Technology drives this information accessibility and when you’re in the business of selling technology and tech devices, your sales reps must stay ahead of the learning curve. 

Gone are the days when customers entered stores with little to no knowledge about what they wanted to buy. Your employees have to know the products, the technologies behind them, and the benefits they provide the customer. 

Posted: 10/29/15

Retailers have mandatory training programs for all employees. It’s important that any optional training program doesn’t conflict with other on-the-job responsibilities, such as selling devices. Additionally, voluntary training programs should be highly targeted and easily consumed in short timeframes. 

Sales reps who feel engaged, are empowered to share their knowledge with customers, and can devote their full attention to selling new devices, are critical ingredients for attaining desirable, measurable outcomes. 

Posted: 10/23/15

The 6th gen Intel® Core™ processors are Intel's fastest, most versatile yet. They give customers the support and performance needed to create an exceptional computing experience. Some of the season's most popular and exciting devices run on this new family of processors. Just this week, Microsoft* announced the upcoming release of the new Microsoft Surface Book* and the Microsoft Surface Pro 4*.

Sales reps have some great recommendations for their customers based on currently available devices powered by these processors and even more are scheduled for release over the coming months.

Posted: 10/9/15

Sales reps who combine product knowledge with sales knowledge create better customer experiences. This type of customer-centric training that fuses product functionality and sales tools helps turn sales reps into product experts and satisfied customers into brand ambassadors.

What is your confidence level in the depth of product knowledge of your sales reps and their ability to translate it in a meaningful way to your customers? What level of confidence do you have that your customers have a highly favorable view of your brand and the products and services you offer?

Posted: 9/30/15

Retailers use various compensation plans as incentives to reward valued sales associates. Programs focused on increasing knowledge and sales skills while creating great customer experiences prove their worth many times over. This is most often demonstrated through better closing and upsell rates.

Partner training programs you recommend to sales associates should also include incentives. Those that combine engaging learning materials with opportunities to be rewarded for participation are far more likely to hold your employees' attention than a classroom-style arrangement. 

Posted: 9/10/15

Do you know how knowledgeable your sales team is? Do they know about the devices your store carries, or how to approach a customer to better understand their needs? What about closing a sale? Unfortunately, incomplete product and sales training programs may be holding back your store’s upselling potential. As a manager, you can help correct this problem. 

Posted: 8/27/15

It’s been proven time and again that engaged sales teams sell more than disengaged teams. Not only does the disengaged employee sell fewer products, customers don’t want to interact with sales reps who are not interested and are not knowledgeable about products. 

Sales reps who enjoy their jobs, feel valued by management, and know their products have a positive impact on overall profitability. 

Posted: 8/24/15

Technology continues to reshape the retail landscape as customers look for innovative, customized shopping experiences in a variety of settings across a variety of devices. Retailers must take advantage of new technologies in order to provide a complete and successful customer interaction.

Posted: 8/18/15

A winsome personality alone can only take a person so far. Add to that the customer’s expectation of a knowledgeable sales rep, and it becomes clear retail stores can’t afford to slide on product training.

Managers often juggle multiple responsibilities, departments, stores, or territories. This makes it impossible to be on the floor with your sales staff at all times. Sales training tools, such as Intel® RXT, augment in-person training efforts and provide ways for your reps to connect with your customers.

Posted: 8/4/15

Retail managers and sales representatives have the opportunity to earn prizes^† and discounts when participating in the annual Score with Intel® Core™ store-to-store competition. Stores benefit with increases in up-sells to premium products and local K-12 schools have the opportunity to receive up to a $25,000 donation. 

Posted: 7/28/15