Are you hiring people with the right skills? On the surface, it may appear that hiring a salesperson for an entry-level position in a retail store isn’t too complicated. Sometimes, the person applying for the position may be young and lack experience working in a hardware store. Yet, if they are enthusiastic and willing to learn the job responsibilities, store owners may feel they are a good fit. With over half a million retail job openings each year in a competitive job market, interviewers may focus on the candidate’s availability rather than the soft and hard skills they bring to the table. The quick-hire approach may work for the short term. However, taking this route can be a mistake in the long term.
Retailing has evolved into a high-stakes game; store associates had two clearly defined roles in the early days. People were trained as cashiers or worked on the floor organizing inventory and displays. The phenomenal growth of online retailing with the consolidation of brick-and-mortar chains has heightened consumers’ expectations of a pleasant shopping experience. The sales staff is critical in delivering personalized service and leaving shoppers with a good impression of the store. Front-line associates are the first point of contact with customers and function as brand ambassadors for the business.
Physical Stores Have a Competitive Advantage
The ability to directly interact with customers is physical stores’ primary competitive advantage over operations that sell exclusively online. Shoppers want to connect with someone who can give them advice, express empathy, and help resolve problems. While chatbots are programmed to answer basic questions and fix common problems, customers often feel frustrated after interactions due to the limitations of the technology.
“While a frictionless, phygital experience across all retail touch points is the modern-day equivalent of the shop window of the past for brands, a fundamental (and often overlooked) element of delivering top customer experience lies squarely with store associates, ergo, the happier and more engaged your store associates are, the better the customer experience they’ll provide and the happier the customer will ultimately be,”: wrote Robbie Dewling, director, product management, Manhattan Associates, in a blog post. Putting an emphasis on direct customer interaction should not be underestimated by retailers.
Hire People with the top Four Retail Service Skills
Consumers make it clear they have high expectations when shopping in-store and online. While they enjoy shopping in physical stores, they demand good customer service, properly arranged merchandise, and a clean shopping environment. Customers want to engage with products to find out if the items meet their requirements and work for their lifestyles. The store’s associates can determine if the shopper leaves the store feeling great, upset, or indifferent. However, if you hire people with the four service skills listed in HireVue’s 2024 Early Careers Report, there is a high probability customers will want to make a return visit.
Communication: Good verbal and written communication skills are essential for store associates who interact with customers. This is the first requirement for engaging shoppers and demonstrating enthusiasm for their visit. Without this critical ability, associates may have difficulties performing other essential skills needed in retail at an acceptable level.
Teamwork: Someone who struggles to work alongside others is not a good fit for the hardware business. Being a team player is a critical skill since associates must interact daily and build trusted relationships to accomplish the goals established by the store’s owners.
Problem solving: Store associates sometimes need to decide on the best course of action to solve a customer’s problems. This situation requires independent thinking and the ability to assess the situation prior to elevating the issue to management.
Strong work ethic. Someone who is frequently late for work or calls off at short notice has a poor work ethic. This is a problem in any operation but has a greater impact on businesses with a small staff. It’s important to set clear expectations during the job interview and be honest about work situations that may not be covered in a formal job description. Effective communication helps ensure that everyone in the meeting feels confident that they receive the answers they need to move forward.
Although the people you hire need additional retail service skills, store associates must possess the four skills mentioned here to be successful. Building a profitable hardware business requires effective leadership and identifying the soft and hard skills needed to create a pleasant customer shopping experience.
