Employee Update Meetings: Things To Consider
Do your employees know all they should about products that you sell? Are they able to answer the majority of questions customers may have? What company policies do you have and are they being respected? If you are like most retailers, it’s hard to keep up all the layers involved in running a successful business. But one layer that should not get dismissed is the education of your associates.
By keeping your store associates or business employees educated on your company’s products, best practices, policies and more, you are investing in the success of your business. In exchange for their knowledge and your time spent educating them, it’s likely you will see a higher percentage of customer satisfaction and even higher sales.
[tweetmeme]Some things to consider when planning employee meetings that are designed to educate include:
1. Make sure the employees in attendance are well rested and ready to go.Scheduling a meeting at the end of a long shift will likely decrease their attention span and won’t bring much value to the overall experience. Schedule a meeting a convenient time for the majority of people in attendance as possible. Offering some light snacks and beverages is a good idea, as well.
2. Invite product reps to join you in your meeting if possible. Depending on how much inventory you have, a vendor representative may be thrilled to join you in an informative presentation for employees to learn more about their specific product. For example, if you sell footwear, a footwear rep can educate your sales team on the production of their shoes, fashion details about their product line, the quality of the leather and much more. These selling tips can then be transferred to your customers through your own store associates.
3. Keep it interactive. Nothing is more boring than sitting in an uncomfortable chair and listening to someone talk… and talk… and talk. Include your associates in your discussions by asking questions, getting feedback and brainstorming on ways to help your business thrive.
4. Make it routine. One meeting won’t be enough. And jamming everything into one meeting won’t work, either. Instead spread your meetings out with a target goal per meeting that will allow you to more comfortably educate your team. One meeting can focus on product, another on best practices (customer service, etc) and yet another on company policies. Look at your unique business to decide what may make a great employee update meeting and then plan around that one topic. If your team knows to expect these once every other month, once a quarter or at least twice a year, they will begin to respect it as part of their job responsibility.
5. Think about the big picture. What does that picture look like to you? It takes a lot of little steps and a few big dives to get to your final goal, so don’t expect a huge return on your meetings right away. Employees may not respond to them at first, but stay dedicated so that you can reach your goals effectively. Having your team on board will eventually make the process easier.
Finally, mix it up. Running your own business is about being your own boss, so don’t be afraid to execute your update meetings with that in mind. Just remember to do them. Not only will it bring your team togetherin an environment away from customers, but it will also encourage your team to work together in an effort to increase sales.After all, that’s the goal, right?
