Online Soft Skills eLearning - Training Resources

Retail Training - Work effectively in a retail environment It is only in the last few decades that retailers have been allowed to trade outside of normal working hours on Monday to Friday and over the weekend. The retail industry has had to become more flexible and be available at times more convenient to customers. Now it is not unusual for retailers to trade every day of the year, with some stores open 24 hours a day. This deregulation of trading hours  more...

Retail Training - Sell products and services Customers expect staff working in the store to be able to give appropriate and accurate information about the products and services for sale. In a self-service store, customers simply expect you to know what items are stocked by the store and where they are displayed. In a store that provides assisted service, however, you are expected to have a higher level of general and technical knowledge  more...

Retail Training - Recommend and fit clothing or footwear and products and services It is your role as a retail operator to help your customers make purchase decisions. To do this, you need to know not only what the customer is looking for, but detailed information about the products in your store. Customers look for products with certain criteria in mind. They will ask you for advice and assistance. When the customer does not really know what they are looking for, a good retail  more...

Retail Training - Profile a retail market Have you ever stopped to question why you are attracted to some store windows and not to others? Why you stop to flip through some advertising brochures but throw the rest away without even so much as a glance at the front cover? The answer is that we are all attracted to a certain image. Store operators take advantage of this by projecting an image that will attract their target customer group.  more...

Retail Training - Perform stock control procedures For most retailers the stock that the store buys is one of the largest investments they have in their business. The retailer is unable to recover the money paid for the stock you see on the shelves and in stock rooms until it is sold to customers. Stock that is damaged, lost or stolen represents a direct loss to the business. Consequently, a process is needed to control the movement of stock to  more...

Retail Training - Organise and maintain work areas Housekeeping is not glamorous or exciting, but it will always be an important part of your work in the retail industry. Housekeeping standards have a major impact on the storea s appearance and image. A store that is neat, clean, attractive and an easy place to shop in, helps to entice customers into the store and encourages them to return.  more...

Retail Training - Operate retail technology As little as 20 years ago, much of the equipment you see today in a retail store did not exist. Advances in electronic technology have transformed the way a retail store operates. To be a productive member of the team you will need to know what equipment is available to assist you in your work. You will also need to be able to operate and maintain equipment within your area of responsibility in  more...

Retail Training - Minimise theft It is important that you understand exactly what behaviour constitutes theft. It may be helpful to think of theft as the dishonest removal of property that belongs to another person with the intention to permanently deprive the owner of it. It is important to understand this definition so that you can identify theft when it occurs. Put simply, if you take property that does not belong to you, it  more...

Retail Training - Merchandise products A storea s image refers to the overall impression people have of the store. Image is critical to the success of any retailer, and in larger retail stores you will find that different departments project different images. Think, for example, of the widely projected image of sportswear compared with home wares. Whether a store projects one image or many, the aim is to improve the appeal or  more...

Retail Training - Maintain store security In our personal lives we try not to tempt thieves by leaving mobile phones, money or valuables lying around in our cars, homes or offices. A retail store a whether it sells CDs, clothing, cosmetics or hardware a is set up to tempt customers to purchase goods. This unfortunately is also tempting to thieves. To help prevent theft, retail stores must have good security measures in place, and  more...

Retail Training - Maintain store safety Retailers sometimes do not take Heath & Safety seriously because a store does not seem to pose a great deal of risk to people. After all, if it is safe for customers, surely it is safe for staff? Unfortunately this is not the case. Many retail operators (and customers) have narrowly missed injury from falling stock, poorly arranged displays, or dangerous signs and shelf displays. To many other  more...

Retail Industry - Maintain store safety Retailers sometimes do not take Heath & Safety seriously because a store does not seem to pose a great deal of risk to people. After all, if it is safe for customers, surely it is safe for staff? Unfortunately this is not the case. Many retail operators (and customers) have narrowly missed injury from falling stock, poorly arranged displays, or dangerous signs and shelf displays. To many other  more...

Retail Training - Maintain and order stock This course is written from the perspective that you are a supervisor or have some supervisory responsibilities. But operations staff also have many tasks related to maintaining and ordering stock. By being aware of these you can assist your manager and handle tasks you are given. Stock purchases can account for 70% or more of the storea s total running costs. Therefore it is essential to  more...

Retail Training - Interact with customers Most retailers are continually looking for ways to maintain a competitive edge so that their business can continue to prosper. Progressive retailers realise that quality service can provide that competitive edge. As a sales or service assistant you have a key role to play in delivering the type of service necessary to enhance the storea s image and encourage repeat business from the storea s  more...

Retail Training - Develop innovative ideas at work Wouldna t it be great if our work environment was always efficient and functioning effectively? Unfortunately this is not the case, but when you consider some of the advances that have been made across all businesses globally, perhaps change is not such a bad thing after all. Imagine how the business world would be functioning today without the innovations of computers, fax machines and  more...

Retail Training - Create a display We often browse through stores without paying too much attention to the effort that has been put into the presentation of store displays. It may appear that store operators have simply stacked their merchandise on shelves or hung merchandise on display racks, but most successful stores have actually spent considerable time preparing the layout and display of every item in their store. It is not  more...

Retail Training - Coordinate merchandise presentation How many times have you found yourself entering a store or walking down an aisle because you felt a drawna towards a window or merchandise display? What is it that makes us walk into one store but past others? The way that merchandise is displayed plays a very powerful role in enticing customers to look at store products and influencing their impulse to buy. Displays can create a visually  more...

Retail Training - Communicate in the workplace Retailing is a very competitive business. You can possibly think of two or three other retailers in your immediate area who offer similar products and services to your store. Customers do not have to put up with poor service. They can simply choose to take their business elsewhere. Looking after the needs of customers must always be one of your highest priorities. Being able to communicate with  more...

Retail Training - Build relationships with customers The retail industry is very competitive. You need outstanding customer service and selling skills to ensure that your store is a success. Consumers have a wide variety of choice. If they cannot find what they are looking for in your store or dona t like the service, they will go to your competitors. In this section we will look at the skills and techniques you need to build a rapport with  more...

Retail Training - Balance point of sale terminal When operating a cash register/ terminal you are responsible for the cash and non-cash documents in the drawer, and for the accuracy of the transactions processed through the register during the daya s trading. This activity is one of the most important in your working day. Each retailer will have different procedures for controlling cash floats for cash registers/ terminals, supplying change  more...

Retail Training - Advise on products and services The further you progress in your retail career, the greater the expectation will be from customers and co-workers that you have in-depth knowledge of the storea s products and services, and that you are able to apply this knowledge to increase sales and ensure store success. Throughout this unit we will look at ways achieve this, as well as how to research products and services and make  more...

Retail Training - Apply point of sale handling procedures The location of the cash register in the store is called the point of sale (POS). It is where customers pay for purchases. Different stores use different types of point of sale equipment depending on their needs. The system used in your store will depend on its size and the products offered. This course looks at the different systems and equipment that you might use.  more...

Retail Training- Apply safe working practices There are very high social, economic and human costs associated with workplace accidents. About 500 people die each year from workplace accidents. Research shows that in most cases these accidents could have been prevented. If you are aware of the potential hazards in your workplace you will be in a much better position to prevent an accident happening to you. Nobody benefits from accidents  more...

Retail Training - Apply store security systems and procedures Retailers go to great lengths to protect their merchandise from theft, whether it is chocolate bars or designer coats. You only have to look around a department store to see just how much equipment is used for security. The cost of theft is a constant concern, causing a loss of revenue for store owners and increased prices for the consumer. It is estimated that retail theft amounts to a loss to  more...

Negotiation Skills You negotiate and persuade every day, just by living and working with people. Preparation, confidence and persuasion are skills that will help you to obtain as much as is reasonably possible. In this course you will learn how you can be more influential and persuasive when you negotiate, without resorting to bullying, manipulation or misuse of authority. This course provides in depth training in  more...

Managing to Achieve Planned Outcomes In this course we will highlight the importance of resources in creating and implementing operational plans that have goals consistent with organisational goals  more...

Managing Teams An important organising structure, teams support integrated decision making and provide complex problem resolution using multi-disciplinary input. This course provides in depth training in all aspects of modern workplace teams including the key concepts underlying teams, the various roles and relationships within teams, the practical aspects of operating teams and group dynamics.  more...

Managing Quality Customer Service Organisational focus on customer service took a leap during the 80s and 90s due in part to the Quality initiative taking place during these decades. For an organization to succeed, intensely managing service quality is absolutely essential. It is only through customer alignment that the organization is on track toward a single, shared vision of customer focus and customer value; a vision that  more...

Leadership and Motivation To compete in today's business environment, it is vital that all employees are working to their potential. Motivating an employee is a complex process. It requires an understanding of the needs, wants and expectations of that employee - in short, the psychological contract. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to leadership and the steps one must take to become an effective leader. In  more...

Effective Workplace Relationships The skills related to communication, getting along with others, and resolving interpersonal problems in the workplace will draw from your experience outside of the workplace.  more...

Effective Project Management Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities to meet the requirements of the particular project.  more...

Continuous Improvement to Systems and Processes Although it may sound like an exhausting and neverending struggle, continuous improvement is actually about instituting processes and work practices that will direct the evolution of your organisation.  more...

Change Management Properly managing these changes is vital for achieving a successful transformation from how things are to how things should be. Change management plays an important role in any organisation since the task of managing change is not an easy one. When we say managing change we mean to say that making changes in a planned and systemic fashion. With reference to the IT projects we can say the change in  more...

Your Personality at Work This title offers a series of ready to deliver courses that will teach you that it is easier to inspire people to share your vision and goals when you understand both their and your own personality type and interests  more...

Time and Stress Management This title offers a series of three ready to deliver courses that will help you to identify, understand and handle stress, as well as reduce pressure by better managing your time.  more...

Internet as a Business Tool The Internet can save you time and money, and it can make you time and money. Whether you own a business or work for one, being able to use the Internet effectively is critical. This title offers two ready to deliver courses covering the basics of how you can use the Internet for selling, researching and communicating in business.  more...

Customer Service and Consulting This title offers a series of ready to deliver topics covering the basics of serving customers and consultative selling. The consultative approach combines interpersonal skills with expertise in product, service and support to provide a professional, relevant and personalised service.  more...

Business Communications Communication is the exchange of thoughts or information using speech, signals, writing or behaviour. The Business Communications title is a series of ready to deliver courses that introduce how such exchanges take place in a business environment  more...

Creative Problem Solving The Creative Problem Solving title is a series of ready to deliver courses that will give you a basic framework for problem-solving and decision-making in today's business environment.  more...