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Literacy on the job:
Retail Salesperson
Overview of literacy tasks for retail salespeople
• Greet customers and identify customer needs
• Manage a range of payment methods
• Listen to and recommend suitable solutions to customer
requests and queries about merchandise
• Describe merchandise features, use and care • Phone suppliers to order stock, branches to locate items
• Operate tills, point-of-sale equipment, computer system
• Update a range of sales and purchase records
• Read information on merchandise tags and labels
Reading
Every day, retail salespeople read:
- merchandise tags and labels containing product names, product codes and pricing information
- merchandise information on packaging, brochures, leaflets, catalogues and advertising to answer customer queries
- store signs, including health and safety signs, in-store signage e.g. sale signs and advertising
- lists e.g. merchandise, customers, items received, orders. These may be on computer screens, computer
printouts or written manually.
On a regular basis, retail salespeople read:
- sales reports and sales charts
- details on their payslip
- staff roster on a whiteboard or a staff noticeboard
- notes to staff on paper, whiteboard or staff noticeboard
- company procedures or instructions e.g. company health and safety procedures
- email.
Occasionally, retail salespeople read:
- company or supplier warranty processes
- trade journals
- maps
- employment agreements
- information on legislation relevant to retail sales, e.g. Consumer Guarantees Act, Fair Trading Act, Sale of Goods Act
- training materials when they attend courses or presentations on new products, or to complete industry qualifications.
© Workbase 11/07
Literacy on the job: Retail Salesperson
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Writing
Every day, retail salespeople write:
- short notes or comments in log books or diaries e.g. customer orders, customer holds, lay-by details
- short notes or comments on forms, e.g. invoices, receipts, till receipts if cash is given on a customer
EFTPOS payment.
On a regular basis, retail salespeople will write short notes on documents and forms e.g. checking items
received on a packing slip.
Occasionally, retail salespeople write:
- signatures on employment documents e.g. job contracts and job documents
- short notes on work documents e.g. leave forms, accident forms
- notes from training courses or from oral information given by a tutor or trainer
- short answers to assessment questions.
Speaking and listening
Every day, retail salespeople:
- greet customers and initiate or respond to general conversation and enquiries
- use active listening skills to understand and identify customer needs
- ask questions to clarify customer needs
- explain features of merchandise
- use appropriate words, tone and body language to influence customers’ purchasing decisions
- ask questions to locate merchandise, e.g. other staff in store or by calling other stores or suppliers
- read and interpret customers’ body language to help identify needs e.g. to purchase, enquire, or be left alone
- listen to instructions from manager or supervisor e.g. for the day’s work and priorities
- give instructions to others and check for understanding.
On a regular basis, retail salespeople:
- compare features of two or more products for customers
- participate in meetings to find out about new merchandise, store promotions, and to make suggestions
on improving work processes
- negotiate with customers e.g. on pricing, returning merchandise, or damaged merchandise.
Occasionally, retail salespeople:
- explain store policy to customers e.g. returned goods, damaged goods
- give oral answers to qualification assessors
- ask for assistance from supervisor or colleague
- use a range of interpersonal and speaking skills to help identify and resolve problems e.g. active listening,
questioning techniques, effective language.
© Workbase 11/07
Literacy on the job: Retail Salesperson
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Numeracy
Every day, retail salespeople:
- manage a range of payment methods e.g. cash, credit and debit cards, cheque, commercial account charges
- work out and supply correct change where applicable
- check the physical number of items in a sale matches the number of items scanned
- count the till float at the start of each day to check quantity is correct
- check the amount entered on EFTPOS machine is the same as the amount owed
- reconcile the till totals at the end of the day with cash, cheques, EFTPOS and credit sales totals
- estimate size, amount or volume of a product to meet customer needs
- measure items e.g. length, weight or volume of merchandise, to identify correct price and package size.
On a regular basis, retail salespeople:
- read and interpret sales information from tables and graphs
- use percentages to calculate a dollar value
- calculate discounts.
Occasionally, retail salespeople:
- may need to convert between metric and imperial measurements
- check totals in payslips to ensure they have received correct payment for their work.
Critical thinking
Every day, retail salespeople:
- organise their daily work schedule to prioritise customer service
- manage interruptions to work tasks throughout the day
- identify appropriate questioning and listening strategies to find out customer needs and how to meet needs
- identify appropriate strategies within policy, to close a sale e.g. match a competitor’s price, offer a discount,
offer extra items at reduced prices, explain benefits of buying at displayed price
- observe and interpret customer body language to identify purpose e.g. to enquire, buy, browse or pass time
- decide if assistance is needed from a colleague or supervisor
- identify if a colleague needs assistance and provide where required.
On a regular basis, retail salespeople:
- decide whether to accept returned or damaged goods
- identify and mark possible hazards and notify supervisor.
Occasionally, retail salespeople:
- identify suspicious behaviour and take appropriate action
- identify strategies to deal with difficult or angry customers.
Information Communication Technology
Every day, retail salespeople:
- use a computer to find information, locate merchandise, locate suppliers, manage inventory, print merchandise
labels, read and write emails, record merchandise information, update supplier information, read and update
spreadsheets and word processing documents
- use computerised tills and bar code scanners.
Workbase: the New Zealand Centre for Workforce Literacy Development 2 Vermont St, Ponsonby, Auckland,
PO Box 56571, Dominion Road, Auckland, New Zealand. Phone: 09 361 3800 Fax: 09 376 3700 www.workbase.org.nz
© Workbase 11/07
Literacy on the job: Retail Salesperson
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