sales associate

Some of the tasks of a sales associate include:

• welcoming customers: you welcome customers to a retail store, greeting them at the door and making them feel welcome. You also find out what they are looking for and direct them to the aisles.
• recommending products to customers: you advise customers on purchase decisions and provide recommendations if customers aren't certain about the best brand or product for their needs. You also motivate clients to buy a product by explaining its uses and features.
• cross-selling and upselling: you help boost sales and increase profits for the retail store by persuading customers to buy more expensive products through upselling or encouraging them to purchase additional products. You can encourage upselling by explaining expensive products' benefits and additional features. You can use cross-selling to boost sales if some items have discounts or multi-buy deals.
• explaining business policies to customers: sales associates are knowledgeable about store procedures and policies. It is important to explain the policies on discounts and promotions at the retail outlet. You should also provide information on deliveries, returns and warranties.
• assisting customers with purchase completion: you assist customers with processing payments and completing their purchases. If they want to organise delivery, you help them record the necessary details to simplify the purchase process.
• assisting with store displays and inventory management: when you are not engaging customers, it is crucial to ensure the merchandise is displayed attractively. You keep the shelves neat and appealing. You also check the inventory and ensure the racks and shelves are stocked on time.

Sales associates work in various environments depending on the employer and type of store. Often, you are on your feet most of the day if you work in a brick-and-mortar retail outlet. However, many companies want employees to be comfortable working for them, so they invest a lot of money into creating a safe and clean workplace. As long as you enjoy dealing with customers face to face, there are opportunities for growth that will give you additional responsibilities with more pay and benefits.

As a sales associate, you are likely to work in a retail or wholesale outlet, and your colleagues may include sales representatives, field sales agents, sales administrators, and sales managers. You might also work with cashiers, store managers and other specialists, including marketing executives, marketing coordinator, procurement officers, procurement managers and delivery drivers.

Depending on your employer, you can opt for a full-time or part-time schedule. Part-time sales associates usually have fewer responsibilities than full-time associates. A sign at the entrance of your company's building or retail outlet indicates that it is open for business during set hours of operation. However, many companies close on specific days for holidays and offer paid leave based on how long an employee has worked. Many companies have variable schedules, and you may work nights or weekends depending on current business demands. At an online outlet where customer service is done over the phone or through email, your schedule will be more flexible because communication is remote.

Since many customers shop online, opportunities in traditional sales associate roles may reduce. However, retail sales associates can also assist customers with shopping online by explaining product features and organising the purchases. Apart from specialising in online sales, some sales associates progress upward to become sales managers or store managers.

Finding your sales associate job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:

• a wide variety of training and development opportunities
• an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
• a range of opportunities in your area
• get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
• temporary and permanent contracts

Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a sales associate is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!

Sales associates need excellent verbal communication skills that are both positive and persuasive. You should be familiar with current information available to demonstrate how products or services benefit customers. Professionalism is important when interacting with customers, senior managers and other staff members.

A sales associate is often a cashier responsible for ringing up purchases at the cash register. However, there are many duties that only sales associates perform. They include explaining products and services to customers, selecting product quantities and deciding which items best suit them.

The responsibilities of being a retail salesperson include keeping the store organised by stocking shelves, arranging merchandise and putting up promotional displays. You also deal with customers as soon as they enter the building. You answer questions about products or services to give customers more information on how to use them. Maintaining a pleasant attitude even when faced with unhappy clients is crucial.

Sales associates have the opportunity to work with interesting products and meet people from all walks of life. Additionally, this type of job allows you to develop various skills. This is an excellent career if you enjoy helping people find the right products and services.

Sales associates manage the relationship between customers and a company. You should know each customer's unique needs to match them with products or services that fit. The job requires a high level of integrity because you are a spokesperson for your organisation, and you should not mislead clients regarding pricing, warranties or delivery dates. It is important to be able to think on your feet before making decisions and develop strong negotiation skills. Sales associates also need excellent verbal and written communication skills. Want to learn more about working as a sales associate? Then check out this article.

Applying for a sales associate job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!