Training & education: Create staff expertise

A. Investing the time and effort in training and educating your sales staff has never been more essential to the growth of your business in this ever changing environment. Customer service will separate you from the big chains and big-box retailers. An essential part of customer service is education. Your staff needs to be proficient at explaining features and benefits of products so that customers can make educated decisions on what product will be best for themselves or the loved one they are buying for. It is important to think of offering a package solution for disease management. You are offering the product, education and ongoing support to help your customer have the best chance for successfully managing their condition.

Product expertise and basic disease state knowledge will separate your staff from the rest. It is important to partner with product sales representatives from the companies you choose to work with and learn all you can about each product in each category. Each product will have features that need to be verbalized into benefits. In-service meetings with sales representatives are a great way to familiarize your staff with a vendor's product line. Also, many vendors offer educational seminars on disease states that pertain to their product line.  Webinars are also a quick and easy tool to help get a basic understanding of pertinent disease states. 

Customers will appreciate that they are given choices that are customized to their individual needs. They will trust you and they will come back. Our customers are looking for one stop expertise to help them achieve a successful outcome. Your staff will stand apart if they concentrate on education and product expertise. Customers see and appreciate the difference.

Caroline Pinney is national education and training manager for Juzo. Reach her at 800-222-4999 or cpinney@juzousa.com.