HRTrends
A rising demand for quality living among Hong Kong people is leading retailers to create a more family or lifestyle-oriented image for their brands. This market repositioning usually involves a product or service revamp and often incurs a need for staff training, not just to upgrade their skills but also to help them switch over to a new mindset or service attitude.
Apparel manufacturer and retailer Bossini Enterprises embarked on such a venture in March, with a '360 degree' brand revamp aimed at expanding its customer base with a more diversified product portfolio and a family friendly one-stop shopping concept.
The revamp is under pilot implementation at the company's new shop in Mong Kok where the 40-strong team has recently completed training to help its members adapt to the new retail environment and service culture.
Linda Tam Ling-fai, the company's director of sales and marketing, is steering the brand revamp, including its training initiatives. She said that as the staff members concerned were experienced and already equipped with basic sales skills, the fresh training focused on higher level professional enhancements to improve their product knowledge, people skills for handling a wider customer profile, understanding of family shoppers' behaviour and presentation skills. There was coaching to help them make the necessary transition, while the shop manager and supervisors also received leadership training.
'Everybody is challenged to think out of the box and act accordingly. The mindset change involved is bigger than the behavioural change,' said Ms Tam.
