to our Customer to see our products with dust and dirt on them. ao you wish to touch products that are full of dust even at home? No, we don¶t. How do you think Customers will? This is the least a Customer expects from our Store. o| ""|$& It¶s not just the Cleaning and maintaining the shelves but maintaining Personal Hygiene as well i.e. keeping yourself clean at all times that is equally important. o| ""|$& Personal hygiene is the first step to good grooming and health. Hygiene is more than just being clean -- it is defined as practices that help people keep healthy. o| Practicing good personal hygiene is smart for two reasons. First, it helps prevent people from catching and spreading illnesses and disease, which is of key importance when it comes to the office environment. Second, it helps people feel good about themselves and their bodies. o| Also , you are never completely well-groomed till you have conquered personal hygiene. verything about you must be completely clean. | 4:30

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o| Although you may be a cashier or even a store manager,

there are times when you have to pitch in and help stock. Just the following when stocking department store shelves.

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o| üou may not need to price the items before stocking the shelves. Part of your job in stocking the shelves may be to put price tags on the clothing. Alternatively, you may need to put the price on the shelves.



o| Find where the items go in the department store. üou must be aware of all the sections in the store o| 3ather the boxes that have the stock you need to put on the shelves. 2sually a handcart or shopping cart is your best bet for getting the boxes from the storeroom to the shelves. o| Open the boxes and check to see if price tags are on the items. If they aren't, find the price tags for the item you are stocking and attach them. After pricing they start putting the items on the shelf or hanging them on the rack. o| Select other items to stock. Sometimes you will have items such as books or candy that need replacing. o| The most important part of stocking grocery shelves is making sure you are stocking what people want to buy. Once you have what will sell, keeping your shelves wellstocked and organized is essential to a properly run grocery store. o| Bring your stock to the shelves. unning to and from the back room to the sales floor takes up valuable time and is a lot of work. üou can be more efficient with the stock right there on the floor. o| otate your stock. Place older items in the front and newer items in the back to prevent product waste. üou have to discard and take a loss on anything that expires; selling it before the expiry date prevents that. o| Face all items as you go. Facing means to make sure all the labels face forward and that all of the products are at the front of the shelves. If you don't have enough stock to fill the shelves, pull them all the way to the front so customers can easily see and access them. o| emove overstock promptly. xcess stock on the shelves or the sales floor makes the shop look cluttered and unorganized. It also prevents people from finding what they want. o| Clean as you go. This is especially important if you're stocking during business hours. Customers avoid messy

isles and dirty shelves. Pick up any packaging materials and wipe up dusty shelves and spills.

4:35

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Providing excellent retail customer service can be simple and very rewarding to both the associate and the customer if it is done correctly. èe all want customers who will buy our products as well as returning customers. One way to ensure this is to offer outstanding customer service 1.| Think of what it means to be a customer--what it feels like when you walk into a retail store. èhat do you expect from an associate? èhether you're coming in to browse, make a purchase or return an item you want the same quality of service--excellent. 2.| Start by dropping whatever you're doing when your customer enters. üour customer is your number one priority 3.| Smile. The very first thing a customer should see is a smile. This creates a warm and welcome first impression. 4.| 2se a welcome message. Say your store's greeting with a pleasant and upbeat voice. üour voice should not be monotonous, it should have inflection. 5.| Be consistent. very customer must be greeted.



6.| èe all shop. Think about what you expect from your own shopping experience. ao you want fast, friendly service? Be willing to provide the same for your store customers. Service with a smile you¶ll be amazed at what the simplest detail can do. U.| xisten queries of the customers carefully and answer them promptly with as much detail as possible so your customer has all the facts necessary. Could mean the difference between a sale or lost sale. 8.| èhen assisting a customer, listen with an open mind and open ears. Take notes when appropriate. >.| Be careful in order to complete the customer's request efficiently and error-free.

10.|If a problem arises deal with it promptly Show your customer you care and you're willing to fix it. ven if it means giving your customer a partial or full refund keeping a good reputation is one thing you need to strive for on H.K.B

11.|3ood Communication is a must. If there is something missing and out of stock tell to your customer let them know this and why. üou are dealing with a customer face to face talk with them honestly and keep them updated when necessary. 12.|Offer customers an incentive for buying your products. Pleasing your customers creates positive buzz and word of mouth travels fast!!! | | #!|.|è#%| u| emember you can't please everyone, do your best & move on. u| xeave timely & honest u| xisten to what your customers are telling you...read between the lines u| aon't 3ive 2p u| aon't argue with your customers u| Always smile. u| Always be polite and respectful. u| Be genuine. u| 3o above and beyond this list. u| aon't be afraid to get a manager if you cannot handle the situation.