1. Impact Of A Bad Sales AssociateImpact Of A Bad Sales Associate
• about 50% of customers are more likely to
hear about a shopping problem related to a
Sales Associate issue as opposed to a store
issue.
• COMMUNICATION GAP =
ISSUE

2. What is a Sales Associate?

4. THE MAIN GOAL OF A SALES
ASSOCIATE!
the main goal of the sales associate is to
achieve higher sale volumes and a stable
workplace, therefore it is vital that all
sale associates use effective language,
listening and nonverbal communication
skills.

5. 4 Essential Abilities of a GOOD
Sales Associate
● Willingness to Help Others
● Understanding Customer Wants and Needs
● Remain Calm and Focused Under Pressure
● Maintaining Dependable Relationships with Staff

6. Willingness to Help OthersWillingness to Help Others
(or in the case of the sales associate,(or in the case of the sales associate,
EVERYONE!)EVERYONE!)
● Dress
● Look put together
● Reflect spirit of the
store
● Have lanyard or tag
visible
● Physical Demeanor
● Smile; appear
friendly
● Eye Contact
● Proper posture
(look awake)

7. Not all Sale
Associates are
expected to
dress in
buisness casual
wear.
It can vary
greatly
depending on
the store.

8. A great
example of
a Sales
Associate
that fits the
criteria for
proper
physical
demeanor.

9. Understanding Customer WantsUnderstanding Customer Wants
and Needsand Needs
● Watch for customer's nonverbal cues
● Ask open-ended questions
● Listen closely to customer responses
● Follow up on the customer's response

10. SCENARIO: A customer tries on
several dresses and isn't satisfied
with any of them. Customer hands
the items she does not want to the
sale associate expecting just to
leave afterwards.

11. Do's and Don'tsDo's and Don'ts
● Do:
Open Ended
Question
● Don't:
Close Ended
Question

12. Remain Calm and Focused under pressure!Remain Calm and Focused under pressure!
(Don't lose your head!)(Don't lose your head!)
● Not all customers will walk in and leave happy
● Sale Associates are first and foremost a human
being
● Walk Away or talk to higher-up
● Sale Associate can only do their best
● Knowing this should help lower anxiety and
remain level of calmness

13. Does the customer even
know what they want?
● Approach the customer (apply Willingness to
Help)
● Take time to help customer decide
● Explain the products
● Explain organization of store
● Tell customers of special offers and deals

14. Will helping this customer prevent me
from helping others?
● Listen to the customer
● Asses the situation at hand (Is it busy? Are
there greater demands?)
● Follow up with the customer
● Use polite and specific forms of language

15. SCENARIO: A sale associate is working
at the cashier and helping a customer. A
different customer goes right up to the
counter and asks if the sale associate can
get something down for him.

16. Do's and Don'tsDo's and Don'ts
● Do:
FORMAL AND
SPECIFIC
● Don't:
INFORMAL
AND
ABSTRACT

17. Maintaining Dependable Relationships withMaintaining Dependable Relationships with
StaffStaff

18. Misunderstanding of Directions GivenMisunderstanding of Directions Given
● Poor listening
habits
● Failure to request
for clarification
● Lack of
understanding =
dimnishing
relationship

19. Misunderstanding of the intent ofMisunderstanding of the intent of
statementsstatements
● How should I say
what I'm going to say?
● Is my statement
appropriate for the
work environment and
situation?
● Will my statement
harm my relationship
with this person?

20. Misuse of “I” “You” and “We”Misuse of “I” “You” and “We”
● You: No Responsibility
● I: Some Responsibility
● We: Equal Responsibility

21. Misuse of Abstract andMisuse of Abstract and
Specific LanguageSpecific Language
Least specific: You should pay more attention to the clock.
Slightly specific: You should pay more attention to the
clock during your breaks.
Neutral: You need to stop going over your break time.
Pretty specific: You need to stop going over you break
time all the time.
Most specific: You need to stop going over your break
time every time we share the same shift.

22. In Conclusion...