Retail and Consumer Services Management Education and Training
Keeping your retail or consumer services business strong through education and training opportunities
During troubling economic times, both consumer services and the retail industry can face a lot of cutthroat competition for survival. Owners of retail or consumer service businesses need all the tools they can fit in their tool kits, and that includes the right education and training to ensure their survival and continued success. The critical nature of regular training becomes clear when you consider the American Society of Training and Development findings that showed companies performing training on a regular basis posted shareholder returns 86% above firms that didn't increase training and 45% higher than the market average.Don't pass up the opportunity to improve your (and your employees') knowledge and skills in performing retail & consumer services through education and training programs. Fortunately, you can find several sources of retail and consumer services management education and training to meet your needs. This guide focuses on three sources:
1. Training and education for retailing professionals offered by professional organizations.
2. Contracted training and education programs for retail industry and consumer services industry.
3. Online courses and degrees for the professional retailer.
Find education/training offered by professional societies for consumer services and retail stores
Whether you provide retail services or consumer services, look for the professional organizations within your industry to find excellent training and education opportunities.
Try: Even retail vendors and distributors for retail businesses can benefit from the education/training opportunities provided by professional organizations. The International Cosmetology Association, American Society of Travel Agents and the International Housewares Association represent just a few professional trade organizations that provide training programs, conferences and/or trade shows for members.
Invest in contracted training programs for your retail company
Moving merchandise keeps your business alive, but training and consulting companies can help retailers, vendors and distributors improve their management, merchandising and sales processes for success, even during a turbulent economy.
Try: Check out the programs offered by FentonWaltz Retail Training and Consulting, whose clients include businesses like Things Remembered, Hibbett Sports and COMPUSA. The Friedman Group offers customized training in store management, advanced sales management, recruiting/hiring certification and coaching. Consider registering yourself and/or your managers for the three-day retail management workshop put on by DMSRetail. The workshop includes sessions dealing with retail performance metrics, using business intelligence in retail operations, best practices and a 16-step formula to maximize sales and profits.
Consider online education programs in retail management offered by universities and colleges
For your own professional development as a merchandiser and the future success of your business, think about taking classes to enhance your knowledge base. Or pursue a retail and consumer services management education and training degree program that will help take you and your business to the next level.
Try: Besides Strategic Retail Management, the University of Phoenix offers several online classes dealing with retail management. They include Retail Marketing, Product and Brand Marketing, Retail Operations: Supply Management, Retail Operations: Technology and Finance and Retail Personal Management. Visit World Wide Learn and click on the links for universities offering a bachelor's degree in retail management for more information on specific programs.
- If you own a retail and consumer services franchise business, check with their corporate office before seeking outside sources of training, since they will likely supply much or all of the training and education you need for your particular business.
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