The #1 reason why customers don’t come back to a store is the staff’s attitude. 14% don’t come back because they’re not satisfied with the product. And only 9% don’t come back because of the price. The stats don’t lie. In fact, they prove that your sales staff can make or break your retail business. This August at The MAGIC Seminar Series, top fashion consultant Mercedez Gonzalez of Global Purchasing Companies filled us in on her tips for recruiting a world-class sales staff. Learn more here...
The #1 reason why customers don’t come back to a store is the staff’s attitude. 14% don’t come back because they’re not satisfied with the product. And only 9% don’t come back because of the price.
The stats don’t lie. In fact, they prove that your sales staff can make or break your retail business. This August at The MAGIC Seminar Series, top fashion consultant Mercedez Gonzalez of Global Purchasing Companies filled us in on her tips for recruiting a world-class sales staff.
Here are 5 of her tips that may save you time, money, and serious hassle..
1. Recruit people who aren’t looking for a job.
As top headhunters know, the most valuable employees often already have jobs. Gonzalez likes to recruit people from Starbucks explaining, “You can train anybody in fashion, on sales, on merchandise—but you can’t train anybody to be nice, or friendly, or outgoing.”
2. Hire people who are looking for a career.
Retail is notorious for it’s high turnover rate. Gonzalez says, “People who are looking for a job are not going to stay. You want people who want a career, who are willing to hustle.”
3. Write a detailed job description.
You may have hired the best people, but never assume they know what to do or how to meet your expectations. You need to have set guidelines, policies, and procedures—everything from what to say when you answer the phone, to how to process a return and close the cash register.
Gonzalez suggests, “Have a notebook and write down for your whole year everything you would have wanted to happen and how you would want it handled. That is really the best way to write your operational procedures and employee manual.”
4. Train your staff in sales, styling, and crisis management.
“Every single crazy person is going to come to your store, ” says Gonzalez, and anyone who’s ever worked in retail knows that’s true. Prepare your employees for scenarios that aren’t just fashion or sales related and empower them to make decisions that benefit your business.
5. Have checks and balances
62% of loss is due to employee theft or carelessness. The statistic is staggering, but many losses are preventable. Set up a system where employees check each other’s bags before they leave a shift to ensure your inventory isn’t being stolen.
6. Create an atmosphere where people want to work.
“In so many countries, a salesperson is still treated as the lowest form of employment,“ says Gonzalez. But it doesn’t mean you have to treat them poorly as their boss. The most successful business owners know, you recruit and keep top talent by making your company a positive and fun place to work. Praise people for a job well done, offer them incentives for sales, and most importantly, lead by example with a postive and hard working attitude. The more you can keep your talented salespeople happy, the more likely they are to stay—and the more likely your business is to thrive.
