According to INSEE, a high turnover rate is close to 15%.
By 2022, the average turnover rate for sales forces* will be 25%.
In addition to the post-covid-19 impact, the retail sector is particularly affected by the economic climate.
Companies are more sensitive and want to invest in retail training to address their issues and contribute to sales performance, such as :
- harmonizing sales forces, who represent the brand's ambassadors in a vast network
- Adapting to changes in the retail industry, which are now moving towards a "phygital" offering
- Enable learners to train at any time to be productive and efficient
- Adopt a cross-functional approach to take better account of feedback from the field.
Companies are advised to provide training focused on retail sales techniques to ensure good sales performance in order to achieve their strategic objectives, remain competitive and ensure their employer brand.
E-Learning is not limited to in-house training. Nor for company employees alone. Properly exploited, the advantages of Digital Learning make it an ideal tool for boosting the marketing of products or services. For sales reps, salespeople and distributors, even in-store. Here's how it works. E-Learning can be defined as a sales support tool.
Among the many applications of digital learning, training in products, services and sales techniques is one of the most promising for companies. There are two main reasons for this:
- The variety of profiles that can be involved, from sales teams to distributors, in-store salespeople and even customers,
- The very tangible operational benefits for the company, as the results directly affect sales.
The benefits of Digital Learning for sales training
The natural advantages of e-Learning lend themselves particularly well to sales training:
- Less travel for sales reps who used to train sales clerks.
- Flexibility for learners, who no longer have to block an imposed training slot.
- Richness of Digital Learning formats, with a variety of sales pitches, video product descriptions and customer-facing Serious Games.
- Sales training can be customized to the product range actually distributed in each store.
- Rapid updates, in the event of range enhancements or product evolutions, for example.
Danone uses e-Learning for product training
All these advantages convinced Danone, and its Swiss subsidiary Milupa in particular. Specializing in infant nutrition, Milupa has switched to Digital Learning for its sales training. For some years now, Milupa has been using e-Learning modules to provide product information and sales advice to pharmacists and pharmacy assistants. We see e-Learning as a sales support tool.
"We market our products in 2,500 pharmacies. E-Learning is a valuable tool for training pharmacists and pharmacy assistants in our products," explains Guillaume Hopmann, Trade Marketing Manager at Milupa. "Digital technology enables us to provide them with a free training module, accessible anywhere and at any time. It's a format that offers a great deal of flexibility and ease of use. "
From training to prescription: a BtoBtoC strategy
"Our objective was twofold. To provide precise information on our products, which are highly technical. And to offer sales techniques and advice, to help pharmacists develop their skills", continues Guillaume Hopmann. "The challenge was to combine the provision of knowledge with a playful aspect to get people involved. From the history of our company, to the presentation of our range, to role-playing based on recurring questions from parents, we developed a short program, in 6 chapters, lasting a total of 30 minutes. "
A Micro Learning approach, based on very short programs that are easy to follow and not too demanding for learners. And a win-win strategy. The "pharmacist-salespeople" have a better command of their products, and gain in confidence and expertise with their customers. The latter, in turn, benefit from more informed advice. In this way, sales training goes beyond the internal framework of the company and its employees, as part of a "BtoBtoC" approach.
Sales techniques and advice even for non-salespeople
In a case like Milupa's, the pedagogical power of Digital Learning proves particularly valuable when the user is not a professional salesperson. "Pharmacists and pharmacist assistants may have gaps in the sales process and interaction with parents," explains Guillaume Hopmann. "Simulating real-life cases gives them the keys to establishing a relationship of trust, being more at ease in front of customers and building loyalty. "
Today, the company is convinced of the effectiveness of its sales training program via Digital Learning: "We measure the results thanks to the quiz at the end of the training. The course is 'validated' when 67% of the answers are correct. And the figures are good! "says Guillaume Hopmann, who attributes this success to the key advantages of e-Learning. "Speed is a real added value, so as not to impact on learners' working time. The highly entertaining formats, ease of learning and user-friendliness are also key. In fact, this e-Learning program, at the heart of our deployment in Switzerland, could be duplicated in other countries. An updated version with our latest features is about to be launched. "