by Tim Allen
When it comes to differentiating one retail business from another inside the world of “Natural Health Care,” it’s certain; education and staff training are integral to the process of building a vibrant business. If you are an independent retailer or a small chain operator catering to consumers who are searching for natural and/or alternative health care options, you have to accept that “self-serve” is not going to work for your business.
The old saying “reach out and touch someone” is more powerful now than it has ever been. As consumers, we have more information available to us today than ever before. And with the media and online marketing machines bombarding us 24/7, we are more confused than ever. It is not only important that consumers become educated about product offerings in your store but it is equally important that they become engaged and romanced by the “story.” Why? Simply put, the experts who are working in your store need to be the “messengers of truth”. Once consumers trust in you and your staff, they will be committed to return over and over again.
While natural health care products can be found in just about every retail store across the country, those who truly stand out – time and again – are the ones that offer both a broad range of products and those that present retail staff trained on the products – real people who are committed to a “healthy lifestyle” and want to help others attain extraordinary health. So if you are a retailer with a lacklustre business in the field of natural health care, where do you start?
According to Tim Pernitsch, Buyer and Store Manager of Healthtree in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, “it all starts with hiring the right people.” Healthtree searches for people with a solid background in natural health but more importantly, they are looking for those with a great attitude, someone who can make the consumer feel comfortable and able to discuss their health issues. Typically, people who want to work in a natural food and/or natural health care retail environment come into the role with a keen desire to communicate information to consumers. But not all those people are necessarily qualified to engage and teach – and this is the part that is so important to the overall success of the business. This is why you need to start with a strong interview process. And then follow that up with reference checks. Ask the hard questions so that you know you are hiring someone who will make a difference and set you apart from your competitors.
Once the “right” person has been hired what are the next steps? Onboarding any new staff member is critical. Many independent retail businesses are run by just a couple of staff members including the owner; it may be a challenge to set in motion a proper training program. Obviously, it is key that the new hire understand the flow of the business in functional areas associated with a) responsibility at the cash register, b) merchandising and inventory replenishment, c) promotional offers and loyalty programs, d) suppliers and associations, and of course e) customer service and product knowledge. That’s a lot of “specialties” to pack into one person so how do you do it?
For Jason Sebeslav, General Manager of The Peanut Mill Natural Foods Market located in St. Catharines, ON, his training program consists of “working through a checklist by shift.” His new staff members do not necessarily go through a formal training program; typically, new staff will shadow an experienced employee to understand and ask questions about specific functions related to the role. Most roles in the store become specialized and it is clear that Jason values his employees as he has profiled all of them and their specific role on his corporate web site. This is a great idea and a fabulous resource for his community, attracting new consumers and future employees.
When it comes down to “education” of retail staff members, learning about products and the industry is vital. It is clear that the vendor community recognizes the need for its customers, “the retail and education specialists”, to be trained too. Thankfully, there are a number of companies who value education and training and make it a priority to reach out to their retail partners. In fact, there are so many companies and so many offers to train staff that retailers have to plan very carefully to maximize value. Both Healthtree and The Peanut Mill are committed to hosting regular product trainings for their staff with their vendors.
In the case of Healthtree, the staff attend monthly training sessions, which typically take place after store hours, normally starting at 7 pm and running for a couple of hours. Healthtree encourages all of its staff members – not just those involved with supplements – to join the group in order to learn more about products and the particular company sponsoring the event. Similarly, The Peanut Mill organizes bi-weekly training sessions where a specific morning is reserved for a supplier to visit and train on its products. Because these sessions take place during work hours, Jason finds himself on the floor covering for as many of his staff as possible. These sessions are conducted in a separate room away from the retail floor in order to allow everyone to stay focused on learning.
In speaking with other top performing retailers across the nation, it is clear that stores that are taking advantage of the suppliers’ desire to educate and train, are the stores dominating the natural health products industry.
If you want to distinguish your retail business from the others in your community, it’s time that you take a hard look at training and start adopting some of the strategies the leaders have put into practice. Reach out to the specialists that want to work with you to grow your business. Assistance is available as long as you are committed to the task. When your staff engages in the process of learning and growing, they will attract and help you keep customers returning to your store. At a time when retail is so competitive and the consumer has so many options, passionate engagement as the “messenger of truth” will make all the difference to your business and your community!
