Most C-level executives and senior leaders admit to having little to no contact with Front-Line employees. The Front-Line Manager is typically responsible for 80% of the workforce, playing a critical role in the productivity of the whole team. The power of data-driven Front-Line Managers in retail is endless and a key to success. Sales and customer service representatives, delivery drivers, stock managers, and everyone involved in producing products can all fall under the auspices of the Front-Line Manager. Front-line employee experience will determine the customer experience you deliver, your customer loyalty, and ultimately the performance and competitiveness of any retailer.
“Access to quality online learning is an important step in helping people future-proof their skills and seek new opportunities for growth and development.”
Some of the critical skills of Front-Line Managers in retail:
Organization skills to keep track of tasks
Communication skills to ensure a clear message is being transferred
Decision-Making skills to continue independently
Time Management skills to better delegate priorities.
It is therefore vital to upskill the front-line manager to create more productive and engaged teams, to make better decisions for the right development plans, and to take action where it counts. For all this, data is critical!
Front-line managers rely on reports to guide their training and track progress. Using data from reports, they can ensure that their staff is equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to provide exceptional customer service and drive sales. Additionally, it is well reported that an employee who feels well trained and knowledgeable, will last longer and feel more interest in their performance. Furthermore, Mckinsey retail leaders suggest a strong linkage between front-line performance to bottom-line outcomes.
Reports from training tools, like Enabley, are vital for front-line managers to:
Quickly onboard and easily identify areas for improvement
When there are so many products for all employees to get to know quickly, it is important to have a system of training for line managers to track that employees have been trained. This is especially vital when required to onboard new employees regularly. Product knowledge is vital for frontline employees and to ensure that ALL employees are up to date and familiar with every item listed. Reports help Frontline managers track employees’ product knowledge or gaps.
Measure the effectiveness of training programs
By tracking employee performance in training and sales figures, managers can directly assess whether their training efforts positively impact the business. Information that can be used to refine training programs and track deliverables to executives.
Monitor employee performance
By analyzing metrics such as product knowledge, and training attendance records, managers can identify employees who are excelling and those who need additional support. This information can be used to provide targeted coaching and development opportunities strongly linked to staff retention.
Using mobile technology for training in retail
With the huge importance felt towards customer experience, mobile technology is critical for retail. Constantly training and upskilling a deskless team can become time-consuming and difficult to monitor. When it comes to deskless employees, especially in retail, mobile training ensures the team is kept up to date with the latest news and products. Mobile training is additionally more convenient and accessible for employees who may not have easy access to traditional training methods, such as in-person sessions or printed manuals. Mostly, mobile training in retail helps businesses stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers.
