Course Objectives

The objective of this course is to make Individuals confident to interact with customers effectively by giving specialized service and product demonstrations to maximize business in a retail environment or may become an entrepreneur.

Learning Outcomes

This programme is expected to develop competencies of students in Retail Trainee Associate (RAS) by the end of the program the students must be able to:

1. Know the concept of retail and the operating model
2. List the activities in a retail outlets in a different format
3. State the roles and responsibility of Retail sales Associates
4. Identify the customer needs and sell the products in the store environment
5. Resolve customer issues and enhance customer satisfaction level
6. Maintain the merchandise in a store
7. Run a store independently of any formats
8. Prepare& analyze P&L statement of a retail store etc.

Course Syllabus

Module 1:
Introduction to retailing (3hours)

An overview of retailing, its types, functions, characteristics, attributesand Job roles of a Retail sales associate.
Practice-Students to visit retail store for studying various sections and basic functions of a retailer. And then to submit a detailed report of what all they observed in the store.

Module 2:
To help maintain healthy, safety and securing stores(4hours)

This module describes the skills and knowledge required to help maintain health and safety in a retail store.
Practice:Students to visit retail store as per their convenience and make a report of all the safety procedure that they see in the visited store and then present in the class by making a report.

Module 3:
Product Demonstration and maximising sales (6hours)

Practice/ Role play- Identify different props used in a retail store to promote the merchandise items.
Practice/ Role play- Carry out the basic steps of displaying products in the store.
Practice/ Role play- Demonstrate products to the customer.
Practice-Visit a retail store to understand how products are displayed in a store and make a report what you liked the most and what you think could have been displayed / done in a better way.

Module 4:
Working effectively in a team or an organisation(5hours)

Practice/Role play-Maintain personal presentation.
Practice/Role play-Support the work team.
Practice/Role play- Learn for you and help others learn.

Project -Phase 1 (08hours)

Visit the Indian and Global retailers in a Mall.

Module 5:
Customer Service (7 hours)

Practice/Role play-Steps of customer service.
Practice/Role play-Things that instantly turn customers off.
Practice/Role play- Tips on how to accept feedback well.
Practice/ Role play-Do’s and Don’ts of customer service.
Practice- Students to visit a retail store and interact with the sales associate and observe the customer service. Then make a report what they felt good about the service and what not .And how it could have been better from a customer’s point of view.

Module 6:
Resolving Customer Concerns (3 hours)

This module describes the skills and knowledge required to resolve customer concerns
Practice/ Role play- Tips for coping with a tense situation and hopefully resolve it to customer’s satisfaction.
Practice- Steps of service recovery

Module 7:
Helping Customers to Choose Right Products (3hours)

This module describes the skills and knowledge required to help customers choose right products

Practice: Check customer’s preferences and buying decisions when making sales.
Practice: Students to share their worst experience they have had at a retail store.
Practice: Demonstration on helping customers to choose right products

Project- Phase 2(8 hours)
Field visit to understand the customer needs and customer expectations in a retail store.

Module 8:
Improving Customer Relationship(5hours)

This module describes the skills and knowledge required to improve customer relationship

Practice: Improve communication with customers
Practice: Balance the needs of the customers and the organization
Practice: Exceed customer expectations to develop the relationship
Practice: Customer Loyalty (Students need to visit a retail store to understand what are the different Loyalty programs are being offered in that particular store)

Project - Observation of effective ways to build customer rapport in a retail store.(3hours)

Module 9:
To create a positive image of self & organisation in the customers mind. (3 hours)

This module describes the skills and knowledge required to create a positive image of self & organisation in the customers mind.
Practice: Establish effective rapport with customers.
Practice: Respond appropriately to customers.
Practice: Communicate correct and relevant information to customers.

Module 10:
To monitor and solve service concerns. (2 hours)

This module describes the skills and knowledge required to monitor and solve service concerns.
Practice: Solve immediate customer service problems
Practice: Identify repeated customer service problems and options for solving them.

List of Projects (One project is to be chosen by group of students. Maximum group size is 5)
1. Retail Store Audit-
2. Strategies for improving productivity and profitability of a retail store.
3. A QSR(Quick Service Restaurant) Case study
4. Online retailing- Challenges and Opportunities.
5. Study on Advertisements and sales promotional activities
6. Study on analysing promotional tactics in retail sector.
7. Retail Merchandising & Shop Displays - Significance in Indian Retail Scenario.
8. Measuring the effectiveness of display system in retail industry.
9. Impact of retail store design and layout on customers mind.
10. Study of retail store operations.

Session Plan

Session 1

Foundation (online)- Introduction to retail.
Demo– Briefing on grooming and basic etiquettes of sales associate.
Practice– Students to practice the basic etiquettes of sales associate.
Web Link :
IL&FS Skills - Retail - Trainee Associate

Session 2

Foundation (Online)- Introduction to retail
Practice - Practice on retail operations.

Web link:
Retail Management - Operating a Retail Store

Session 3

Foundation (online)-To help maintain healthy, safety and securing stores
Demo – Briefing on safety practices, tools to be used in a retail store.
Practice - Demonstration of emergency and evacuation plan
Web link :
Retail Management - Health & Safety

Session 4

Foundation(online)-To help maintain healthy, safety and securing stores.
Demo- Shoplifting preventions.
Practice - Premises maintenance.
Web link-
Health & Safety in Retail Premises

Session 5

Foundation (online)- Product Demonstration and maximising sales
Demo- Demonstration and promotion of product for selling
Practice- Demonstration of FAB techniques for selling a product
Web links-
Retail Management - Retail Selling Skills

Session 6

Foundation (online)-Product Demonstration and maximising sales
Demo - Display placement, visual merchandising, product knowledge etc.
Practice- Selling techniques
Web links-
Retail Management - Visual Merchandising

Session 7

Foundation(Online)-Working effectively in a team or an organisation
Demo- Briefing on how to work effectively in a retail team and meet the organisational goal.
Practice- Practice on working in a team.
Web links-
Retail Management - Store Operations

Session 8

Foundation (online)- Customer Service
Demo- Briefing on steps of customer service.
Practice- Practice on giving an excellent customer service to the guest.
Web link-
Retail Management - Customer Service

Session 9

Foundation (online)- Customer Service
Demo- Demonstration on how to sell product effectively.
Practice- Students to practice customer service with dummy products to understand it better.
Web link-
IL&FS Skills Multimedia Content - Retail Sales Associate

Session 10

Foundation (online)- Resolving Customer Complaints.
Demo - Costumer complaint handling
Practice- Service recovery
Web link-
Retail Management - Customer Complaint Handling Process

Session 11

Foundation (Online) – Helping Customers to Choose Right Products
Demo- Briefing on the steps of selling skills
Practice – Practice on selling skill
Web link -
To Help Customers Choose Right Products

Session 12

Foundation (Online)-Improving Customer Relationship
Demo- Improve communication with customers
Practice- Steps for improving customer relationship.
Web link-
Soft Skills - Customer Relationship Management

Session 13

Foundation (Online)-To create a positive image of self & organisation in the customers mind
Practice- Ways to create a positive image at work
Web link-
To Create a Positive Image of Self and Organisation in the Customer's Mind

Session 14

Foundation (Online)-Presenting a positive image of your organisation
Demo- Communicate correct and relevant information to customers
Practice- Students to practice this in group wise.
Web link-
Marketing with no budget

Session 15

Foundation (Online)-To monitor and solve service concerns
Demo- Steps to solve costumer service concerns
Practice- Students to practice group wise on solving customer concerns
Web link-
Handling Angry Customer

Session 16 to 20

Field project work

Case Studies

Case Studies