| Friend,
Okay, let's wrap up this segment on training front office help with the final piece of the puzzle - training them on customer service issues related to equipment and Pro Shop sales.
WHY YOU NEED THEM TO KNOW THIS STUFF
For one, a lot of customer service issues in a martial art school revolve around equipment and the Pro Shop. Students come in because they need to buy gear, or they need to exchange something, or whatever.
Also, they should know this stuff because it frees you up from having to deal with it. Pro Shop sales do generate revenue, but selling equipment is not a high-priority job in your school. It's low-level stuff. So, best that you have your employees take it over from you.
Further, you need to have a long list of busy work for your people to do when they are waiting to get the important stuff done. "Important stuff" being answering inquiries, following up on leads, marketing in the community, enrolling students, and teaching classes. Of course, your front office person isn't responsible for all of that, but he or she will still need things to do to fill the day before 5:00 pm rolls around.
WHAT SHOULD THEY KNOW?
For starters, they need to know how to fit someone for a uniform. That's priority number one. You're going to sell more uniforms than anything else in your school, more often. So, familiarize them with a sizing chart, show them how a uniform should fit, and teach them how to tie a belt.
Second, they need to know what equipment is required for what class. Make a list or cheat sheet for them if you have to, but make sure they know who needs what and when. There's nothing worse than a parent who is pissed off because they bought something they didn't need.
Third, they need to know how to run a register or how to use the point of sale system in the computer. They also need to know how to make change, how to handle the cash and checks they receive, how to run a credit card machine (if you have one), or how to take a payment via credit or debit card using some other means.
Also, they need to know what the inventory numbers need to be for all critical items in the Pro Shop. And they need to know how to count inventory (should be done weekly, unless you track it in your school management software), and they also need to know at what inventory levels that a wholesale equipment order should be initiated.
Finally, they need to know what a retail display looks like, and how to arrange items and display them so they sell. They also need to know how to change a display, and how often. And, they need to know how to straighten and clean the Pro Shop, based on the displays and cases you may have and how you like them to look. And by the way, cleaning and straightening the Pro Shop should happen daily.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
In my opinion, it's everyone's job in the dojo to keep it clean. Keeping the entire dojo clean should be a responsibility that is shared by all employees and staff. That means everyone should scrub a toilet at least once a week in your school.
How you split up these tasks is your call. Personally, I like to have everyone chip in to clean the school at the end of the day. However, I also make it clear that ongoing cleaning tasks should be the responsibility of the people who work primarily in that area.
So, front office staff are responsible for the entry, waiting area, Pro Shop, and offices, and the teaching staff are responsible for the training area and any adjoining areas. Everyone is responsible for cleaning the rest rooms, and I just make people take turns.*
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That essentially wraps up this segment on training front office staff. Next week I'm going to tackle training your teaching staff, so hang tight for that.
Until next time,
Mike Massie MartialArtsBusinessDaily.com
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P.S. - If you want to know whether or not you have a prima donna on your hands, take them in the rest room and tell them to clean it on their first day. You'll know really quickly what sort of employee you hired by doing so.
P.S.S. - With millennials, don't be surprised if you have to teach them how to clean a toilet or run a vacuum. Be patient - they want to work, but they sometimes need to be shown some basic things. It doesn't mean they don't want to get their hands dirty. | 