Are your shop assistants advising or just cashing?

How do you explain to your sales assistants the difference between cashing, selling and advising?

In 2008 I was in charge of a team of experienced sales ladies who were convinced they were advising their customers. After a few days of observing them, I realized they were cashing and sometimes selling, but I did not recognize any advising.

At first I tried to explain verbally the difference between cashing, selling and advising.

Cashing happens when the customer knows what she wants and the sales assistant cashes with minimal interaction. Typically this happens when the customer enters the store and asks directly for a specific product.

Selling is about knowing the products and the assortment. The customer has a good knowledge of what he needs and looks for guidance in understanding how the assortment can serve his needs best.

Advising is about managing an experience and influencing an outcome. The customer knows the result she wants to achieve and is open to suggestions. She expects that you create her unique story.

The ladies nodded, but I could see in their eyes that they did not understand the difference between selling and advising and that they were still convinced to advising their customers.

A few days later, I observed how the most senior sales assistant served a customer. As soon as the customer left the store with a package wrapped as a gift, I asked her who would be receiving the present. She didn't know. I then asked her, how did she advise her customer if she didn't ask who would receive the present and in what occasion. Again, I asked her if she ever used the products she was selling and - as she did not - I finally asked her how did she feed the conviction necessary to be convincing if she did not experience the emotion of using the products she was selling.

The difference between selling and advising was explained and understood.

#Sales #Cash #Sell #Advise