Devan Moonsamy
It goes without saying that product knowledge is the key contributor in fuelling sales. You could have an amazing product but sadly due to a lack of product knowledge by your staff, you won’t be able to see the desired results.
The thing about being a customer is knowing you can put your trust in a sales person based on their knowledge of a product. This is a risk for employers especially when consumers can google just about anything.
Imagine a situation for the staff member when a customer seemingly has more knowledge than they do on a particular product. This not only makes the staff member look bad but the company as well.
Before we identify ways in which staff can learn their stuff we have to identify what exactly is it that they need to know.
Customers want information on price most times. But they also want to know guarantees or warranties, special features etc. They would also have questions around the product compared to competitor products. They would also expect information on the returns policy and other policies or procedures in your business.
So in light of this we should understand that there is a lot for staff members to keep track with. This means knowing the policies and products. And if they slip up in front of a customer it would be difficult to save that sale.
But never the less there are ways to help staff remain knowledgeable on the companies’ products and procedures.
– Give staff the opportunity to engage with the product. This means allowing them to familiarise themselves with it and having to put its features and function in their own words. If staff are comfortable with a product they would be more knowledgeable in its features and have more confidence when they need to pitch it to someone else. Giving them a chance to engage with the product and use its features helps them to improve their skills and knowledge on the products.
– As we know we swear by, experience is the best teacher. Staff and management should engage in hypothetical scenarios to share how they would handle a customer related situation. It’s also encouraging to give staff a chance to pitch a product to you. This shows us how they would sell it to clients and allows you to see what they need improving on.
– This is also a great way to get senior staff members or those with more experience to share ways in which they gather information on the products. Everyone has their own techniques and methods to meet customer expectations but if the correct method is used to gain product knowledge then staff won’t find it difficult to keep up.
– It is never a bad idea to test staff periodically. Having fun quizzes and incentives can encourage staff to be clued up on product knowledge. This means giving them a chance to play a fun game to test their product knowledge. Make it interesting by having some prizes and incentives that way there is motivation to keep up to date on the products.
-Training is essential. We shouldn’t assume that sales comes naturally to people. It is a skill just like any other and if a staff member struggles to learn about the product it will result in them being a talker without substance. Conduct regular training session for communication and product knowledge. Train staff on new products and display exactly what expectations are around the sales of these products.
Devan Moonsamy is the CEO of ICHAF Training Institute, a South African TVET College. He is the author of Racism, Classism, Sexism, And The Other ISMs That Divide Us, AND My Leadership Legacy Journal available from the ICHAF Training Institute.
The ICHAF Training Institute offers SETA-approved training in business skills, computer use, and soft skills. Devan specialises in conflict and diversity management, and regularly conducts seminars on these issues for corporates. To book a seminar with Devan or for other training courses, please use the contact details below.
Tel: 011 262 2461 | 083 303 9159 |
Email: admin@ichaftraining.co.za devan@ichaftraining.co.za |
Website: www.ichaftraining.co.za | www.devan-moonsamy.com