Retail sales representative is one of the most common job positions in New Zealand with over 104,000 retail sales workers in the country.[i] A sales representative or a retail sales associate is a viable position for just about anybody since it doesn’t require specialised knowledge. However, to excel in this career you need to master certain skills.
Monster.com, a popular employment website includes skills such as customer service, tech savvy, communication skills, math and generating sales as essential skills needed for the position.[ii] Below is a list of the top 10 skills that can help master retail sales customer service.
| Conducting Retail Sales | From greeting to closing, conduct a sale like a pro |
| Communication | Speak clearly, confidently and persuasively to create a great impression on the customer |
| Persuasion Skills | Know how to persuade a customer to overcome sales objections |
| Body Language | Use positive and friendly body language to make the customer feel at ease |
| Customer Service | Understand customer behaviour and gain the ability to deal with negative situations |
| Active Listening | Listen actively to determine customer needs quickly and accurately |
| Tech Savvy | Have basic and advance understanding of computer operations needed at work |
| Time Management | Manage complex tasks, planning, scheduling, and delegating tasks in your time management strategy |
| Team Building Skills | Implement the FISH! philosophy to help achieve an effective team |
| Problem Solving | Able to identify the problem, to analyze the cause of the problem, create and apply the solution and to solve most kinds of problems in the workplace |
[i] http://occupationoutlook.mbie.govt.nz/service-industries/retail-sales-assistants/Sources
[ii] https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/25-keywords-retail-sales-associates-need-on-their-resume