Selling is not the only thing you have to train employees - tanTALK

Teresa · 08-17-2002, 09:00 AM

I seem to always get caught up in training my new empoyees sales tactics. Althought this is a very important part of becoming a great employee, I need to remind myself there are other things to teach.
Product knowledge: They cannot sell a product if they cannot teach a client how this product would benefit them.
Greeting and thanking clients: Some younger employees especially need coaching on this. We greet EVERY client upon arrival with a hello, lots of variations on how they say hello. But I'd never not ever hear an employee say "what is your client number?" before they have used some type of greeting. We also make an attempt to say goodbye, thank you, have a nice day or something along that line to every client as they leave.

njchica · 08-17-2002, 09:23 AM

another EXCELLENT post Teresa! You need to train your employees for everything...

how should the beds be cleaned?
how should the present your packages and options?
how should they inform customers about the benefits of using lotion and what the unique features of each lotion are?
how should they answer the phone?
how should they dress for work?
how should they punch in/out?
who should they approach if they are having some kind of problem?
how should they request days off?
how should they handle difficult customers?
what should they say when a client brings in an unapproved lotion or something off of the internet?
what should they do in the event of an armed robbery?
where should they take their breaks?

I used to make a checklist with all of these topics and we'd check them off as we reviewed them. An employee was not considered fully trained until the entire checklist had been completed and signed off by a manager.

As you've said before, some of this stuff may seem like common sense to YOU since you live and breathe tanning, but to a new employee it's a whole different world.

I used to be afraid to even look at what we "had in" or what our sales goals were for the day when I was a new-hire. I thought it was none of my business. They sure fixed that one quickly!!!

BooBop · 08-17-2002, 10:27 AM

Yes, these are excellent reminders for us. I too, forget that they don't know this stuff and sometimes it can cause a problem.

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08-17-2002, 09:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
Teresa Join Date: Dec 29 2001 Location: Davenport, IA Age: 60 Posts: 2,432 Rep Power: 25	I seem to always get caught up in training my new empoyees sales tactics. Althought this is a very important part of becoming a great employee, I need to remind myself there are other things to teach. Product knowledge: They cannot sell a product if they cannot teach a client how this product would benefit them. Greeting and thanking clients: Some younger employees especially need coaching on this. We greet EVERY client upon arrival with a hello, lots of variations on how they say hello. But I'd never not ever hear an employee say "what is your client number?" before they have used some type of greeting. We also make an attempt to say goodbye, thank you, have a nice day or something along that line to every client as they leave.

08-17-2002, 09:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
njchica Join Date: Mar 17 2002 Posts: 674 Rep Power: 23	another EXCELLENT post Teresa! You need to train your employees for everything... how should the beds be cleaned? how should the present your packages and options? how should they inform customers about the benefits of using lotion and what the unique features of each lotion are? how should they answer the phone? how should they dress for work? how should they punch in/out? who should they approach if they are having some kind of problem? how should they request days off? how should they handle difficult customers? what should they say when a client brings in an unapproved lotion or something off of the internet? what should they do in the event of an armed robbery? where should they take their breaks? I used to make a checklist with all of these topics and we'd check them off as we reviewed them. An employee was not considered fully trained until the entire checklist had been completed and signed off by a manager. As you've said before, some of this stuff may seem like common sense to YOU since you live and breathe tanning, but to a new employee it's a whole different world. I used to be afraid to even look at what we "had in" or what our sales goals were for the day when I was a new-hire. I thought it was none of my business. They sure fixed that one quickly!!!

08-17-2002, 10:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
BooBop I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 5 2001 Age: 66 Posts: 7,766 Rep Power: 28	Yes, these are excellent reminders for us. I too, forget that they don't know this stuff and sometimes it can cause a problem.

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