Welcome back everyone.
You know, as retail executives,
we're always trying to figure out
how to make our teams the best they can possibly be.
Absolutely, it's always top of mind.
Yeah, and so today we're diving deep into some,
well, fascinating material from Multimedia Plus.
Oh yeah, they really are the experts
when it comes to retail training.
They are, and we'll talk about why
some of the old ways of training
just aren't cutting it anymore
and what we can look forward to in the future.
It's gonna be a good one.
I think so too.
So let's kick things off with something
I'm sure we're all familiar with, e-learning.
Yeah.
You know, stuck in the back office,
clicking through slide after slide.
The bin there.
But it hasn't been all that effective for retail
and I'm thinking it's gotta be more than just,
you know, being boring.
Right.
It really comes down to the disconnect
between that training environment
and what's actually happening out on the sales floor.
You're learning about these products, but only in theory.
You never get to actually touch them or, you know,
experience them.
It's like trying to teach someone how to ride a bike
just by showing them pictures.
Yeah, you're getting all this head knowledge,
but no practical application.
And in retail, I mean,
being able to connect with the product
and then show a customer how it works is everything.
It is.
And then you've got the length of those modules
and how they're delivered.
A lot of them are so long and focused on compliance stuff
rather than actually teaching people
the skills they need to, you know, make sales.
It's like this one size fits all thing
that doesn't take into account the fact
that people learn in different ways
and have different levels of experience.
So true.
It shouldn't just be about checking boxes.
It's about giving your team the tools they need
to actually be successful.
Right.
And retail has such a diverse workforce.
So a personalized approach seems pretty essential.
It is.
And that's actually one of the limitations
of another common approach, in-person training.
I mean, it has its good points for sure.
But trying to make sure that it's delivered consistently
across all your stores can be a real nightmare.
You're at the mercy of whoever's doing the training.
That's a good point.
There's no guarantee everyone's getting
the same quality instruction.
You're putting all this time and money
into in-person training,
but who knows what you're really getting.
And then you have the high turnover rates we see in retail.
It's like you're always starting from scratch.
It is.
Every new person needs to be trained, and that takes time.
Right.
Not to mention money.
Right.
And we can't forget about all the logistical headaches.
Oh yeah.
Travel costs.
Kigling.
People being away from the sales floor.
It all adds up.
It does.
It's like both, you know, e-learning and in-person
training both have their downsides.
So where do we go from here?
Right.
I mean, what does effective training even look like
in the world we're living in today?
That's where this idea of on-the-floor learning
in microbursts comes in.
Okay, now that's interesting.
It's a term multimedia plus uses,
and I think it's spot on.
I like it.
Tell me more.
It's all about using technology to give people
these little bursts of information
right when they need them.
Okay.
We're talking like three to five minute videos
they can watch on their phone or a tablet.
And they can do this, you know, between customers.
I see.
So instead of pulling someone off the floor for an hour,
they can just get these little nuggets of the knowledge
throughout the day.
Exactly.
And then as they go.
And because it's video,
you know everyone's getting the same training.
Right.
No matter what store they're in.
Consistence.
Everyone's on the same page with the brand.
Makes sense.
And it's way more engaging and memorable.
Did you know 90% of the information that goes
to our brain is visual?
That's pretty amazing.
Yeah.
Video just taps into that.
It's way better than just making people read a bunch of text.
So we're making learning more bite-sized,
more accessible, more modern.
It just makes sense.
It does.
What else makes this approach different?
Well, it's more than just watching videos.
It's about actually getting your hands dirty.
Okay.
So picture this.
An associate watches a short video
about a new product on their tablet, right?
Right.
And then boom, they get to go try that product out themselves
right away.
Right.
They get to see how it works.
I like that.
It's that combo of knowledge and experience
that makes them an expert.
Yeah.
Memorizing facts.
They're getting a feel for it.
Exactly.
Building their confidence.
And it's all happening right there on the sales floor.
So you're not disrupting the flow of business.
Right.
It just fits into their day.
Love that.
And we can't forget about personalization.
Oh, yeah.
I mean, you know better than anyone,
your teams are diverse.
I am.
Everyone comes in with different backgrounds,
different learning styles, different goals even.
And the old one-size-fits-all just doesn't work.
It doesn't.
It'd be like trying to make everyone
wear the same uniform no matter their size.
It'd be a mess.
Exactly.
But with these new platforms, you
can set up different learning paths for each person.
So you meet them where they are, give them what they need.
A new hire might start with customer service basics
and product knowledge.
But someone who's been around longer
could focus on more advanced sales techniques
or even management skills.
It makes sense.
And people are probably more engaged too if it's tailored
to them.
Absolutely.
When training feels relevant, people
are more likely to actually do it.
Makes sense.
It's not about checking boxes anymore.
It's about empowering people and helping them grow.
Yeah, that's a big shift.
It's not just training.
It's an investment in your employees.
It is.
And with all the data these platforms give you,
you can actually see that growth happening.
Oh, wow.
You can see who's doing the training,
how well they're remembering the information.
You can even see how it's affecting their sales numbers.
So no more guessing games.
Right.
You have data to make decisions with.
You can actually see if that training on a new product
is leading to more sales.
Oh, my god.
Or if there are areas where people need more help.
It's like having this dashboard for your whole team.
It is.
This is starting to sound really good.
Yeah.
But let's be real.
OK.
Change is hard.
It is.
Especially in big companies.
What are you thinking?
Well, what kind of pushback do you usually
see when companies try to bring in these modern training
methods?
Honestly, one of the biggest things
is people being skeptical about e-learning in general.
Oh, yeah.
Because of all those bad experiences in the past.
Right.
They think back to those boring, useless modules.
It's understandable.
But this is different.
So how do you get people on board?
I think communication is key.
OK.
Be upfront about how this new approach is actually
solving those old problems.
OK.
Show them how it's engaging and relevant and easy to use.
But most importantly, talk about the benefits for everyone.
Right.
It's not just about the technology.
It's about the people.
How does this help the employees?
Right.
How does it help the managers?
Right.
The executives.
Yeah.
How does it make everyone's lives easier and help
everyone be more productive?
Good points.
For employees, it means having access to training that
actually helps them build their skills
and move up in the company.
For managers, it means having a team that's more knowledgeable
and engaged who can give customers a better experience.
Makes sense.
And for executives, it means seeing that positive impact
on the bottom line.
Everyone wins.
Right.
But you can't just launch a new platform
and call it a day, can you?
You can't.
What are some of the things people should be thinking about
when they're implementing something like this?
First of all, you've got to pick the right platform.
Of course.
There are tons of them out there.
So do your homework.
Figure out what fits your goals and your budget.
OK.
And then make sure your team knows how to use it.
Right.
Provide training.
Make sure they're comfortable with the technology.
Exactly.
You don't want people getting frustrated.
And the content itself has to be engaging and relevant.
Right.
Work with your vendors to create materials that look good,
are easy to understand, and really focus
on your specific products and services.
OK.
Don't be afraid to get creative.
Try different formats, like videos and quizzes
and even simulations.
Make it fun.
Exactly.
But how do you know if it's working?
How do you measure the impact?
Data.
Data is your friend.
I was hoping you'd say that.
Most of these platforms have really good analytics
and reporting.
Track things like completion rates, how well people
are remembering the information.
OK.
And you can even connect the training data to sales numbers.
So you can see if that training is actually
leading to more sales or happier customers.
Exactly.
You can use that data to tweak things,
make your program even better.
You can prove it's worth the investment.
Exactly.
This is all great information for retail executives.
Yeah.
Any common mistakes you see companies making when
it comes to training?
Oh, yeah.
Definitely.
One of the biggest ones is thinking of training as a one
time.
Right.
Instead of an ongoing process.
Right.
It's like going to the gym once and expecting
to be in shape forever.
Doesn't work that way.
Nope.
And another big mistake is not involving employees
in the process.
Oh, interesting.
Who better to tell you what they need to learn
than the people who are actually doing the work?
Right.
They're the ones on the front lines.
They're dealing with the customers.
They know what works and what doesn't.
Their feedback is gold.
It is.
And when you get them involved, they're
more likely to buy into the training
and be excited about it.
Makes sense.
So don't just tell them what they need.
Right.
Ask them.
Involve them.
Exactly.
Now, are there any companies out there that are really
nailing this?
Oh, for sure.
Lots of companies are using modern training
to really empower their employees and get great results.
Give me an example.
OK.
One that comes to mind is a big clothing retailer
that started using a mobile platform with gamification
built in.
Oh, I like that.
They saw a huge jump in employee engagement.
And their sales numbers really went up.
Gamification.
It makes learning fun, especially for younger employees.
It does.
They're used to that kind of interactive experience.
It's like a game, not work.
Right.
They learn more.
They remember more.
But it's not just about the bells and whistles.
It's about creating a culture where everyone's learning
and growing all the time.
Where people feel valued.
Where they have opportunities.
That's what makes a difference.
It does.
It changes things.
Instead of just thinking of retail jobs as temporary,
people start to see them as a real career.
That's so important.
We talk a lot about how these new training methods
benefit the business.
But we should be talking about how they benefit
the employees, too.
Yeah.
It's about empowering them.
Exactly.
It's about giving them what they need to do their jobs well,
of course.
But also to grow their skills.
Maybe even move up in the company.
Imagine someone who starts as a cashier,
but they're really into fashion.
With the right training, they can learn about merchandising,
visual display, maybe even become a buyer.
There are so many possibilities.
It's not just about the technical stuff, either.
Right.
These modern training programs teach those soft skills, too.
Yeah.
Things like communication, problem solving, teamwork,
even leadership skills.
Exactly.
Those are valuable no matter what you do.
It's about helping people become well-rounded, adaptable.
Ready for anything.
And that's what people want, especially younger employees.
They're not just looking for a job.
Right.
They want to learn.
They want to grow.
They want to be part of something bigger.
They want to work for a company that cares about their future.
Exactly.
It's a company that gives them opportunities.
And when your employees are engaged, and motivated,
and well-trained, guess what?
What?
Customers have a better experience.
100%.
When employees feel confident, they're better at their jobs.
Right.
They can answer questions.
They can build relationships with customers.
Everyone's happier.
Everyone wins.
It sounds like this new way of doing retail training
is really changing the game.
What do you think the future holds?
I think we're going to see even more personalization,
you know?
Yeah.
Using things like AI and machine learning
to tailor the training to each person's needs.
So it's like taking all that data we're collecting
and putting it to work.
Exactly.
That's amazing.
And I think we'll see more virtual reality and augmented
reality too.
Oh, wow.
Imagine being able to create these immersive training
environments.
Oh, that would be cool.
Like almost real-life scenarios.
It's like taking those product demos we talked about
to a whole other level.
Exactly.
And it's not just for new hires either.
Right.
It's a way to keep everyone up to date on new trends,
new technology.
Always learning.
Exactly.
This is exciting stuff.
Any final thoughts for our listeners?
Yeah.
I would just say don't be afraid to embrace change.
Retail is always changing.
And the way you train your teams needs to change too.
Try new things.
Be innovative.
And listen to your employees.
Great advice.
Be open to new ideas.
Be willing to adapt.
And remember, your people are your most valuable asset.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
A big thanks to Multimedia Plus for the great material.
Yeah, they're great.
If you want to learn more about modern retail training,
their website is a great resource.
We'll put a link in the show notes.
Perfect.
And to all our listeners, thanks for joining us today.
Keep learning.
Keep growing.
And we'll see you next time.