Is employee training the key to excellent customer service?
Some people are made for a career in customer service, while others may not be best suited for a job that deals daily with consumers. However, that doesn't mean that valuable people skills cannot be learned by the latter group, and for retailers, offering training opportunities may be just the thing needed for providing exceptional experiences for patrons.
In a blog post, the National Retail Federation Foundation's Senior Director Angela Elder writes that merchants know how important it is to have staff members who know what excellent customer service is. Without these kinds of workers, businesses can set themselves up for failure as patrons will be turned off by bad service. However, Elder asserts that by offering training classes and seminars on best practices for customer service, merchants can boost their retention and loyalty rates by showing they are focused on caring for their shoppers.
Many big brands, such as Macy's, Starbucks and Wal-Mart, are following this method by providing educational opportunities for staff members to enhance their service skills. Elder writes that these companies are offering incentives for employees who participate, which is something that other retailers can do to motivate their workers.
"We see retail companies invest in new technologies, website features, and in-store experiences all the time to try to get ahead," she said. "It only makes sense that employee training programs are following suit."
