Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to deliver quality customer service and sell to retail customers. It requires the ability to determine customer needs, match products and services to their needs, and facilitate a sale.
This unit applies to all retail sectors and business sizes from large format stores to small independents. It applies to retail personnel at all levels who play a role in engaging with customers with the purpose of selling.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Establish customer needs. | 1.1.Connect with the customer within designated response times and establish rapport. 1.2.Use questioning and active listening to facilitate effective two-way communication. 1.3.Observe and determine appropriate level of interaction based on customer verbal and non-verbal cues. 1.4.Determine and clarify customer preferences, needs and expectations. |
2. Provide advice on products and services. | 2.1.Use product and service knowledge to tailor options to specific customer needs, and offer alternatives when product is unavailable. 2.2.Clearly explain and promote product and service features and benefits where relevant. 2.3.Advise on promotional events where relevant. 2.4.Provide additional information to address customer questions and objections. 2.5.Offer comparisons to competitor product or service range as required. 2.6.Collaborate with the customer to determine product or service option most suited to their needs. 2.7.Take opportunities to upsell and cross sell products and services that enhance customer request and maximise profitability of sale. |
3. Facilitate the sale of products and services. | 3.1.Select and use appropriate techniques to close sale. 3.2.Direct the customer to designated point-of-sale and process sale, as required, according to organisational procedures. 3.3.Farewell customer on leaving, and invite to return. 3.4.Provide any required after sales service according to organisational procedures. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
interact with four different retail customers to initiate and close the sale of different retail products or services
demonstrate the following during the above customer interactions:
appropriate communication
establishment and clarification of customer needs, wants and expectations
product and/or service knowledge
appropriate sales approach to sell benefits and features of products and/or services
overcome objections and close sales
upsell and/or cross sell additional products and/or services that complement the sale
promotion of customer loyalty and repeat sales.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
appropriate body language for customer service
basic principles of positive customer service and sales
open and closed questioning techniques related to the sale of product and services
verbal and non-verbal cues indicating customer understanding of information
techniques for effective communication with customers of diverse backgrounds:
cultural diversity
special needs
sales techniques:
opening techniques
recognising buying signals
strategies to focus customer on specific products and services
selling add-ons and complementary products
overcoming customer objections
closing techniques
primary components of consumer protection laws that relate to selling products and services, especially organisational responsibility for supplying products and services as described or substituting suitable products and services when unable
primary components of privacy law, and actions that retail business must take to protect privacy of customer information
for the specific retail sector:
professional service standards and protocols for retail industry personnel
attitudes and attributes expected by the retail industry to work with customers
different customer service needs and expectations
for the particular retail organisation:
product and service knowledge:
product and service range offering
product specifications, features and benefits
designated response times for providing customer service
customer service procedures including recording of and storing customer details.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a retail environment. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
relevant documentation:
organisational policies and procedures for:
customer service
sale of products and services
resolving customer complaints
collection and storage of customer details
organisational product information and price lists
supplier brochures, information sheets and price lists
promotional activity information
current plain English regulatory documents distributed by government regulators for:
consumer protection law
privacy law
customers with whom the individual can interact to sell products and services; these can be:
individuals in an industry workplace, or
individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation
assessment activities that allow the individual to:
work within commercial speed, timing and productivity
manage tasks and contingencies in the context of the job role.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
Reading skills to: | interpret: detailed in-house and supplier product information documents plain English documents that outline organisational customer service policy and procedures. |
Numeracy skills to: | interpret basic fee information from in-house documents and complete basic pricing calculations. |
Problem-solving skills to: | respond to customer objections and provide appropriate solutions to satisfy customer needs. |
Technology skills to: | use technologies equipped with search functionality and information systems to source product and service information. |
Sectors
Cross-Sector
Competency Field
Sales