By Keri Algar
SYDNEY, NSW: Consumers need a strong and positive experience in-store and sales staff that can capture research shoppers, according to business educator and sales coach David Penglase.
Current.com.au spoke with Penglase to find out what sales staff can do to turn around consumers who walk in with the intention of making their purchase online at a more competitive price.
“Shopping around is a natural thing for us to do. If consumers believe that they may not get the best price possible then they’ll always shop around, but if it’s an important purchase with continuing value, like a TV, then a great sales person can turn it all around,” Penglase said.
“It will all come down to price, if the price difference between online is going to outweigh the value that the store’s sales person can offer.”
So how can a sales person add value to their advice?
“What retail sales people don’t do is a good fact find. And it’s not difficult; it’s a series of simple questions. This will determine the approach a sales person can continue with and help build rapport.
“A good sales person will think of questions to ask the consumer that they had not considered when thinking of purchasing online. This means covering potential questions the consumer might have but hasn’t yet considered such as concerns about warrantee and after sales service.”
Penglase said that once realising that a consumer has already done their research online a sales person can ask what has been searched out so far, “What do they already know?”
“Sales staff need to be trained to advise, not just be providers of information.”
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