Hire Sales Associates
Sales associates are the front line representatives of any business. The image they convey could have long-lasting effects on first-time buyers in your store. Hiring great sales associates is so important as they are the public face of your store. Sales associates assist your customers by helping them find the right service and product for them. They also handle customer complaints, refunds, and returns.
While understanding that the sales associates can make or break your customer’s experience, you need to take your time in the hiring process for sales associates. They might be required to walk and stand for extended periods, which could involve a lot of physical stamina. So, what should you know before you hire one?
How to Hire a Sales Associate?
Hiring a sales associate for your business or company should be manageable if you keep in mind the following requirements. You have to ensure that the person you are employing can maintain a positive attitude and that they can focus on satisfying the customer. The usual channels for hiring a sales associate are through online posting sites, an agency, or referrals.
The job of a sales associate differs from company to company, as do their duties. However, there are universal factors to be considered:
The minimum level of education that is preferred by most employers for the position of a sales associate is either a high school diploma or an associate's degree. However, there is usually a need for experience in retail sales.
Most of the necessary skills possessed by a sales associate are acquired on the job. These pieces of training include how to interact with any customer, understanding the security measures in place, operating cash registers, and implementing the store policies.
Depending on their experience, a sales associate might have also received special training in specific products and services.
The job of a sales associate is stressful and demanding. It requires standing and walking for long hours while also trying to satisfy the needs of the customer and represent your company well. Therefore, you need to employ someone who is in love with the job, believes in your company’s products or services, and has a cheerful working attitude.
The upbeat personality of a sales associate goes a long way in ensuring success within the company and with customer interactions. A higher level of sales should also be expected from a sales associate with an optimistic outlook and a positive attitude over time.
A sales associate must be willing to take responsibility for their success and must be able to put in the work to achieve set goals. Hiring a sales associate who feels a sense of personal responsibility in the growth or downfall of the company is wise.
Hiring a caring and responsible sales associate determines the outcome of your marketing and sales strategies. Encouraging these characteristics in your sales associates also improves interactions between your customers and your brand.
Hiring a sales associate that views education as a never-ending process is so important in the ever-changing world of retail sales. A sales associate that has a willingness to learn would always be well informed about the products and services of the company and ready for interactions with customers.
What is required of a Sales Associate?
A sales associate’s general list of tasks include:
- Greeting customers, responding to their questions, improving customer's engagement with products
- Directing and helping customers to products and services in the company or store
- Increasing the sales rate of the company or store
- Operating cash registers and managing financial transactions
- Having thorough knowledge of the stores' products and services
- Maintaining an orderly and professional appearance throughout the sales floor
- Introducing available opportunities and promotions to the customers
- Cross-selling products and services to increase the customer's purchase amounts
- Assist in the organizing, restocking, and maintaining of the store .
Skills and Qualifications of a Sales Associate
Due to the nature of the job of a sales associate, there are specific qualifications and skills you have to look out for when hiring one. These skills and qualifications would help them carry out their job effectively and efficiently. Some of them are;
- Flexible work schedule
- Good knowledge of the usage of cashier systems
- Familiarity with a point of sale
- Cheerful working attitude
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Willingness to learn
- Attention to details
- Ability to walk and stand for long periods
- Exceptional customer service
- A sense of consideration and empathy for customers
These skills will ensure that the sales associate can function appropriately and efficiently in the work environment, and you, the employer, won't have any issues whatsoever.
Hiring a sales associate should not be tedious. If you have any trouble, consider posting a job listing on sites such as Glassdoor and Indeed. This strategy would help you pick from a bulk of candidates that are well experienced and educated. You can also go through an agency or get a referral from a trusted friend or family.
