Great retail experiences don’t happen by accident—they’re built through consistency, clarity, and confident customer service. While a powerful EPOS system can streamline operations and guide sales, it’s your staff who bring the experience to life. From greeting customers with warmth (without hovering) to making thoughtful recommendations and promoting loyalty programs, your team plays a vital role in shaping how your business is perceived.

That’s why thoughtful training is more than teaching them which buttons to push and in what order. You need to build their confidence, product fluency, and develop a service mindset that makes customers feel welcome and appreciated.

Here are a few tips on how to train your sales staff so that they can be the stars of the show, driving sales and revenue while earning customers’ loyalty.

Customer Interactions

Perhaps the most important thing to teach new sales associates is how to interact with customers. Treating customers with respect might seem like something that doesn’t need to be said, but it’s better to set expectations early and not leave any room for interpretation.

Too that end, it’s important to train your staff to be friendly, but not forceful. Emphasize the importance of greeting every customer warmly. Additionally, teach your staff how to read customers’ body language so that they can approach clients without intimidating them. Show them how to talk to customers in a way that quickly builds rapport and makes the customer feel comfortable. An important aspect of this is to recognize that people will remember your staff for how they made them feel, so the more welcome they make them, the more likely you’ll win repeat business.

Upselling without Being Pushy

Upselling is an artform, but luckily it’s teachable. Your EPOS system can make it easier by making product recommendations based on past purchases or other information. But upsells still require a little finessing from your staff in order to be successful.

Train your staff using role plays to frame upsells as thoughtful recommendations. Remember to stress to them that they are offering something the customer will value, not simply pushing products.

Loyalty Program Training

Loyalty programs have become enormously popular these days, with near every retail store offering some sort of loyalty card. However, they’re not all the same, and often require some explanation of benefits and how they work to customers. Before diving into scripts or procedures, explain the purpose of the loyalty program. Remember: it’s not just about points or discounts, it’s about encouraging repeat visits and building customer trust.

Tips for Delivering Effective Staff Training

Not only is it important to emphasize your programs, policies, and procedures when training staff, but you also need to ensure they retain and apply the information. Here are a few tips to help you provide more effective training:

• Conduct training in two sessions. The first should be without any customers around. That will give you time and space to walk through your training materials, as well as allow staff members to ask questions. The second training should be with a customer present so you can observe and coach your employees in real time.
• Practice makes perfect. Take the time role play with your staff, allowing them to practice greetings and upsells, and to offer help without annoying customers.
• Teach your staff how to truly listen to customers and how to read between the lines. This will help them get to what the customer needs faster and to potentially upsell them.
• Provide constructive, personalised feedback. Not everyone learns the same, and it’s important to accommodate different learning styles.
• Give encouragement. Don’t berate them for getting something wrong

Invest in Your Staff

Investing in your sales staff is investing in your customer experience. With the right EPOS system and a thoughtful training approach, your team can deliver consistent, confident service that keeps customers coming back.

Luckily, when it comes to implementing a new EPOS system, Everything EPOS takes care of the training for you! Contact us to discuss your business and how we can help you train staff to grow sales—and your revenues.