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How to Turn Back-of-the-Register Cashiers Into Front-of-the-Register Sales People

Guest post by: Sheryl Nicholson

Article Overview: Do your team members' feet seem permanently glued to the space directly behind the cash registers? Do they use that space to gossip, lurk or hide? How to you turn back of the register cashiers into front of the register sales people? First...it's all about attitude. "I'm not really a sales person" "I don't like to talk to strangers" "I'm really fast just ringing up sales". That's an attitude you've got to nip in the bud. Of course you would have used the DISC personality tool in your interviewing process so that you know what drives and motivates each team member, who's a natural sales person, and who will need coaching. You didn't? Then let's start from who you already have on your team and work on making better choices in the future with bet

How to Turn Back-of-the-Register Cashiers Into Front-of-the-Register Sales People

Do your team members' feet seem permanently glued to the space directly behind the cash registers? Do they use that space to gossip, lurk or hide? How to you turn back of the register cashiers into front of the register sales people? First...it's all about attitude. "I'm not really a sales person" "I don't like to talk to strangers" "I'm really fast just ringing up sales".

That's an attitude you've got to nip in the bud. Of course you would have used the DISC personality tool in your interviewing process so that you know what drives and motivates each team member, who's a natural sales person, and who will need coaching. You didn't? Then let's start from who you already have on your team and work on making better choices in the future with better hiring the first time by using that great in work profile tool.

Let your team know they've been selling since they were babies. If they wanted picked up off the floor, they knew how to sell that idea to their parents. As a toddler if they wanted that lollipop before dinner, they knew how to sell that idea to their parents (they didn't take no for an answer either) until they got their way. They "sold" themselves and their ideas teachers, girlfriends, boyfriends and to be able to get a job. If they want a vacation or a raise, they'll be selling that idea to someone, the boss, the spouse, someone.

So once you change their mindset, give them some tools to help your team members make an immediate connection with your customers. Lett them know that the register is for ringing up a customer only. If there's no customer at the register, then they need to be in front of it!

1. Is your team wearing name tags? Raise their level of confidence by teaching them how to remember customer names. And more importantly show them how to teach customers how to remember THEIR name. There's a new level of confidence between customer and team members when each feel like they know each other.

2. Next educate your staff that they're doing a DIS-service to your customer if they aren't making them feel welcome. Consider your store door as your home door. Customers pick and choose which threshold to cross. Do you make them feel welcome? Are you inviting not dragging customers through your doors?

Here are some options

Welcome to our store.

Welcome to our family.

It's my pleasure to greet you.

Hi and thank you for coming in.

Welcome, enjoy your visit and shopping here.

It's a great day at (Learning Express), we're glad you're here.

3. Understand your customer made a choice to walk into your store and TIME is their most valuable commodity. So if they are IN your store, then they must need or want something. The biggest mistake you can make is to ask a "closed-ended" question that allows for a yes or no answer...like "Can I help you?" Communication research says that when your mind is busy, your automatic response will be "no". So often you will get a false "no" when they really mean "yes" So learn to ask positive response questions. Examples:

Beautiful weather today isn't it? (Tip - shake your head yes while asking)

You look like you're on a mission. What can I help you find?

Are you looking for a birthday present for someone or something for your own children?

4. Take away the fear and dread and have fun with it. We call our team Toy Experts not sales staff. And an expert has the authority to suggest. Teach them how to pay attention to what the customers are looking at. If they're in the science section, then recommend new items as add ons.

Since you're interest in ___________ you might want to take a look at this also.

Our inventory is huge, I could help you by suggesting our top 3 toys.

You'll want to see this - it's hot off the truck...I'm sure they won't have this already.

When you provide these four quick and easy tools for your team to use, they will have more confidence to get out from behind that register and increase the loyalty of customers along with your bottom line!

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Article Tags: cash registers, cashiers, customer service, disc personality, personality tool, retail, sales person, shopping, stores



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