Chances are good that if your sales staff learned they wouldn’t have to read another training manual or sit through a training session, no tears would be shed. They might, however, warm to an online interactive training program they can tap into anytime, at work or at home. Enter 3point5.com. Devel-oped by Swarmbuilder, Inc., the program rewards retail sales staff for building knowledge about brands, products, and technology. It also offers retailers a way to track and manage sales more efficiently. For retailers, the service is free. Manufacturers foot the bill.
BIG BENEFITS
“At the end of the day, it’s about retail salespeople gaining, retaining, and using this knowledge to improve sales,” says Brian Bond, V.P. of Marketing at Swarmbuilder. “It shows them how best to help customers find what they need.”
Through brief tutorials, sales staff learn memorable chunks of information about companies and products in much the same way a customer might ask about them. 3point5 also offers training in general sports and technology categories, including sunglasses basics, to bring new staff up to speed before hitting the sales floor.
HOW IT WORKS
When an authorized store signs in, 3point5 cross-references its name and location against the manufacturers’ dealer lists in the system and brings up the brands carried by that store.
To begin training, a salesperson clicks on a brand to visit that manufacturer’s training page, then clicks on a training segment for a short page-by-page presentation that incorporates video, text, images, and interactive elements. At the end of each segment, a timed, multiple-choice quiz tests and reinforces what the employee has just learned. Pass that and the user can move on to the next training module.
“Generally, our users spend 20 to 30 minutes per session on the site,” says Bond, “but the average training segment takes only five to seven minutes.”
Sunglass World, based in Panama City, FL, has been working with 3point5 for well over a year. According to Tony Werden, V.P. of Sales & Marketing, the store uses it for about 25% of the brands it carries, or closer to 50% in terms of actual sales. He credits 3point5 for giving the staff more confidence.
“They can explain to the customer in more detail about the company and the product,” says Werden. “We’ve seen a noticeable increase in each employee’s sales per hour after they do the work on 3point5.”
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
Manufacturer incentives and deep discounts motivate the sales staff to keep learning. After completing all training modules, the employee can visit the brand’s online store and make purchases with well-earned discounts. From the manufacturer’s perspective, offering discounts pays off. Just ask Wiley X Eyewear, which joined forces with 3point5 a couple of months ago.
“Dozens of retail associates have taken advantage of the opportunity to ‘buy and try’ Wiley X sunglasses,” notes Myles Freeman, President of Sales. “This foot-in-the-door approach has introduced us to so many pros-pects that are much more interested in Wiley X now.”
Contests spark employees’ competitive spirit by offering rewards based on how quickly and accurately they complete training—whether for the whole course, a specific training segment, or a certain time period. Rewards run the gamut from shopping sprees and free gear to free trips.
“Right away, all of our employees were bound and determined to make the Top 5,” says Werden of Sunglass World. “They’re on there every day to see what’s new.”
Currently, the 3point5 community includes scores of sports and outdoor outfitters that carry sunglasses, as well as several dedicated sunglass manufacturers—including Wiley X, Costa del Mar, Bollé, and Smith Optics.
GET IT NOW: SWARMBUILDER, INC. • 866.376.4685 • 3POINT5.COM
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