Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
You’ve seen it—it can happen anywhere—at the airport service counter, in a restaurant or at the department store. You can just tell by the look in their eyes: you’re on your own; you might as well just keep moving along. You need answers—you’re just not going to get them from this employee. Generally it makes us frustrated and sometimes a little angry. And, if we had a choice, and usually we do, we won’t go back to that business.
Lack of knowledge puts your employees at a disadvantage. They want to help, and, when they can’t, they feel inadequate, intimidated and “on-the-spot.” They’re caught off-guard; sometimes the best they can do is offer blank stares.
If you’re building your business around customer service, avoid blank stares at all costs. Teach your employees how to respond when they don’t know the answers. Insist they learn about the products you sell.
Your association can help; it is launching a totally updated and redesigned Basic Training Course in Hardware Retailing. It’s the course you’ve been using for years, first in binders and on paper years ago, then as an online course. Now, information about every product has been updated, and the online learning software is easier than ever to use.
Your association has invested almost two years of effort, seeking the advice of retailers who use the course, training department staffs at the co-ops and product experts. Taking time to get input from across the industry has helped ensure the training will meet your needs.
The course is still focused on providing an extensive and in-depth product knowledge learning experience. It covers the eight core product categories, with 34 chapters and 133 separate learning modules. More than 1,300 individual products are presented, each one newly researched and rewritten. New photos of products were acquired when necessary, and special attention was given to categories that have been affected by regulations and code changes. The new learning tool offers interactivity, frequent quizzes and audio to encourage students to learn in the way that is most effective for them.
If you’re an NRHA member, you’re entitled to unlimited usage of this new product knowledge course at absolutely no additional cost. If you are an Ace, True Value or Home Hardware member, it will be yours through your NRHA group membership program on your co-op’s learning portal later this year. If you are a direct member, or a member through your wholesaler’s membership program, it will be available through www.nrha.org.
You can find more details here. If you’re a member, look for the course soon. If you’re not a member, here’s a great reason to join.
