Let me start by saying that although we live in the age of digitalization and solve most of our problems with a few clicks on our phones, 80% of all purchases are still made in offline stores.

Today’s shopping experience, as well as the retail experience in general, is significantly different from that of the past decades. Stores are no longer just a place to fulfill needs, but have become a significant point of communication between brands and audiences. It is not surprising that after a long period of restrictions related to the pandemic and martial law, customers are eager to return to physical stores. After all, the offer to socialize and physically interact with products again made them feel more social and get instant gratification from their purchases. 

Let’s not forget about one of the main criteria that influences customer loyalty and stimulates purchases, quality service. It is the factor that motivates 71% of customers to purchase goods. 

Consultants are one of the tools that help brands shape the customer experience in retail. I’ve been working with this trade marketing tool for over 15 years, so I’d like to give you a few more reasons why and who needs them.

 

Building loyalty 

One of the most effective ways a business can get it is through high-quality service in the form of consultation and assistance to the customer with the choice. 

 

Highly competitive market 

Today, when you approach a shelf with any group of goods, you can get confused by the variety. And the struggle of brands for a place in the consumer’s basket is culminating at this point. Bright packaging may not be enough to capture attention.

 

Increase in market share 

If your market share is smaller than that of your main competitors, you are a new brand or consumers are simply not attracted to it. 

 

Promoting your product with the help of in-store consultants will help undecided customers buy your product instead of the one offered by your competitors. 

 

Seasonal product enhancement 

If your product is seasonal, there should be no doubt about using this tool at all. There’s not much time for active promotions, so additional communication with consumers at retail outlets can stimulate and increase sales.

 

Launching a new product

When launching a new product or entering a new market, activity in the retail network will not be superfluous. In this case, you can even expand the functions of consultants to conduct larger-scale activities, such as tastings and sample distribution. 

 

If we talk about segmentation by market, I would advise you to involve consultants in communication with customers in the areas of household appliances, cosmetics, alcohol, and building materials. All these segments have many subtleties, and the consumer cannot always decide on their own what they need. For a brand, this is an opportunity to prove itself, take care of the customer, and get sales as a result.

 

So, for cooperation with consultants to be truly effective, certain nuances and trends should be taken into account:

• Consultant portrait. Our clients usually already have a well-established profile, but if necessary, we help them at this stage and create a consultant portrait that is as similar as possible to the brand archetype. This portrait can also change for a particular sub-brand. For example, one of our clients in the spirits category chooses only girls as consultants for new product promotions and seasonal promotions, while the construction business has a mixed team. 
• Training. It has its own stages and usually lasts two weeks. At the first stage, we receive information from the client and then go through the entire process. Also, certain lectures can be given by trainers provided by the client. The next stage is a knowledge test. In addition to a live client survey, tests are conducted as the final stage with a specified percentage of tolerance, for example, 87%.
  A variant stage can be the involvement of a supervisor in the training. The consultant has the opportunity to see how more experienced staff works and correct their actions in real time.
  The consultant training model is also becoming more flexible and digitalized. Online courses, webinars, and interactive learning platforms help to train advisors quickly and efficiently.
• Digital transparency. Digital transparency involves monitoring various aspects of business operations, such as tracking when a consultant arrives and leaves, real-time sales and inventory data, product analytics, and other metrics enabled by digital tools.

One of the tools that my team uses in its work was developed by specialists from our agama group of agencies. We use it mainly for outbound staff. It allows us to monitor arrival and presence, certain quality indicators required by the client, and is easy to use, as communication is carried out through personalized commands in a chatbot.
The mechanics of checking the presence of staff are particularly interesting in such programs. To reduce cheating with photos that a consultant has to take before and after a shift, this moment can be played around. For example, 10 minutes before the end of the working day, a consultant receives a notification that he or she needs to take a selfie at his or her point with two orange pencils. The next day, the task changes. 

• Focus on sustainable development. Brands are increasingly investing in long-term relationships with consultants and forming stable teams. This allows them to maintain a high level of service and ensure consistency in customer experience.
• The use of artificial intelligence (AI). AI helps advisors analyze large amounts of data and understand customers better. For example, AI systems can offer personalized recommendations for customers based on their purchase history and preferences. This trend is already actively used abroad. I hope it will come to Ukraine soon. 

So why does your business need consultants? 

 

Your product should be not only on the shelf but also nearby. The former provides visual support and the opportunity to buy, while the latter provides a presentation, product advice, and active communication with a potential buyer. Be close to the consumer at all times (or at least during high seasons and holidays). This is the key to retaining existing customers, demonstrating your stability (and, in the opinion of many consumers, quality), and using the chance to expand your audience. Also, a representative at a point of sale is always an opportunity to control product balances, and environmental conditions, and create a list of SKUs for ordering that is relevant to the consumer’s request. Therefore, having your representative at the outlet is an effective tool that helps you build relationships with your target audience and solve your brand’s business problems.