5 Reasons to Consider an Online Training Solution for Retail Employees

For consumers, brick-and-mortar store employees are the faces of most retail brands. Therefore, it's critical that consumers have a positive experience every time they come in contact with your staff. A robust training program can provide employees with the knowledge and techniques they need to ensure customer satisfaction.

Depending on what you sell and how your staff encounters shoppers, your training needs will vary, but retailers of all types face common challenges — and opportunities. Here are five ways an online customer service training solution can improve your business:

1. Anytime learning eliminates scheduling issues. It can be a challenge to get employees together for face-to-face training, particularly if your staff works different shifts. An online training program that can be accessed 24/7 allows employees to complete modules when it's convenient for them. It also eliminates any transportation issues.

2. Online learning ensures consistent training in high-turnover environments. Retail stores tend to have high turnover rates. This means new hires are constantly coming on board, each one requiring training. An e-learning program makes training modules available to new hires, helping to get them up to speed quickly. It can also boost morale and employee engagement.

3. E-learning is ideal for geographically dispersed teams. Retail organizations such as large chains or online merchants with employees operating worldwide have special challenges since it's expensive and impractical to schedule training conferences or arrange classroom sessions in multiple locations. Online training eliminates the scheduling and travel expenses, saving your company money.

4. Online training enables central training program control. In retail operations, training directors often manage programs across multiple locations. Online training can help them design and manage programs for use across the entire organization from a centralized location without requiring travel or coordination with each operation.

5. Self-paced e-learning typically yields better results. Employees have different learning styles, so mass training in a classroom may not work best for those who need extra time for modules or are at differing competency levels. Self-paced online training allows employees to focus on modules in a stress-free environment and complete learning on their own schedule while still enabling retailers to enforce overall completion timelines.

No matter what they're selling, retailers need to ensure their employees have the proper training and knowledge levels they need to project a positive image for their company. An online training program can be a fast, affordable way to manage your training needs and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.

Sameer Bhatia is the founder of ProProfs.com, a provider of comprehensive online tools for building, testing and applying knowledge.