Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
The average hardware store has thousands of SKUs, so it’s easy to see why anyone starting a job at a home improvement store could easily be overwhelmed. For many years, retailers have turned to the North American Hardware Association’s (NHPA) product knowledge courses to give their employees the foundational knowledge needed to start a successful retailing career.
To ensure that employees get reliable and current information, NHPA recently finished updating its popular Basic Training in Hardware Retailing series of courses. The updates are part of the association’s ongoing schedule of reviewing its online training.
NHPA worked with retailers and wholesalers to review the course material and make recommendations for updates that reflect category changes impacting most home improvement retailers, such as new product developments. Updated courses include Plumbing, Electrical, Hardware and Fasteners, Paint, Lawn and Garden, Heating and Cooling, Hand Tools and Power Tools.
Earlier this year, NHPA released updates to its popular Basic Training in Building Materials Retailing series of courses.
NHPA’s hardware product knowledge course is one of the association’s most popular training programs, used by thousands of employees every year. The program provides that vital first step in training employees need to take if they are to understand how to help customers find the right product for their needs. Each of the eight courses in the Basic Training in Hardware Retailing series include information about product features and benefits, suggested add-on sales, customers’ frequently asked questions and knowledge checks to reinforce the learning, all in an interactive format. The courses are designed not only for product knowledge, but also to encourage better customer service by learning add-on sales and how to differentiate between good, better and best items.
Retailers who are NHPA Premier Members can access the updated Basic Training in Hardware Retailing courses on NHPA’s training site. Retailers who access NHPA’s training through their wholesaler or co-op, or who license NHPA’s courses, also have access to the updated content. To learn more about becoming a NHPA Premier Member, visit YourNHPA.org/membership.
