Provide a consultative selling service to retail customers

This standard is about getting to know retail customers so that your retail organisation can provide a personalised service to them. Products can be recommended and sold according to the customers’ individual requirements, preferences and budget. Selling in this way is known as consultative selling or relationship selling.

This standard is for staff who provide a consultative selling service to customers.

When you have completed this standard you will be able to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to:

• Provide a consultative selling service to retail customers

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1. use available information from customer records to help prepare for consultations
2. check that the work area is clean and tidy before starting a consultative selling service and that all the equipment and/or products required are to hand
3. create a rapport with retail customers at the start of the consultation
4. interact with retail customers in a manner that projects your retail organisation's image effectively
5. ask questions that encourage customers to state their buying needs, preferences and priorities
6. check how much retail clients want to spend
7. provide customers with the features and benefits of the products or services that are being recommended and relate these to the customers’ individual requirements
8. identify suitable opportunities to sell additional or related products or services that are suited to the customers’' requirements
9. make recommendations to customers without pressurising them
10. pace customer consultations so that you optimise the selling time while maintaining good relations
11. meet your workplace customer service standards in dealings with customers
12. store and use customer information in line with relevant legislation and your workplace procedures

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1. what consultative selling is and how this is different from other kinds of retail selling
2. your retail organisation's desired image and how to project this to retail clients
3. how to use information in customer records to prepare for consultations
4. how to create and maintain a rapport with new and existing customers
5. the types of question to ask customers to find out about their buying requirements, preferences and priorities
6. when to ask customers how much they want to spend and how to ask them professionally
7. how to keep informed about the brands and services that you are expected to sell, including:
   • seasonal trends
   • new brands or services
   • promotions
   • stock levels
   • competitor comparisons
   • additional services such as store cards, gift wrapping or delivery
8. how to relate the features and benefits of products or services to customer requirements
9. how to identify suitable opportunities to sell additional or related products
10. how to make recommendations to customers in a way that encourages them to take advice, without pressurising them
11. why there needs to be a balance in making immediate sales and the requirement to maintain positive relations with customers, and how to do so
12. your workplace customer service standards and how to apply these when providing a consultative selling service to customers
13. how to store and use customer information in line with relevant legislation and your workplace procedures

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3

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2030

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Current

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Original

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Skillsmart Retail

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SSR.C313

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Retail and Commercial Enterprise, Retailing and Wholesaling, Sales and Customer Services Occupations, Sales Assistants and Retail Cashiers

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7111

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Retailing; retailers; provides; providing; gives; giving; personalises; personalising; custom; customised; customising; tailored; tailoring; tailors; services; sales; sells; selling

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