The role of store staff is changing. Covid, new shopping habits and fewer in-store roles have created a wealth of extra responsibilities for shopworkers. Retail Week looks into the skills needed for storeworker 2.0.

  • New services such as Dixon’s ShopLive and online masterclasses require confidence and presentation skills
  • Picking, packing and click-and-collect duties require a greater level of flexibility 
  • Interpersonal skills and the ability to be brand ambassadors now figure highly 

From health and safety champions to tech support to online shopping pickers, the role of the shopworker has changed a huge amount in the past year. And, as job cuts reverberate across the industry, store staff will be asked to do more and more.

These new responsibilities reflect the undeniable changes in how consumers browse and shop in-store, exacerbated by the new normal of post-lockdown shopping.

“The skills required in this inter-Covid era are taking personnel back to the role of the shopkeeper”

Chris Sanderson, The Future Laboratory 

Whether they sell food or fashion, retailers have had to overhaul store operations to keep in line with customer expectations – including introducing new roles, such as greeters, and having workers take on multiple job functions. 

Trend forecaster The Future Laboratory co-founder Chris Sanderson says: “The skills required in this inter-Covid era are taking personnel back to the role of the shopkeeper – an individual who is the primary interface with the customer and must be able to respond empathetically and intuitively with the shopper’s needs.”

The new storeworker must be as well-rounded as possible, adaptable to new requirements and able to be both operationally and customer-minded.

Merging on and offline 

When the majority of stores closed their doors to the public in March, non-essential retailers and their employees were left in limbo. However, businesses were quick to think of innovative ways to serve customers, which created new duties for store staff.

Both Dixons Carphone and John Lewis turned their hand to virtual consultations, leveraging the knowledge of in-store colleagues to help customers make purchasing decisions from their own homes.

Dixons Carphone’s video consultation service ShopLive is here to stay, even though its stores have reopened.

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Dixons Carphone launched ShopLive during lockdown

Dixons Carphone retail director Mike Carslake says: “ShopLive saw the emergence of a new way for customers to shop and a new way for our retail colleagues to provide and share their expert advice.

“During lockdown, our retail colleagues were provided with the tech needed to deliver ShopLive from their homes.

“The new tool meant colleagues were able to utilise their existing retail skills and technology expertise to help the huge numbers of customers looking for advice and recommendations from an expert.”

Now Dixons shop assistants working on ShopLive do so from in store, showcasing products to customers and offering advice.

“The new tool meant colleagues were able to utilise their existing retail skills and technology expertise to help huge numbers of customers”

Mike Carslake, Dixons Carphone

While product knowledge may be an existing necessity, selling via video call will require presentation and demonstration skills.

This may change the requirements needed to work in a Dixons store, and the retailer, who is hiring staff specifically to conduct ShopLive consultations (280 roles were filled by July 15), will be looking for confident recruits who are happy presenting on screen.

A background in theatre or drama and an interest in public speaking may therefore become desirable as Dixons tries to hire budding QVC presenters.

Theatrical skills are something John Lewis was looking for in its customer-service staff pre-Covid, as it strived to up the in-store experience.

In fact, more than 500 partners were sent to “theatre camp” where they were trained by National Theatre actors in voice and body-language skills to help them communicate better and offer better experiences.

This coincided with John Lewis pushing services such as a concierge, style advice, beauty treatments and events in store.

Like Dixons Carphone, John Lewis has switched these services online, offering experiences such as advice for expectant parents, home interiors guidance and online masterclasses for cookery and gin. 

Hamleys staff

Hamleys is no stranger to adding a touch of theatre in store 

These theatrical skills are already utilised by other retailers.

Lush employees are trained to showcase how any product works, using the large sinks on display in-store, and encourage customers to try themselves.

Meanwhile, Hamleys encourages children and adults alike to get involved in the fun by trying out toys and has a selection of colleagues, often in fancy dress, outside the store singing songs and enticing customers in. 

With customers still somewhat nervous about returning to bricks-and-mortar stores, this interaction may put some at ease and make the shopping experience more enjoyable.

Online fulfilment

While non-essential retailers had to think of new ways to serve customers while stores were closed, grocery and pharmacy retailers remained open, increasing their headcount on the shop floor to keep up with demand.

But with some customers either unable or unwilling to shop in-store, demand for online food shopping slots soared, leading to extra services like picking and packing in store, as well as last-mile delivery.

“Colleagues have needed to complete all in-store activities, rather than just their normal focus; our colleagues are more multi-skilled than ever”

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Demand for click and collect has increased across the retail sector    

“We’ve needed to be as flexible as ever, going that ‘extra mile’ with things like increasing home-delivery slots for those customers who found themselves unable to shop in-store,” says an Iceland spokesperson.

“Colleagues have needed to be able to complete all in-store activities, rather than just their normal focus; our colleagues are more multi-skilled than ever.”

Retailers have also turbocharged click-and-collect over the past few months.

Dixons Carphone offered ‘drive-thru’ click-and-collect, while The Entertainer launched a ‘ready in 10’ service, allowing customers to collect items ordered online at stores within 10 minutes. 

Storeworkers are now required to be more operationally focused than before – those who used to simply be on the tills, for example, must now stack shelves or pick and pack online orders, and may even have a hand in delivery.

Heightened service 

At a time when many people are still dramatically cutting down social contact, a trip to the supermarket may be one of the few times they experience human interaction outside their own homes, making customer service more important than ever. 

On a basic level, the new storeworker now has a host of cleaning duties to make customers feel safe; this includes wiping down service counters and sanitising products that customers have tried on. 

Many shops also have a greeter at the door, tasked with explaining the new shopping protocols to customers.

M&S staff smile

Store staff have been tasked with putting nervous customers at ease 

Beaverbrooks chief executive Anna Blackburn believes a key requirement of the new storeworker will be excellent interpersonal skills.

“As the high street has become increasingly marginalised, customers are looking for increased levels of service and professionalism. This is something we’ve been looking at the past few years, to offer that personal one-on-one service to really give them a reason to come into store,” she says.

“The skillset of a colleague now requires resilience, emotional intelligence and rapport-building skills – all of that has featured heavily in our recruiting processes.”

While these skills may have been high on the agenda before the pandemic, Blackburn says they are now top of the list when hiring store colleagues.

“It’s those listening skills and the ability to pick up on non-verbal cues that are really key. We’re now looking for a higher level of personal skills”

Anna Blackburn, Beaverbrooks

“Over the past couple of months, the biggest thing we have to deal with is about building consumer confidence and making the customer feel safe.

“Our colleagues need to understand the needs of an individual customer and adapt to meet those needs, rather than having a blanket one-size-fits-all approach.

“We will get some customers coming in that feel really safe and others that have had different experiences, and it’s those listening skills and the ability to pick up on non-verbal cues that are really key for a store colleague. We’re now looking for a higher level of personal skills than ever before.”

Brand ambassadors

However, store staff are expected to go beyond simply offering exceptional customer service and be true ambassadors for the brand.

“With the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the leisure, culture and food and beverage sectors, retailers looking for enthusiastic, engaged, passionate and committed team members are not going to be short of individuals prepared to go beyond traditional sales expectations to deliver higher levels of service and relationship building,” says The Future Laboratory’s Sanderson.

“As a result, storeworkers become hosts and brand ambassadors, rather than just shelf stackers and cash takers.”

This goes beyond their role in the store. Retailers are looking for people who will represent the brand on a more personal level, posting on their social media about it.

JL_sian on Instagram

John Lewis employees are encouraged to share social content  

John Lewis store staff have been equipped with the employee advocacy app Qubist. This app allows staff to share John Lewis content, including its iconic Christmas ads, and increase brand engagement and awareness. 

When it launched the tool last year, John Lewis senior manager for social and digital Eva Bojtos said: “The passion and knowledge of our partners are very powerful and inspiring.

“Giving them a way in which to connect personally with customers online provides a deeper, more meaningful relationship.”

The Qubist app measures partner advocacy provides staff with content suggestions and prompts about products, services and events.

“Giving them a way in which to connect personally with customers online provides a deeper, more meaningful relationship”

Eva Bojtos, John Lewis

Bojtos said there was a direct correlation between activity on the Qubist app and in-store appointments for things like personal stylist sessions.

Encouraging shopworkers to promote and embody the brand online could give local customers the impetus to return to store and interact with staff.

While not a universal requirement, social media know-how could be an increasingly important trait for retailers looking to hire new employees.

Recruitment 2.0

It’s clear that a new type of storeworker was already in the works pre-Covid, but expectations have skyrocketed as retailers scramble to keep up with online demand and persuade customers to venture back into stores.

“The key skills we now focus on developing range from customer service to food safety and, of course, new Covid-secure training, setting our colleagues up to be as well-rounded as possible,” said an Iceland spokesman.

“Resilience, tolerance and managing customer expectations are skills that have proved particularly valuable in recent months.

“These are traits we very much embrace and that will become even more prominent in the behaviours we look to recruit and train in future.”

The new storeworker needs to be agile and adaptable to take on new tasks and, at this time when the retail experience is still impaired, be a crucial part of making shopping enjoyable.