Retail functions can include equal amounts of both sales and problem solving. The main ingredient, however, is the actual face-to-face interaction with the customer. Customers will not be impressed by a fake smile and “canned” or impersonal words. An inauthentic and robotic “Thank you, please come back” won’t do the trick. What really counts for customers is a quick response, personalized attention, positive behavior, and helpfulness.

How well a service provider communicates with the customer can make or break a transaction. Approximately half of what we communicate comes across through visual clues, such as facial expressions, body movement, and posture. This “body language” is a very powerful component of personal interactions. Retail employees need both verbal and nonverbal communication skills to manage the company-customer relationship that keeps people coming back as loyal customers.

In terms of making sales, the manner of persuasion and the degree to which service providers assert themselves can influence the outcome. Being aware of the uniqueness of individual customers helps employees avoid making assumptions. At the same time, what a customer thinks he or she needs isn’t always correct. Appropriate probing skills can help the customer make the most appropriate choices from among a variety of alternatives. This extra attention to customer needs relies on the service representative’s knowledge of products and their availability.

Empathy and trust are essential for handling complaints and retaining customers. When solving problems for customers, the retail employee must comprehend the uniqueness of each situation while maintaining fair and equitable treatment for all customers. This requires flexibility in applying company policies and procedures so that the service provider satisfies customers while still working within corporate boundaries.

Here are some interventions that are particularly recommended for retail staff: