Having a retail or customer service job requires a lot more skills and knowledge than people might think; it's so much more than just serving a customer. From dealing with complaints, to continuously educating yourself on new products, right down to working tirelessly during peak periods. Whether you're a manager or starting out your career in retail, these skills will be a good reminder of the skill set you're building up with your career in retail.
These are transferrable skills too, so whatever direction your career takes you in they'll stand you in good stead.
The list of skills is endless, but here are the top 5 skills we drilled it down to:
1. Communication
On a day-to-day basis you will gain communication skills through providing great friendly customer service to different types of customers. You will get customers who may ask a lot of questions or has a complaint which you need to find a solution to, from this you will be able to identify the effective ways to deal with all customers.
2. Problem-solving
Working in a customer service role also brings its challenges, from which you can build a skill set that will help you deal with various difficult situations. You may come across customers who will be very upset and angry about the previous service they received and this will be a good opportunity for you to put your problem-solving skills to good use. A little bit of patience will go a long way with the customer.
3. Working under pressure
Keeping your calm during busy periods, such as Christmas, can become challenging. You have to make sure you attend to every customer, maintain a tidy store, communicate with your team and provide a quick service and do this all with a big smile on your face at all times. Sure, it may be challenging but in the end it is always rewarding. This will not only help you build your ability to work under pressure, but it will also improve your time management and organisation skills.
4. Initiative
In retail you may come across situations you have never dealt with before and this is your chance to use your initiative and think outside the box. You may be required to carry out tasks that are not specifically part of your job description and instead build your level of responsibility.
5. Commercial awareness & product knowledge
Being at the front of the business dealing with customers on a day-to-day basis means that you need to keep up to date with the latest products and all the information which will create a valuable service. You will also continuously be aware of what's going on in the business and the latest news.
Next time you're in an interview where you're asked situational-based questions, you'll now have an answer for them all.
All of these skills are in fact a good set of transferrable skills to have if you wanted to move into another sector. Are you looking for a new opportunity? Check out our vacancies online, or head down to your local branch to find out how your local recruitment expert can elevate your career, today!
