Q I've heard a lot recently about coaching and its positive impact on learning. Yet, in a retail environment, with all the problems and constraints of a busy sales floor, is coaching worth the disruption?
AIn order to get the most from any training investment, it is not enough simply to undergo a one-off course. It must be followed through with structured, personalised coaching in order to ensure maximum application of the learnings in the real world of the workplace.
This is much more than an optional 'nice to have'. There is strong evidence to show that effective coaching has a positive effect on the bottom line by, for example, improving customer satisfaction. Such impact can be more easily measured in a retail environment, where coaching can be undertaken and assessed in real time. A short coaching session may be sandwiched between two observed interactions to gauge the change in behaviour and its effect on performance and customer reaction.
Taking responsibility for coaching at a store level also has other benefits. It can be used as a promotion or motivational tool: similarly, by appointing team leader or sales floor coaches, you can give recognition and provide personal development opportunities to key staff without significantly disrupting the existing pay structure.
Formal coaching should be properly prioritised, with regular sessions booked in advance and targeted at key aspects of performance. At the end of any course, every attendee should leave with an action plan of follow-up coaching and reinforcement priorities, which should then be signed off and agreed by their line manager. By definition, the resulting formal coaching plan to make this happen will be personalised to the individual trainee and the store - in terms of content, frequency and length of the coaching period. At the same time, opportunities should be created for regular informal coaching to take place, where interactions can be observed on an ad hoc basis and immediate feedback and support can be provided.
True coaching is very different from a management 'you should have done this' approach to performance improvement. A busy sales floor is not the easiest place to conduct coaching. Ways to minimise the process being disrupted are for the coach to wear 'civvies' or for both coach and trainee to wear 'in training' badges, as they are less likely to be approached. This also signals to customers your commitment to improving customer service.
Claire Cologne is a consultant at Skill4
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