Sales Associate

· Fair & Lovely · Lakme · Lifebuoy · Pureit · Rin · Surf Excel · Vaseline · Wheel Nirma: This domestic household care brand of India is known for manufacturing detergents, soaps, soda ash and many more home care goods, which even include various types of personal care products. The detergent named as “Nirma” marketed by this home care brand has touched around 8, 00, 000 tonnes that is world’s one of the hugely sold volumes. Procter & Gamble This fortune 500 company is of American origin. Known since years back, some of the products related to household care that are largely used by the people of India are provided below: · Ariel 2 Fragrances · Ariel Front – O - Mat · Head & Shoulders · Pampers · Pantene Pro V · Tide Bar · Tide Detergent Reckitt Benckiser: Specialized in surface care and laundry care, Reckitt Benckiser brand is mostly famous for the home care related products, names of some of which are mentioned below: · Colin · Dettol · Easy-Off Bang · Harpic Power · Lizol · Vanish Shakti O2 In addition to the introduction of small sized pack of Vanish at low price, the re-launching of Harpic Power in the year 2006 with the new Opti Thick formula made this company boom. Inclusion of Vanish Crystal Whites during the month of November in 2007 in their list of laundry products even contributed to the overall growth of this brand. 101 101 101 101 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 101

SESSION 54: PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS Personal care products in India, being a kind of consumer oriented business, constantly try to cope with the modern and latest requirements of the inhabitants of the country. This industry mainly concentrates on the manufacturing of products related to personal hygiene and beautification. During the past few years, India’s personal care industry has witnessed a remarkable growth because of the growing hygiene awareness, increasing income level and mass media penetration. Being one of the chief FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) constituents, these products include cosmetics, soaps, hair care products, skin care products, shampoos, perfumes, oral care products and many more. Top Personal Care brands in India To meet the daily requirements of the huge population of the country, many national as well as multi-national companies are involved in the manufacturing and marketing of varied personal care products. They contend each other to provide the best quality products to their customers at an affordable price. Following are some of the best personal care brands in India, which are being widely used by people: ITC Limited:Based in Kolkata, one of the major metropolitan cities of the country, this Indian conglomerate has been growing rapidly in the national market of personal care products. Manufacturing of varied kinds of personal care goods is a part of their business though. The name of this company features in the Forbes 2000 list. Johnson and Johnson:With its name shown in the Fortune 500 list, this American company is known for manufacturing different kinds of baby care products. Being a pharmaceutical company, Johnson and Johnson even manufactures several types of medical goods and devices, which are packed for people’s consumption. This top most reputed manufacturer of personal care products in the world is famous for manufacturing products like baby powders, face washes, first aid products, contact lenses, baby powders, diapers, cream, oil, shampoo and numerous other personal care as well as baby care products. Apart from this country, this brand name is stretched over fifty six other countries. Procter and Gamble:This is one of the top most personal care brands in India. With a huge array of personal care goods, Procter and Gamble provides a huge array of personal care goods, among which a customer can easily choose his or her required products. Gillete is one of the well known brands of this company that has got products like razors and numerous other kinds of products related to personal hygiene. To name a few more products of this company are Ariel, Head & Shoulders, Tide, Pantene, Vicks etc. 102 102 102 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 102 102

Colgate Palmolive India:Based in Mumbai, this personal care brand manufactures products like toothbrushes, toothpastes, tooth whitener, shower gel, fluoride therapy and varied other products for the treatment of skin as well as mouth ulcers. Godrej Consumer Products Limited:Known for several types of personal care items like hair color, toilet soaps, liquid detergents etc. Godrej operates mainly from Mumbai. They manufacture soaps on contract as well. To name a few of their popular brands are Cinthol, Ezee, Fairglow, Nupur and many more. Hindustan Unilever Limited:Headquartered in the city of Mumbai, HUL or Hindustan Unilever Limited is the manufacturer of personal care goods like soaps, detergents, cosmetics etc. Some of the mostly used products of one of India’s biggest exporter are Lakme beauty care products, Lux, Lifebuoy, Rin and Surf Excel. Marico:This Mumbai based company has got many personal care brands, which are quite famous inIndia. Some of the popular personal care products manufactured by them are Aromatic, Hair & Care, Kaya, Mediker, Nihar, Parachute, Revive, Saffola, Shanti, Sundari, Sweekar etc. Session 55: FIELD VISIT Session 56: GENERAL MERCHANDISE General Merchandise is considered to be items not sold in the Grocery section of the store. Meijer considers supermarket items to be those found in the traditional supermarket and general merchandise to be those not found in a traditional supermarket. General Merchandise excludes the following*: Grocery, Household Consumables, Alcohol, Tobacco, Health and Beauty Care, Prescriptions, Gift Cards, Gas Stations and C-Stops, Lottery, Postage, Park & Entertainment Tickets, Prepaid Debit Cards & Reload Packs, In-store Businesses, Online Purchases, Licenses, Taxes, Meijer Extended Protection Plans, Bottle Deposit, and the products found at the Meijer outlet store *Please Note: Baby Diapers and Wipes are considered supermarket products, and therefore excluded from General Merchandise If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask any Meijer Team Member while in the store. 103 103 103 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 103 103

A general store, general merchandise store, general dealer or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general goods. The store carries routine stock and obtains special orders from warehouses. It differs from a convenience store or corner shop in that it will be the main shop for the community rather than a convenient supplement. Explain some of the examples of general merchandise General merchandise refers to a wide array of products commonly sold in retail stores. The simplest explanation of general merchandise is that it includes any non-food or non-grocery products. A general merchandise retailer is any store that sells mainly non-grocery items. Examples: Common categories that make up much of the floor space in a general merchandise retail store are auto parts, toys, apparel, home furnishings, clothing, electronics, cameras and film and telecommunications hardware. Discount and department stores offer many categories of products, while specialty stores focus on one or a few. According to retail outlet Meijer, groceries are excluded from general merchandise, as are alcohol, baby products, prescriptions, stamps, services and health and beauty items. 104 104 104 104 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 104

Session 57-58: CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR How many times throughout the day do people make product decisions? If you stop to think about it, many product decisions are made every day, some without much thought. What should I wear? What should I eat? What am I going to do today? Many product decisions are answered routinely every day and they help move the economy of cities, countries and ultimately the world. „ Provide value and customer satisfaction. „ Effectively target customers. „ Enhance the value of the company. „ Improve products and services. „ Create a competitive advantage „ Understand how customers view their products versus their competitors’ products. „ Expand the knowledge base in the field of marketing, „ Apply marketing strategies toward a positive affect on society (encourage people to support charities, promote healthy habits, reduce drug use etc.) The study of consumers helps firms and organizations improve their marketing strategies by understanding issues such as how The psychology of how consumers think, feel, reason, and select between different alternatives (e.g., brands, products, and retailers); The psychology of how the consumer is influenced by his or her environment (e.g., culture, family, signs, media); The behavior of consumers while shopping or making other marketing decisions; Limitations in consumer knowledge or information processing abilities influence decisions and marketing outcome; How consumer motivation and decision strategies differ between products that differ in their level of importance or interest that they entail for the consumer; and How marketers can adapt and improve their marketing campaigns and marketing strategies to more effectively reach the consumer. One “official” definition of consumer behavior is “The study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society.” Although it is not necessary to memorize this definition, it brings up some useful points: 105 105 105 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 105 105

Behavior occurs either for the individual, or in the context of a group (e.g., friends influence what kinds of clothes a person wears) or an organization (people on the job make decisions as to which products the firm should use). Consumer behavior involves the use and disposal of products as well as the study of how they are purchased. Product use is often of great interest to the marketer, because this may influence how a product is best positioned or how we can encourage increased consumption. Since many environmental problems result from product disposal (e.g., motor oil being sent into sewage systems to save the recycling fee, or garbage piling up at landfills) this is also an area of interest. Consumer behavior involves services and ideas as well as tangible products. The impact of consumer behavior on society is also of relevance. For example, aggressive marketing of high fat foods, or aggressive marketing of easy credit, may have serious repercussions for the national health and economy. Exercise 1. Customer behavior is influenced by a. Friends b. teacher c. Shop D. Price 2. Consumer behavior involves the use and disposal of products yes / No There are four main applications of consumer behavior: The most obvious is for marketing strategy—i.e., for making better marketing campaigns. For example, by understanding that consumers are more receptive to food advertising when they are hungry, we learn to schedule snack advertisements late in the afternoon. By understanding that new products are usually initially adopted by a few consumers and only spread later, and then only gradually, to the rest of the population, we learn that (1) companies that introduce new products must be well financed so that they can stay afloat until their products become a commercial success and (2) it is important to please initial customers, since they will in turn influence many subsequent customers’ brand choices. A second application is public policy. In the 1980s, Accutane, a near miracle cure for acne, was introduced. Unfortunately, Accutane resulted in severe birth defects if taken by pregnant women. Although physicians were instructed to warn their female patients of this, a number still became pregnant while taking the drug. To get consumers’ attention, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) took the step of requiring that very graphic pictures of deformed babies be shown on the medicine containers. 106 106 106 106 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 106

Social marketing involves getting ideas across to consumers rather than selling something. Marty Fishbein, a marketing professor, went on sabbatical to work for the Centers for Disease Control trying to reduce the incidence of transmission of diseases through illegal drug use. The best solution, obviously, would be if we could get illegal drug users to stop. This, however, was deemed to be infeasible. It was also determined that the practice of sharing needles was too ingrained in the drug culture to be stopped. As a result, using knowledge of consumer attitudes, Dr. Fishbein created a campaign that encouraged the cleaning of needles in bleach before sharing them, a goal that was believed to be more realistic. As a final benefit, studying consumer behavior should make us better consumers. Common sense suggests, for example, that if you buy a 64 liquid ounce bottle of laundry detergent, you should pay less per ounce than if you bought two 32 ounce bottles. In practice, however, you often pay a size premium by buying the larger quantity. In other words, in this case, knowing this fact will sensitize you to the need to check the unit cost labels to determine if you are really getting a bargain. There are several units in the market that can be analyzed. Our main thrust in this course is the consumer. However, we will also need to analyze our own firm’s strengths and weaknesses and those of competing firms. Suppose, for example, that we make a product aimed at older consumers, a growing segment. A competing firm that targets babies, a shrinking market, is likely to consider repositioning toward our market. To assess a competing firm’s potential threat, we need to examine its assets (e.g., technology, patents, market knowledge, awareness of its brands) against pressures it faces from the market. Finally, we need to assess conditions (the marketing environment). For example, although we may have developed a product that offers great appeal for consumers, a recession may cut demand dramatically. Exercise 1. Studying consumer behavior should make us better consumers. Yes / No 2. Customers have to be pleased by the product Yes / No 3. Customers today are not aware of products before they buy Yes / No 107 107 107 107 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 107

Session 59 - 60: SUGGESTIVE SELLING UP AND DOWN The concept of suggestive selling is nothing new to quick-service restaurants. The practice usually involves a cashier asking patrons whether they want to upsize a drink or add a desert to a hamburger-and-fries combo. However, with the growing sophistication of point-of-sale displays and menu options, new technologies in suggestive selling represent an opportunity for QSRs and franchise owners to maximize their profitability and brand awareness through targeted advertising and marketing. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, digital signage with purchase recommendations can result in sales uplifts from 15 to 150 percent. Customized promotions based on dynamic factors such as weather, time of day, season, price and previously ordered items have a higher impact than “static loops,” enabling QSRs to experience returns closer to the 150-percent range. Behavioral modeling of customer purchase decisions can increase the profit contribution of every customer transaction, educate consumers about available products and services, and improve marketing and operational efficiency for QSRs. Based on real-world implementations with some of the leading brands in the QSR market, here is a Top 10 list of suggestive selling techniques to communicate timely,customer-relevant upsell opportunities and reinforce a brand experience. 1. Consistency — To successfully implement suggestive selling, you need to have clear guidelines that are used consistently with all of your customers. Rules can include not only what but when to make a product recommendation. Automated systems can help take out the guesswork and keep a suggestive-selling program on track. Excercise List down the products that can be sold on suggestive basis 108 108 108 108 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 108

2. Relevance — Suggestions should be based on previous selections. Nearly 33 percent of successful upsell offers are side orders, but you should think twice before suggesting a certain non-complementary item. No one wants to be asked to buy french fries with a low- calorie salad. You need to make sure that the offer matches your customers’ tastes and likes, so that recommendations will not be classified as mere “white noise” to be ignored. 3. Local and global — Promotions should further corporate goals and — at the same time — reflect local habits and preferences. Every global QSR chain has specific products that it wants to promote, but certain neighborhoods may be a more appropriate cultural fit for certain types of upsell items (e.g. gourmet coffees). Make sure that your promotions are in line with regional tastes and culinary preferences. 4. Adaptive — As the old saying goes, those who don’t learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them. Promotions need to be thoroughly studied to understand what works and why. Failed promotions often provide better lessons than successful ones, and these lessons need to be taken seriously and implemented as quickly as possible. If you have a solution that offers automatic adaption and self-tweaking, you are in a much better position to adapt quickly with successful recommendations. 5. Price sensitive — Typically, when people receive recommendations to purchase additional items, they expect to invest an amount that is significantly less than what they have previously ordered. Research shows that 58 percent of successful upsell offers cost less than 20 percent of the original price amount, and 31 percent of them are 12 percent or less than the cost of the original item. 6. Visual — In today’s attention-deficit society, promotions need to be presented in a visually compelling manner to capture and hold a customer’s attention. By combining wide exposure to colorful animations and video, with appealing and creative ways to visually depict food items, you can greatly increase the likelihood that your customer will make an additional purchase. 7. Timely — As with most good things in life, timing is everything. Present your promotions prematurely, and they will not register on your customers’ culinary radar, while promotions that appear later than they should tend to be ignored. Promotions need to be presented immediately prior to or while a customer is placing an order for maximum impact on purchasing decisions. 8. Seasonal — Promotions that match the time of year or upcoming holidays are typically well received. Content should be modified to promote menu items and products that are traditionally eaten specific times of the year. For example, during Thanksgiving, you can promote your seasonal pumpkin pie as the perfect dessert product for the holiday season. 109 109 109 109 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 109

9. Repeated offers — Nobody likes to feel bombarded with promotions and chances, but experience shows that repetition of relevant targeted offers really works. Your best shot at implementing successful upsell offers is by displaying your top three most relevant offers in multiple sequences vs. showing the same one over and over. 10. Availability — Targeting your promotions on the basis of product availability provides more inventory control. You can heavily promote well-stocked items or promote similar products of an item that is running low. This way, you prevent excess food wastage of products near expiration and ensure all of your products are as fresh as possible. Food waste is a huge cost driver for QSRs, and improved capabilities in this area can drastically reduce operating costs. Suggestive selling can deliver the most relevant and effective messages to each customer by factoring in data about local business goals, previous customer choices, business rules, time of day and other environmental considerations. A sophisticated and disciplined approach will enable QSRs to maximize the value-per-customer. Exercise 1. Successful upsell offers are side orders Yes / No 2. Targeting promotions on the basis of product availability provides more inventory control. Yes / No 3. Promotions need to be presented in a visually compelling manner to capture and hold a customer’s attention. Yes / No Session 61: SALES TARGETS A sales target is a goal set for a salesperson or sales department measured in revenue or units sold for a specific time. Here is the complete definition of a sales target as found on Ask.com. Setting up sales targets help keep you and your sales team focused on achieving your goals. Do you know that you can use many different sales target types to better forecast your revenues in real-time. 110 110 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 110 110 110

5 Essential Sales Target Types For Sales Success The sales target examples below calculate and forecast your sales revenues based on the opportunity value and the following additional set of conditions: „ Sales stage probability of closure – the likelihood of winning the opportunity for that particular sales step. „ Opportunity ranking – the personal likelihood of winning the opportunity. „ Opportunity pipeline position – the current position of the opportunity in the sales pipeline. „ Opportunity status – the status of the sales opportunity i.e. either it is an open opportunity or won opportunity. Here are the 5 target examples that you can use to forecast your revenues: 1: Unweighted Sales Target This is the most liberal target. The unweighted target is the sum of all opportunity values in the pipeline, but is an inaccurate view of the actual business coming in. The view does not take into consideration any potential deals that are lost during the process. This view would mean that you have a 100% closing rate for all of your opportunities. The powerful concept behind the sales pipeline methodology is that you can simply set the probability of closure for each sales step in your sales process. It’s measured in percentage and it enables you to “weigh your pipeline” using the weighted target. Exercise What are sales targets? 2. Weighted Sales Target: The dynamic target calculating the weighted value i.e. the sum of all opportunities values according to the position in sales pipeline, it’s sales step probability of closure and the target date period definition. Here is another target definition by David Brock: ”The weighted target is equal to the sum of the total opportunity values in each sales step multiplied by the probability of closure for that step”. It’s the most objective target that takes into consideration the opportunities you lost during the process. 111 111 111 111 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 111

3: Ranked Sales Target: The ranked target it the sum of all opportunities values according to the subjective ranking of the opportunity itself by sales rep and to the target date period definition. The ranked target is the estimate of each individual sales rep as to their chances of winning a specific opportunity. The weighted percentages for each sales step are not included in this target view. This is a personal-based target and it’s related to the individual sales rep preferences and experiences with the customer. Who knows the most about the customer? Yes, it’s a sales rep. 4: Balanced Sales Target: This is the most conservative target type. A target calculating balanced value i.e the sum of all opportunities values according to the position in sales pipeline, to the subjective ranking of the opportunity itself and the target date period definition. It does take into the consideration the lost opportunities and your sales reps individual preference toward the deals. This is the target you should be focusing on. 5: Real Target or Revenue: Or achieved target i.e. target calculating the real value i.e. the sum of all won opportunity values within a given target range. This is actually the revenue your sales team achieved over specific period of time.By tracking the details of every sales opportunity you can stay on top of your sales progress and ensure your sales team hits their sales targets. Session 62: ASSESSMENT 5 Session 63: SHRINKAGE CONTROL The difference between the perpetual book inventory and the physical inventory count is called shrinkage. The book inventory is a record of what ought to be on hand in view of what has been received, what has been sold and price changes. Physical inventory count is the volume and value of all the goods actually on hand. CAUSES OF SHRINKAGE Shortages can and will occur at every point where merchandise changes hands or paperwork is created or processed. Proper systems with built-in controls must be put in place to eliminate or reduce these shortages. While there is not enough room to list all the specific causes of shrinkage, we will give several examples of each of the three general causes: paperwork errors, internal theft and shoplifting. 112 112 112 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 112 112

PAPERWORK ERRORS Paperwork errors can happen almost anywhere in the merchandising cycle. For example: * Marking goods at a price lower than the retail price recorded on the receiving record. * Failure to record all markdowns. * Miscounting physical inventory. * Clerical errors causing the book inventory to be higher than it should be. * Timing is of particular importance. When comparing the actual physical inventory count to the perpetual book inventory, care must be taken to ensure that every invoice representing goods that have been received before the physical inventory count is included in the calculation of book inventory. INTERNAL THEFT While internal theft can be anything from taking merchandise to taking cash or store supplies, we will focus on those instances of internal theft that pertain to merchandise. Some examples are: * Writing up a cash sales slip for merchandise but destroying the ticket after the customer leaves and pocketing the cash. *Recording a false cash refund and pocketing the cash. * Taking merchandise without paying for it. * Extending unauthorized discounts or credit card refunds for friends. SHOPLIFTING Shoplifting can occur at any time. Anyone can be a shoplifter; a regular customer who never intended to steal but gave in to temptation and opportunity, or a seasoned professional. OVERAGES Although shortages are normally expected, it is not logical to have counted in the physical inventory more than the book figure indicates. Goods are stolen, but not donated to the store. Therefore, overages are due largely to errors in record keeping, although they may be due to an employee trying to cover up the theft of merchandise. Some examples are: *Recording markdowns without actually reducing prices on price tickets. *Overstating the physical inventory. *Including in the physical inventory count merchandise that has not yet been recorded in the book inventory. Activity 1. Proper systems with built-in controls must be put in place to eliminate or reduce these shortages. Yes / No 2. Shoplifting can occur at any time. Yes / No 3. Paperwork errors can happen almost anywhere in the merchandising cycle. Yes / No 4. Physical inventory count is the volume and value of all the goods actually on hand. Yes / No 113 113 113 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 113 113

HOW TO REDUCE SHRINKAGE There are several factors that affect the reduction of shrinkage. *Whether or not you have a stated shrinkage goal to work towards. *Top management’s commitment to reduce shrinkage. If top management gives shrinkage control top priority, it will invariably be reduced. *Whether or not proper procedures that contain built-in internal controls have been set up for each transaction or event in the flow of merchandise from the time it is ordered until it is purchased by your customer. And whether or not these procedures are being followed. *The record keeping system being used. The Retail Inventory Method can help keep losses down. The fact is that shrinkage declines when it is measured, and the Retail Inventory Method generally provides the best measurement of shrinkage. PREVENTION OF PAPERWORK ERRORS Paperwork errors can be controlled by use of a good, well-documented system containing built-in checks and balances. This is an area in which we have helped many retailers by conducting internal security checks and developing written procedure manuals. But a good system is not enough. All employees (receiving clerk, salespeople, buyers, office personnel) must be properly trained. They must be told the importance of following the proper procedures. And, of course, management must follow up to see that the proper procedures are being followed. PREVENTION OF INTERNAL THEFT The retail store by its very nature presents many day to day temptations to employees who handle the merchandise and money of the company. It is the responsibility of managers to remove as many temptations as possible thereby helping to keep employees honest. This is done by setting up procedures containing good internal controls and by seeing that these procedures are followed without exception. For example: * Require management approval on all refunds and credits. *All employee purchases should be rung up and checked by the owner, manager or another designated person. *Keep strict control over refund authorization slips, sales tickets, gift certificates or any other types of forms which can be used by an employee to obtain cash or goods. *Know your employees. When hiring new employees make an effort to hire honest employees. This can be done through interviewing techniques, by carefully checking references and by the use of carefully developed written honesty tests. 114 114 114 114 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 114

Session 64: SHOP LIFTING AND OTHER ISSUES Shoplifting (also known as boosting and five-finger discount) is a popular term used for theft of goods from a retail establishment. The term shoplifting and shoplifter has not been defined in Law. The word shrinkage is not a synonym for shoplifting, as it includes merchandise loss by means other than shoplifting. In the United Kingdom, theft is defined as “A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it; and “thief” and “steal” shall be construed accordingly.” It is one of the most common crimes. Most shoplifters are amateurs; however, there are people and groups who make their living from shoplifting, who tend to be more skilled. Generally, criminal theft involves taking possession of property illegally. In self-service shops, customers are allowed by the property owner to take physical possession of the property by holding or moving it. This leaves areas of ambiguity that could criminalize some people for simple mistakes, such as accidental hiding of a small item or forgetting to pay. For this reason penalties for shoplifting are often lower than those for general theft. Few jurisdictions have specific shoplifting legislation with which to differentiate it from other forms of theft, so reduced penalties are usually at a judge’s discretion. Most retailers are aware of the seriousness of making a false arrest, and will only attempt to apprehend a person if their guilt is undoubted. Depending on local laws, arrests made by anyone other than law enforcement officers may also be illegal. The first documented shoplifting started to take place in 16th century London. By the early 19th century, shoplifting was believed to be primarily a female activity. In the 1960s, shoplifting began to be redefined again, this time as a political act. Researchers divide shoplifters into two categories: “boosters,” professionals who resell what they steal, and “snitches,” amateurs who steal for their personal use. Retailers report that shoplifting has a significant effect on their bottom line, stating that about 0.6% of all inventory disappears to shoplifters. There’s no typical shoplifter — people who steal from stores can be any age, race, gender, and social and economic background. Shoplifters generally fall into two categories: 1. Professional shoplifters. These people usually take expensive items, like clothing and jewelry, that they can resell easily. 2. Amateur or casual shoplifters. Most shoplifters are in this group. Casual shoplifters don’t usually go into a store with the intention of stealing — they simply see the opportunity to take something and do. 115 115 115 115 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 115

Many people assume that shoplifters have a mental disorder or that they must really need the items they are stealing in order to survive. But the truth is that’s not why most people steal. Very few people have kleptomania (a compulsive urge to steal), and many people who steal have enough money to pay for the items. Someone might shoplift for many reasons. But there’s no way around the fact that shoplifting is stealing — and in most places there are heavy penalties for it, including being arrested and possibly charged with a crime. Some people may not realize how serious shoplifting can be. What might seem like an innocent prank can actually affect a person’s future, including the chances of getting a job. Lots of teens find out the hard way that stores take shoplifting very seriously. Exercise 1. Shop lifters are always immature Yes / No 2. Professional shop lifters usually take expensive items, like clothing and jewelry. Yes / No Shoplifting may be prevented and detected. Both options contribute to sound strategies. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitoring is an important anti-shoplifting technology. Electronic article surveillance (EAS) is another method of inventory protection.[citation needed] Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an anti-employee-theft and anti-shoplifting technology used in retailers such as Walmart, which already heavily use RFID technology for inventory purposes. Loss prevention personnel can consist of both uniformed officers and plain-clothed store detectives. Large department stores will use both and smaller stores will use one or the other dependant on their shrink strategy. Store detectives will patrol the store acting as if they are real shoppers. The presence of uniformed officers acts as a deterrent to shoplifting activity and they are mostly used by high-end retail establishments. Shoppers in some stores are asked when leaving the premises to have their purchases checked against the receipt. Some expensive merchandise will be in a locked case requiring an employee to get items at a customer’s request. The customer is either required to purchase the merchandise immediately or it is left at the checkout area for the customer to purchase when finishing shopping. Many stores also lock CDs, DVDs, and video games in locking cases, which can only be opened by the checkout operator once the item has gone through the checkout. Some stores will use dummy cases, also known as “dead boxes”, where the box or case on the shelf is entirely empty and the customer will not be given the item they have paid for until the transaction has been completed, usually by other store staff. 116 116 116 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 116 116

PREVENTION OF SHOPLIFTING How your merchandise is displayed can have an impact on shoplifting. For example: *Keep small, expensive items behind a counter. *Keep your store neat and uncluttered. Neat displays make it easier for alert salespeople to spot missing merchandise. *Do not have blind spots on the sales floor. Try to avoid counters that are exceptionally high. While the above can act as a deterrent to shoplifting, well-trained and attentive sales personnel are your best defense. Alert, courteous salespeople can deter many would-be shoplifters by their presence. Make sure they are properly trained so they can spot suspicious behavior and know what to do if they see someone taking merchandise. Your local police department may have information concerning this or may be willing to present a seminar on the prevention and detection of shoplifting. 117 117 117 117 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 117

Session 65: HAZARDS IN RETAIL INDUSTRY There are many jobs that young workers can do in the retail industry. These include: „ Sales assistant „ Shelf stacker in a supermarket „ Checkout operator in a supermarket „ Apprentice in butchers or bakers „ Delivery person. There are hazards in all industries. The most common hazards in the retail industry are: „ Lifting and pushing - eg. handling heavy or awkward sized objects „ Slips, trips, falls - eg. slipping on a wet surface or falling from a ladder „ Machinery - eg. using a bread slicer or power tools „ Occupational violence - eg. abusive customers or dealing with robbers „ Chemicals - eg. using cleaning products or spills from chemical products „ Bullying -eg. Continual harassment by supervisors or co-workers. List out the common hazards in retail industry 118 118 118 118 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 118

The chance that these hazards will result in an injury for young workers is higher when combined with risk factors such as: „ Lack of supervision „ Lack of training „ Working alone „ Working at night „ Working long days „ Undertaking repetitive tasks „ Being uninformed about their rights „ Trying to impress the boss, supervisor or co-workers. When hazards are combined with risk factors (these are called dangerous combinations) the chance of injury, and the possible seriousness of the injury, increases. List out the hazards which you can deal in a retail outlet 119 119 119 119 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 119

Session 66: FIRST AID ADMINISTRATION Health and Safety Hazards Physical hazards; lighting. „ Ergonomic hazards; force (lifting and pushing/pulling) and posture (bending, reaching and twisting). „ Energy hazards; gravity (falling objects). „ Materials handling hazards; lifting, pushing/pulling and hazardous substances. „ Work practice hazards; following established safe work practices and procedures, and general housekeeping practices. Safe Work Practices „ Wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as work gloves when handling objects with sharp edges and safety footwear when handling heavy objects „ Know how to safely use, handle and store controlled WHMIS products. „ Ensure shelving units are strong enough to support the weight of the planned loads. „ Ensure shelving units are stable and secure (i.e. properly anchored). „ Ensure shelving units are in good condition. „ Ensure shelving units have no sharp edges or exposed fasteners. „ Ensure there is adequate clearance for safe lifting/material handling. „ Ensure storage rooms are kept tidy, well organized and free of clutter. „ Ensure carts and step stools are in good working condition. „ Use a stepladder or step stool to reach high places. „ Use a hand truck or cart to move heavy or bulky objects. Ask for assistance. „ Ensure all light fixtures have protective covers. „ Ensure there is adequate lighting in the storage area. „ Use bins, racks and containers as required. „ Use absorbent and neutralizing materials to cleanup chemical spills. „ Store materials in dry locations. „ Follow the storage instructions on all containers. „ Keep stored materials clear of electrical panels and emergency equipment. „ Place all waste and recycling material in appropriate containers. „ Do not overstock or overload shelving units or bookcases. „ Do not store cardboard cartons in damp areas. „ Do not store materials so they block walkways or exits. „ Do not store any objects within 18 inches of a sprinkler head. „ Do not store objects on the top of shelving units or bookcases. „ Do not stack materials too high so they are unstable. „ Do not lift or carry items by the packing straps or cords 120 120 120 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 120 120

The following list sets forth the minimally acceptable number and type of first-aid supplies for first-aid kits. The contents of the first-aid kit listed should be adequate for small work sites, consisting of approximately two to three employees. When larger operations or multiple operations are being conducted at the same location, additional first-aid kits should be provided at the work site or additional quantities of supplies should be included in the first- aid kits: 1. Gauze pads (at least 4 x 4 inches). 2. Two large gauze pads (at least 8 x 10 inches). 3. Box adhesive bandages (band-aids). 4. One package gauze roller bandage at least 2 inches wide. 5. Two triangular bandages. 6. Wound cleaning agent such as sealed moistened towelettes. 7. Scissors. 8. At least one blanket. 9. Tweezers. 10. Adhesive tape. 11. Latex gloves. 12. Resuscitation equipment such as resuscitation bag, airway, or pocket mask. 13. Two elastic wraps. 14. Splint. 15. Directions for requesting emergency assistance. Exercise What are the steps to be taken to administer first aid 121 121 121 121 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 121

Crowd Management Safety Guidelines for Retailers Crowd related injuries can occur during special sales and promotional events. In 2008, a worker died at the opening of a “Black Friday” sale Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing their workers with safe and healthy workplaces. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) encourages employers to adopt effective safety and health management systems to identify and eliminate work-related hazards, including those caused by large crowds at retail sales events OSHA has prepared these guidelines to help employers and store owners avoid injuries during the holiday shopping season, or other events where large crowds may gather. Crowd management planning should begin in advance of events that are likely to draw large crowds, and crowd management, pre-event setup, and emergency situation management should be part of event planning. OSHA recommends that employers planning a large shopping event adopt a plan that includes the following elements. Planning Where large crowds are expected, hire additional staff as needed and have trained security or crowd management personnel or police officers on site. Create a detailed staffing plan that designates a location for each worker. Based on the size of the crowd expected, determine the number of workers that are needed in various locations to ensure the safety of the event (e.g., near the door entrances and throughout the store). Ensure that workers are properly trained to manage the event. Contact local fire and police agencies to determine if the event site meets all public safety requirements, and ensure that all permits and licenses are obtained and that local emergency services, including the local police, fire department and hospital, are aware of the event. Designate a worker to contact local emergency responders if necessary. Designate a store manager to make key decisions as needed during the event Provide legible and visible signs that describe entrance and exit locations, store opening times, and other important information such as the location of major sale items and restrooms. Prepare an emergency plan that addresses potential dangers facing workers, including overcrowding, crowd crushing, being struck by the crowd, violent acts and fire. Share emergency plan with all local public safety agencies. 122 122 122 122 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 122

Train workers in crowd management procedures and the emergency plan. Provide them with an opportunity to practice the special event plan. Include local public safety agencies if appropriate. Pre-Event Setup: Set up barricades or rope lines for crowd management well in advance of customers arriving at the store. Make sure that barricades are set up so that the customers’ line does not start right at the entrance to the store. This will allow for orderly crowd management entry and make it possible to divide crowds into small groups for the purpose of controlling entrance. Ensure that barricade lines have an adequate number of breaks and turns at regular intervals to reduce the risk of customers pushing from the rear and possibly crushing others, including workers. Designate workers to explain approach and entrance procedures to the arriving public, and direct them to lines or entrances. Make sure that outside personnel have radios or some other way to communicate with personnel inside the store and emergency responders. Consider using mechanisms such as numbered wristbands or tickets to provide the earlier arriving customers with first access to sale items. Consider using Internet lottery for “hot” items. Locate sale items in different parts of the store to prevent overcrowding in one place. Locate shopping carts and other potential obstacles or projectiles inside the store and away from the entrance, not in the parking lot. If appropriate, provide public amenities including toilets, washbasins, water and shelter. Communicate updated information to customers waiting in line. Have signs and distribute pamphlets showing the location of entrances and exits, store opening times and location of special sales items within the store. Shortly before opening, remind waiting crowds of the entrance process (i.e., limiting entry to small groups, redemption of numbered tickets, etc.). 123 123 123 123 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 123

During the Sales Event: Provide a separate store entrance for staff. Provide door monitors there to prevent crowd entry. Make sure that all employees and crowd control personnel are aware that the doors are about to open. Staff entrances with uniformed guards, police or other authorized personnel. Use a public address system or bullhorns to manage the entering crowd and to communicate information or problems. Position security or crowd managers to the sides of entering (or exiting) public, not in the center of their path. Provide crowd and entry management measures at all entrances, including the ones not being used. If possible, use more than one entrance. When the store reaches maximum occupancy, do not allow additional customers to enter until the occupancy level drops. Provide a safe entrance for people with disabilities. Emergency Situations: Do not restrict egress, and do not block or lock exit doors Know in advance who to call for emergency medical response. Keep first-aid kits and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) available, and have personnel trained in using AEDs and CPR onsite. Instruct employees, in the event of an emergency, to follow instructions from authorized first responders, regardless of company rules. Exercise What steps do you take for crowd management? 124 124 124 124 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 124

Session 67: DEALING WITH EMERGENCIES As a business owner, it is your job to keep your employees safe at work. You can keep your workplace a safe environment by educating your employees on your business procedures for emergency situations. Check out these tips for dealing with emergency situations in the workplace. Escape Procedures and Routes It is important to educate your employees on your building’s fire escape plans. Explain the best possible way to exit the building, which exits are closest to them and where the alternative exits are located. Decide on a place for your staff to meet once everyone has exited the building. Hold a practice fire drill at least once a year and go over the procedures with new employees between the annual drills. Ask one or two capable employees to perform tasks during an emergency such as announcing an evacuation over the intercom and getting a head count at the meeting place after an evacuation. For more tips on fire prevention and fire safety tips. If you are unable to escape, you can create an area of refuge by following these steps: „ First, create a barrier between you and the fire. Do this by going into a room that is unaffected by the fire and shut the door. Then, stuff the gap under the door with a wet cloth and close the vents. By doing this you can seal out the smoke and wait safely until help arrives. „ Don’t break the windows. If you need air, open the window a crack. „ Stay under the smoke where the air is freshest. Keep a wet cloth over your nose and mouth and try to breathe only through your nose. „ Signal for help by hanging an easy to see object in the window. „ If you have a phone near you, call 100 for help. Medical Emergency Procedures If an employee experiences a medical emergency, it is crucial to act quickly. Designate someone at your business to make phone calls to 100, building management (if applicable), and to the victim’s emergency contact person. If it’s necessary and you are able to do so safely, render first aid to the victim. Always have one person stay with the victim until the paramedics arrive. 125 125 125 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 125 125

Robbery Situations If your workplace is robbed, the first step is to stay calm and encourage the rest of your employees to do the same. Try to avoid eye contact with the assailant and don’t make any sudden movements. Follow his or her demands; whatever he or she wants isn’t worth your life or the lives of others. If you have an opportunity to press a silent alarm without being noticed, do so. If your workplace is not equipped with an alarm system, dial 911 inconspicuously and leave the phone line open so the operator can find your address and hear what is going on. Allow the assailant to leave without a fight. When help the police arrive, try to give them as much information about the robber as possible such as height, weight, ethnicity, distinct markings, vehicle license plate, etc. Suspicious Activity If you notice a stranger hanging around the lobby, garage or parking lot of your building, do not hesitate to contact the police. Try to give police a description of the person and behavior. Sometimes, these suspicious people are profiling a person or business so they can carry out a crime in the near future. Never let employees walk out of the building by themselves. If possible, install surveillance cameras and lights outside of your building to deter criminal activity. Safety should always be one of you main priorities—especially when it comes to your staff. Talk to your employees about your business’ emergency situation procedures today. Emergency Numbers: Service Telephone Ambulance 102 Emergency response service for medical, police and fire emergencies. Available in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Goa, 108 Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh Local police 100 Fire service 10 126 126 126 126 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 126

24-hour Pharmacies Every major city has several 24-hour pharmacies. Listings can be found on justdial.com. Crisis and Help Lines 127 127 127 127 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 127

Steps to take when an emergency occurs: · Take a deep breath. · Count to 10. Tell yourself you can handle the situation. · Check for danger. Protect yourself and the injured person from fire, explosions, or other hazards. · Try to look at the situation as a whole. o What is the most serious problem and what do you need to do first? The most obvious problem is not always the most serious. o Treat the most life-threatening problems like bleeding or shock first. o If you think the person has a spinal injury, do not move him or her unless the danger is great. o Check for broken bones and other injuries. 128 128 128 128 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 128

Session 68: DEALING WITH MANAGERS Sometimes newly appointed managers come into a company, hospital, or other organization thinking that they are the chosen ones. Then, there are managers who have been annoying for as long as you can remember. Annoying managers throw their authority around the workplace recklessly. Consumed by power, they lose sight of reality, turning the lives of co- workers into a living hell. If you allow or accommodate this influence in the workplace, your life at work will become miserable, eventually. Here are some suggested ways to overcome the overwhelming effect of having excessively ambitious and annoying managers in your work life. Steps 1. Try to pinpoint why you find your boss or manager to be annoying. There are any number of reasons possible, but don’t fall into the trap of finding your boss annoying just because he or she asks you to do your job to an expected standard when you can’t be bothered! The real elements of an annoying boss include feelings on your side that the workplace has become unbearable, disrupted, not enjoyable, and perhaps even frightening, because of the actions of your boss, coupled with the reality that your boss has certain undesirable traits or responses when interacting with staff. Signs of a manager who is annoying might include: „ A manager who is not supportive of staff and works to undermine staff, or who even steals the glory for work completed well by others. „ A manager who is deceitful and either lies about performance of workers, or fails to praise or point out when work is done well. „ A manager who threatens excessive or inappropriate outcomes for work not completed on time, or in a certain manner. „ A manager who doesn’t take responsibility for errors but uses workers as scapegoats and blames staff when things go wrong „ A manager who practices favoritism in the work place, setting some workers above others for no apparent reason. 129 129 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 129 129 129

„ A manager who publicly humiliates, condescends, demeans, verbally attacks, or name calls staff. „ A manager who hasn’t got the slightest interest in your personal life, and goes so far as to not support you when you have family crises or other personal issues that need attending to during work time. „ A manager who acts superior all the time, believing their own abilities far above anyone else’s, and expects everyone to snap to attention, or else. 2.Recognize the actions of an annoying manager. As well as determining how the manager behaves towards staff, and knowing how this leaves you feeling, it can be helpful to identify certain unacceptable actions that annoying bosses commit regularly. They can include such actions as: [4] „ Insulting staff members in a very personal manner, often publicly. „ Invading your personal space without asking „ Threatening you verbally or non-verbally „ Sending email flames „ Interrupting you rudely during meetings „ Giving you dirty looks „ Acting as if you are invisible when it suits them „ Withholding praise even though you clearly deserve some „ Second-guessing all the time or demands perfection „ Making sarcastic jokes or teasing you as a means to deliver a nasty message „ Reminding you in front of everyone where you stand in the hierarchy „ Touching you when it’s clear that you don’t want this „ Making two-faced attacks – you understand one thing from your boss, only to learn later that your boss said something opposite to somebody else „ Stealing clients or accounts from other workers „ Bad mouthing the firm’s culture „ Refusing to help or explain anything when asked (but will deny this if pressed by anyone else, and insist it was you who didn’t ask for help), etc.! 3. Keep the attacks on you separate from your self-esteem. Understand that even though it may feel otherwise, this behavior is, overall, not a personal attack against you as a worker or as a person. Most often these managers are trying to prove a point to higher level management by being “seen” to be doing the right thing, by directing their energies upwards and not caring for staff. 130 130 130 130 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 130

4.Such a boss may come around the office, department, etc., looking for errors to disqualify, or to discredit someone else whom they consider a potential threat. It is vital that you do not take this personally but see it for what it is – your boss’s inferiority complex trying to masquerade as fake confidence by using staff as a tool to cover up his or her own inadequacies. When you try to see it this way, you are doing what is known as “reframing”, to reduce the damage the situation does to you. 5.Lower your expectations of your boss and focus on what is good about your job. 6.Be a model employee. Familiarize yourself with work protocols and understand the principles behind what you do. In other words, be prepared to offer a plausible explanation if questioned by your manager. This will also provide a suitable excuse to keep him or her away from rattling you further. Be one hundred percent across your job description and be able to respond as to how whatever you are doing fits within those parameters. It may sound silly but there are plenty of employees who don’t understand fully what their role is, and can become a target of a bullying manager as a result. If you do extend yourself beyond your job description, be prepared with sound reasons for why you did this, how it has not interfered with your usual duties, and how it benefits your boss. 1.Demonstrate your expertise without arrogance. In a subtle way, outdo an annoying boss with your obvious knowledge. Aim to highlight your expertise and deter an annoying boss from prodding you any further. If your expertise is clear and highly respected, an annoying manager will usually back off, knowing that pursuing a petty issue with you can make them appear stupid if they cannot keep up with your points. Do not be arrogant, but display professional etiquette and confidence when making your points. Seek small wins instead of looking for the knock-out punch. While the larger problem of your annoying boss isn’t going to go away, a series of small wins can boost your confidence, build up a more solid workplace positioning for you, and encourage others to do the same as you, which could ultimately undermine your boss’s approach and wrest back more control for you and your colleagues. 2.Maintain a professional distance and limit your contact with your annoying manager. Becoming too familiar with managers who display poor leadership qualities is a perfect recipe for disaster that can even taint you down the track. Keep a relatively safe working distance by avoiding personal conversations, keeping away, or revealing any information that could be used against you in the future. Avoid meetings with your annoying boss where possible, or keep them short (look for a room without chairs). 131 131 131 131 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 131

A fair amount of mystery is great for keeping you under the radar, and makes for interesting contemplation on the part of your manager. Don’t give in to becoming one of the boss’ “favorites”. Not only can this so-called favored position change at a mere whim, but not being in this position also means that when top management gets wind of how poorly this manager is doing, you won’t be tarred with having been compliant with this manager’s behavior or favoritism. 3.Keep any unavoidable confrontation constructive. Stick to the facts, stick to what you do know, and don’t lash out and criticize the boss. Learn to think on your feet. Many annoying managers have poor interpersonal skills, which is why we find them annoying. These types are bound to throw questions at you, at the most inappropriate of moments, catching you off-guard or when they know you will falter and stutter. This reflects a power play, a person who is insecure. Always remember this at the back of your mind, as this will help you to cope effectively, knowing the true reason behind the aggressive behavior. Excuse yourself politely when any confrontation becomes unbearable. If you are losing control during a confronting interaction or you experience difficulties explaining yourself and being understood, make an excuse, and walk away. Go to the bathroom, have a cigarette, throw M&Ms around in the car park, etc., but do not stay in the situation and get yourself dragged in further. 4. Learn to relax in the presence of your annoying manager. Being nervous or intimidated will only make you an easier target at work and most often you will end becoming their mental punching bag. Staying calm is a form of control of the situation in itself, and an effective one provided you can maintain it. Don’t perceive yourself as a victim. Don’t respond in kind; instead, see yourself as remaining calm, detach yourself emotionally from the annoying manager, and don’t try to control what is out of your control. Focus instead on what you can control and on helping others who matter to cope too. Realize that staying calm can infuriate a person unable to control their own angry emotions. Don’t let their lack of self-control unnerve you – just observe it for what it is. Find allies. Find those you can trust and share strategies for coping. Try daily affirmations or meditation to help you to remain calm. Take deep breaths and count to 10 before replying to a jibe or other annoying attack from your manager. Think of the chefs on Hell’s Kitchen who respond “Yes Chef!” and nothing more! (You find out later what they are feeling and thinking!) 132 132 132 132 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 132

5.Do not fall prey to workplace gossip and bickering about anyone. Sometimes an annoying manager will try to extort negative reports on you from others. While disappointing, if people know you are gossiping about them, they will give a negative report about you when a boss goes behind your back. This results in filtered information, which becomes more distorted as it transfers from person to person and this creates the wrong impression, potentially damaging your professional reputation in the process. Avoid falling victim to this destructive behavior by not undermining your colleagues. 6.Find buffer zones. Have rooms where you (and your colleagues) can go and have time out after being around your annoying manager. Let off steam and support one another. Just be careful that this is a safety zone, and there isn’t a possibility of your annoying manager walking in. If so, look further afield, such as a cafe, a neighbouring park, etc. For example, nurses can hide away in nurse’s lounge away from doctors, or techies in a common room where bosses never are known to go. Balance the advice on not gossiping with constructive discussions about your boss’ poor behavior. It is possible to talk about the facts rather than belittling a person with rumors. Get the mixture accurate and you’ll be supported by your co-workers. 7.Find other suitable employment if the work environment becomes unbearable. Another suitable alternative would be to look for other positions in the same workplace, if there are any available, such as a lateral move into another department. When you do move, however, be circumspect about your boss and your feelings for this person; people are not impressed by a potential new employee mouthing off against a former boss. 133 133 133 133 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 133

Session 69-70: DEALING WITH DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS The customer may always right, but that doesn’t mean all customers are easy to deal with. Anyone who’s ever worked in customer service can tell you, customers can be downright unruly. Still, if you want to stay in business, you’ve got to deal with them. Finding techniques that help you disarm unhappy customers and win them to your site is the key to providing great customer service – even when you really want to kick nasty customers to the curb. Mike Effle, CEO of Vendio, offers 10 tips on how to turn a bad customer service situation into an opportunity to improve your business. First and foremost - listen. Do not try to talk over the customer or argue with them. Let the customer have their say, even if you know what they are going to say next, and even if they may not have all the information or be mistaken. As you listen, take the opportunity to build rapport with the customer. Build rapport through empathy. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Echo back the source of their frustration and show that you understand their position and situation. If you can identify with a customer’s issue, it will help calm them down. If you verbally “nod” during the call, the customer will feel better understood. Lower your voice. If the customer gets louder, start speaking more slowly and in a lower tone. Your calm demeanour will reflect on them and will help them to settle down. As you approach the situation with a calm, clear mind, unaffected by the customer’s tone or volume, anger will generally dissipate. Assume all your customers are watching. Pretend you are not talking only to the customer but to an audience that is watching the interaction. This shift in perspective can provide an emotional buffer if the customer is being verbally abusive and will allow you to think more clearly when responding. Since an unruly customer can be a negative referral, assuming they’ll repeat the conversation to other potential customers can help ensure you’ve done your best to address their concerns in a calming way. Know when to give in. If not satisfying the customer is going to take two hours and a bottle of aspirin and risk negative referrals, it is probably better to draw a compromise a bit more in their favor to give you more time to nurture your more productive customer relationships. Keep in mind that the interaction is not typical of most customers, and that you’re dealing with an exception. Never get angry or upset. If the customer is swearing or being verbally abusive, take a deep breath and continue as if you didn’t hear them. Responding in kind will not solve anything, and it will usually escalate the situation in a negative direction. Instead, remind the customer that you are there to help them and their best immediate chance of resolving the situation - often this simple statement will help defuse the situation. 134 134 134 134 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 134

Never take it personally. Always speak to the issue at hand and do not get personal, even if the customer does. Remember that the customer doesn’t know you and they’re just venting frustration at you as a representative of your company. Gently guide the conversation back to the issue and how you intend to resolve it, and try to ignore personal comments. Remember that you’re interacting with a human. Everyone has bad days. Maybe they had a fight with their spouse, got a traffic ticket that morning or have had a run of bad luck. We’ve all been there, to some degree. Try to help make their day better by being a pleasant, calming voice – it’ll make you feel good too. If you promise a callback - call back! Even if you promised an update that you don’t have yet, call the customer at the scheduled time anyway. The customer will be reassured to know that you were not trying to dodge them and will appreciate the follow-up. 135 135 135 135 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 135

Session 71: PROBLEMS OF A RETAIL SALESMAN The nature of retail selling is such that retail salesman faces certain problems which are specific to his line. These specific problems call for detailer investigation and analysis because each problem has a solution or solutions and the best can be chosen. The more pertinent problems are discussed here: 5 bizarre retail selling problems 1. Problem of Lookers: All those visitors who enter the shop cannot be called as customers. Good may prospects visit the retail outlet with no intention of buying. These prospects are the persons who are indulging in “delightful” shopping. Such casual lookers or visitors extend their keen interests in the display of goods. Similarly, there are customers who move from shop to shop before buying. These shop hoppers are generally found in case of shopping and specialty goods where they want it compare price, styles, features, specialties and so on. These gouged can be hooked and lookers if the salesman a) shows these specialty goods openly without any hesitation allowing them to examine from different angles, b) proves with proof that the products are superior to others. c) Presents with all the possible sales literature for further study before they decide to boy. Under these circumstances, what is more important is service than sale. He should sell the name of the firm and himself before selling his goods. Even if the visitors do not decide to buy this time, they prefer this selling house and salesman during their next round of visit. 2. Problem of Simultaneous Serving: It is not that a single customer is expected at the retail salesman’s counter. Movement of customers and visitors is on going and it thickens during peak period and sledges at off period daily, weekly bazaar days, festival days and so on. As he is all above on a particular counter or a section, suddenly second or third customer comes in waiting to be attended promptly. This adds to single-handed salesman work load. He can neither leave in the lurch the first customer nor forget the incoming second and third customer. 3. Problem of Substitution: There will certain unpleasant situations where the salesman is to sell a substituted product than the one asked for by the prospect. Such situation arises when the product is in stock or is out of stock. The first case of substitution is not a necessity and, hence it manifests his attempt? Of creative selling because, he is trying to win over the customer by his persuasive tactics as to why the customers should go in for a substitute though he has in stock the regular product. Some customers may accept his offer if convinced, and others may not as they insist on the regular product in stock. 136 136 136 136 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 136

Substitution becomes a necessity when the product is out of stock Here, he has two options : (a) To tell the truth that the product is out of stock and the customer is requested to visit the retail out after a definite interval of time, (b) He should establish that the substituted product is far more superior to the one existing and there is wisdom in purchasing substitute product without any hesitation and risk. 4. Problem of Selling on Phone: There are good many customers who prefer to contact retail salesman on phone an; confirm their purchases. Selling on phone is now a common feature as these is telephony revolution Selling on phone is to be accepted when the purchaser is a busy guy and he can not come to the shop personally because there is no parking lot or the shop is humming centre filled with customers, the product is branded and can be easily and clearly described. In most cases, the salesman can appeal to the sense of hearing of a prospect; of late, vision phones allow one more sense - that is sight. Other senses of touch, smell and taste are not possible. The success of sales on phone depends on hearing more from the customer and some cases selling. Normally, the order should be accepted in case of known customers. The partly may insist on door deliver and acceptance of rejected products. That is why, much care is to be exercised while selling of phone. A salesman can very well keep informed the customers of special offer sales or grand reduction sales on the occasions of annual stock clearances or special events or festivals. However, telemarketing is going much ground in these days of high tech. 5. Problem of Second Trial Deal: Salesman welcomes his customers, greets him and sales talk is opened on his counter. In spite of his best efforts, he finds that he has not been able to convert the prospect into customer or he fails to hatch the egg. In such cases, another salesman who is seasoned or more experience tries his hands to hatch the same egg. That is he prevails upon the good sense of prospect and succeeds in convincing him. There is nothing wrong in trying this because; the aim of the firm is not to lose the valuable customer at any rate. Sales are the result of team-work. However, this practice of second trial deal has psychological implications both on the salesman and the customer. The first salesman who tries and could not succeed, feels it as case encroachment upon him; again the second salesman who succeeded feels that he is really superior and, therefore, more efficient and effective than the first. This generates frustration heart burning between the salesmen which is really dangerous for the firm as a whole. Further, the custom also feels that he is being compelled to buy and may not accept the offer and even if he accepts now, he may not revisit. In both the cases, it the firm that loses. Hence, second trial deal should be avoided at any rate, which is better for all the three parties namely the customer, salesman and the firm. Session 71: ASSESSMENT 6 137 137 137 Customer Relation and Sales Student Work Book 137 137

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