Retail Studies

During this Retail Studies course bundle, you will study four in-depth courses that will give you the knowledge to start or progress your retail career and make you stand out from the crowd. All course materials will be delivered to you by post or via email, so it couldn't be easier. Our experienced and friendly tutors will help you every step of the way. You can work at your own pace. Completed coursework can be delivered by post or via email, so handing in an assignment is simple. What next? Following the successful completion of this course, you will be able to start your career in the retail business. If after, you're looking to enhance your business knowledge even further, take a look at the other business courses we offer. Awarding body This course has been endorsed by the Quality License Scheme for its high quality. This course is not regulated by Ofqual and is not an accredited qualification. We will be able to advise you on any further recognition, for example, progression routes into further and/or higher education. For further information please visit the Learner FAQs on the Quality License Scheme website.

Course Content

Customer Service QLS Level 3

Unit 1 What is customer service?

• Why customer service is important today
• Putting customers first
• Customer service as value
• Customer service as experience
• How people experience your business

Unit 2 Getting started

• Customer interactions as a chain
• How your organisation presents itself to potential customers
• Getting the environment right
• Providing confidence in your product or service
• Conclusions

Unit 3 Serving customers

• Easy access
• Helping to solve a customer's problem/s
• Providing expertise
• Value for money
• The ability to affect the purchase easily and quickly

Unit 4 Feedback and putting things right

• Getting feedback
• How you respond when things go wrong
• Treating customers with respect

Unit 5 Creating a customer service culture: business

• Customer service is not an add-on
• Seven aspects of how an organisation works
• Strategy
• Structure
• Systems

Unit 6 Creating a customer service culture: people

• Style
• Staff
• Skills
• Shared values

Unit 1 The context of retail

• Retail management is changing
• Losing touch with consumers
• Market segmentation
• Rational models
• The role of experience in shopping
• Finding out how customers feel
• Brands: meaning and values

Unit 2 Customer service

• What is customer service?
• The importance of customer service
• The experience of being in your store
• Locating the right product
• Solving customers' problems

Unit 3 Sourcing your retail business

• The value chain
• What to stock and whom to sell it to
• Who to buy supplies from
• Inventory management
• Forecasting and early sales data
• Restocking and rapid supply

Unit 4 Getting products to your customers

• Direct channels
• Access and convenience
• Standardisation
• Localisation
• Clustering
• Suppliers and manufacturer partnerships
• Point of purchase
• Distribution strategy

Unit 5 Your pricing strategy

• A return to haggling?
• Advertising and promotion
• Social media and publicity
• Is cheapest best?
• Costs
• Price-matching
• Signposting
• Customer loyalty schemes
• Other pricing strategies
• Real value integrity

Unit 6 Managing your people

• Getting the right people
• Creating a customer-oriented culture
• Personality and motivation
• Managing performance
• Setting motivational SMART goals
• Expectations, value and brand
• Training and developing people
• Leading and managing people
• Role modelling
• Coaching
• Learning about people

Unit 1 Who is your customer?

• Customer service engagement
• Maintaining good customer service levels
• Customer service complaints
• Customer service evaluation and practices
• Customer service training

Unit 2 Retail organisations within the retail environment

• Types of retail organisations
• Strategic aims of an organisation
• Thriving in a competitive market

Unit 3 Display of a retail environment

• Displaying goods
• Enhancing consumer spend
• Managing internal and external conflict

Unit 4 Administration that is carried out in the retail environment

• Types of administration activities
• Skills, competences and frameworks
• Key administrative duties and skills

Unit 5 The marketing, visual display and selling techniques that are employed

• Key stages in selling a product
• Managing the sales process
• Cost of poor sales tactics

Unit 6 Legal obligations

• Legal obligations in a retail operation
• Key legal terminology
• Legislation and organisational success

Unit 1 What is visual merchandising?

• Understand the concept of visual merchandising
• Role of visual merchandiser fits into the retail sector
• How it has an impact on the profitability of an organisation
• Terminology of visual merchandising
• How the terminology supports the process in the retail industry
• Understand key words such as visual concepts and seasonal themes
• Understand the four F’s: Fashion, fabric, fit and features
• Accessories
• Props
• Lightening
• Advertising tool
• Price ticketing