Turn your retail employees into customer-service heroes

Successful retailers know that exceptional customer service lays a solid foundation for customer loyalty. Stellar service not only satisfies and retains existing customers but also influences new ones. Happy customers who share their experiences are powerful brand advocates.  

When excellent service is supported by a strong loyalty program that cultivates a sense of belonging among your customers, you have a virtuous cycle that encourages repeat business, boosting both immediate sales and long-term business growth.

But this is only possible if you have the full support of your employees. And the key to empowering employees is providing them with the tools and training they need while also creating an environment that values their contributions and fosters their growth – supported by the technology they need to make this a reality.

Here are five ways you can use a digital training platform to get their buy-in and support.

1. Start with training

Start by communicating your brand’s core values. If your employees don’t understand these values, they cannot project them in every customer interaction. Use storytelling as a tool to make these values resonate with your team – it is easier for people to learn from real-world examples.

Then, schedule regular training sessions and provide access to a knowledge base to give your employees in-depth knowledge of the products or services you offer. This may seem obvious, yet many retailers fail at this point – and no customer likes dealing with a staff member who lacks confidence and cannot provide accurate and helpful information.

This is where a software-as-a-service training platform like NTT DATA’s Syntphony Learning Tech is useful, as it offers personalized learning programs, gamification and robust analytics. Interactive learning, social learning tools and virtual classroom features make learning both engaging and comprehensive. Our Supplier Training Platform even extends the training to your supply-chain partners.

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Similarly, your employees must understand the intricacies of your loyalty program so they can explain the benefits and procedures to customers. Role-playing exercises can be an effective way of preparing thloyem for various types of customer interactions relating to the loyalty program.

If you don’t have a loyalty program yet – or you have one but it isn’t working as well as you’d like – you can use Syntphony Loyalty to create and manage one. This platform includes features like tiered membership levels and real-time marketing tools for fostering long-term customer relationships. It can also be integrated with Microsoft 365 and your sales and payment systems for operational efficiency.

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2. Keep up the motivation

Arming your employees with knowledge is only the start: they also need to feel motivated to provide excellent customer service.

Empower your people with some autonomy to make decisions, handle various customer complaints or customize a service. Autonomy creates a sense of ownership, and this enhances the quality of customer service that someone provides.

Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas and feedback. Open communication can lead to innovative ideas for improving customer service and loyalty.

Constructive feedback on their actions and decisions is equally important, as it helps them improve and learn from their experiences. When employees feel supported, they are more likely to go above and beyond for customers.

Technology can help here, too. For example, the gamification elements in Syntphony Learning Tech include challenges and leaderboards that increase motivation and engagement. Employees can even create their own training content, which helps create a culture of sharing and innovation.

3. Reward employees for great service

Regularly recognize and reward your employees for exceptional service – both small wins and big achievements. This can be done through public acknowledgment in staff meetings or through internal newsletters, for example.

You can also implement an incentive program – think bonuses, gift cards and extra time off – that directly correlates with customer satisfaction and loyalty metrics. Understand what motivates your employees individually and tailor rewards accordingly.

In the long term, monetary rewards also take the form of clear paths for career advancement tied to the delivery of great customer service and the ability to cultivate customer loyalty. This not only motivates employees but also helps retain top performers.

Syntphony Learning Tech can be of assistance with programs tailored to recognize and reward outstanding employee performance. Among other features, the platform’s gamified elements motivate employees by introducing competitive elements that are fun and engaging.

4. Measure your progress

How will you know whether your efforts are paying off or whether you need to adjust your strategy? Conduct regular surveys to gauge employee satisfaction and engagement. This feedback will help you understand and improve the impact of various initiatives.

You can also develop programs aimed at increasing employee engagement, such as team-building activities or personal development workshops.

Along the way, analyze how changes in employee engagement are affecting customer loyalty and retention. This will help you refine your strategies to better serve both your employees and your customers.

The analytics produced by Syntphony Learning Tech provide insights into user behavior and learning outcomes, so you can intervene in time to keep training on track if needed.

5. Add services to stay ahead of the pack

When learning content is fresh and engaging, your teams are more likely to use the platform you’ve invested in to stay up to date with the latest product information.

In addition to the Syntphony platform itself, which we can rapidly deploy, NTT DATA offers additional services that covering the entire digital learning experience, such as custom content creation, platform management and the development of learning strategies tailored to your specific needs.

Ensuring your employees have access to the latest information on industry trends, product developments and company policies equips them to handle customer queries effectively and demonstrates your commitment to their ongoing development and progress.