BUSINESS 101

The Art of Helpful Expertise

Find out what’s shaping up to be one of the most important trends in retail today

we all know customer service and knowledge are critical on the sales floor. A new study, conducted by Experticity, set out to determine the sheer importance of such “helpful expertise.”

The Retail Buying Experience survey of 600 U.S. consumers revealed information that can help any business that sells products to customers.

The most important finding, however, may be that there is a gap between what consumers want and what they get. “Consumers walk into stores wanting help and expecting someone who can add to their experience,” says Tom Stockham, Experticity’s CEO. “When they don’t find…someone they perceive to be a helpful guide, it’s not just a neutral, it’s a negative. They don’t just walk out—they walk out angry.”

What do consumers crave most? Beyond simple helpful expertise, the study found:

• 73 percent of consumers are looking for “Product Knowledge.”

• 71 percent desire “Help Selecting Product.”

• 69 percent are looking for “Category Knowledge.”

• 68 percent want help “Finding Alternatives.”

Stockham suggests that showrooming (consumers using brick-and-mortar stores to try on and view products before purchasing online) is actually “people looking for help, not finding it, and walking out.”

FALLING SHORT

The survey found that many consumers feel salespeople don’t meet expectations when it comes to education. A full 43 percent said salespeople fell short helping find product alternatives.

“In optical, customers want to know the answers to their questions—‘What type of sun protection is best? What’s the difference between lenses? What are the current eyewear fashion trends?’” says Stockham. “Good information is an enormous thing to the consumer. A little improvement makes a big difference in things like basket size and conversion rates.

“If you keep running your business thinking all consumers care about is low prices and product selection,” concludes Stockham, “you are going to wind up as a cost-disadvantaged reposit of inventory. You have to have quality people who are impassioned to help.”

WAYS TO IMPROVE

In the end, most sales associates want to provide the best experience. In fact, they report two times higher job satisfaction if they can meet customer needs. How can you give them the tools they need?

• THE RIGHT PEOPLE. Look to “hire people who are passionate about the category and who love your products,” says Stockham.

• PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE FIRST. Before putting the training spotlight on improving service, focus on training employees to know your products inside and out. “Sales associates get better at creating good brand perceptions and explaining why they love the products when they have first-hand experience with them,” says Stockham.

• REWARD EXPERTISE. Reward those sales associates with product discounts and things like tickets to related events such as fashion shows.

• EVANGELIZE HELPFUL EXPERTISE. Build a culture of service and knowledge. According to Experticity, leading people to the lowest-priced products on the shelves doesn’t help build relationships. Instead, start by asking customers what they want and why.

— Erinn Morgan