Combination training: staff training

Employees at a jewellery store are like a collection of Pandora beads: they are alike but each is unique. Just as some beads sparkle while others have designs engraved into them, each employee has quirks that make them one of a kind. So if you want to improve your business you should try to make their training programme as individual as they are.

Obviously every training programme needs to cover the basics of jewellery retail, which is why most shops have in-house training that largely covers the same material. Fraser Hart Fields training manager Adrian Mellish explains his company’s training consists of a six-month induction programme, during which employees develop selling techniques, product knowledge, customer service and learn about the company’s procedures. At Beaverbrooks, the six-month induction programme is preceded by a five-day training course in which new employees are taught company history, product knowledge, selling skills and how to use the tills. Written material, workbooks, group exercises and PowerPoint presentations are used in its training.

While these models may work for the multiples, independents do not have their resources. Jeremy France, owner of Jeremy France Jewellers in Winchester, favours one-to-one shadowing sessions over PowerPoint and online information guides. “As an independent jeweller with an on-site goldsmiths, we have such a busy and diverse working day that training has to be ongoing and flexible,” says France. All members of staff are involved in imparting knowledge, and Saturday meetings often include presentations by staff about an aspect of the jewellery industry, such as gemstones.

According to Victoria Wingate, education manager at the National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG), tailoring training to individuals pays dividends. “People absorb information
in different ways, so think about the individuals before deciding how to engage them and capture their enthusiasm,” she says. “Be clear about how the information can be related to their actual job, so that they can transfer the learning experience directly to the shopfloor.”

Back to school
One easy way of tailoring training is by taking advantage of staff who want to learn around their job and use them to impart what they have learned in external courses to the rest of the team. Courses from NAG, such as the Professional Jewellers’ Diploma and the Jewellery Education & Training (JET) Gemstone diploma, examine topics in-depth. As France says: “Any external training is always cascaded back to the team at our weekly meetings.”

John Pass Jewellers in Cheshire also takes a mix-and-match approach. “We use a mixture of external and in-house training, depending on the needs of the individuals,” says John Pass retail manager Stephen Parsons. He explains that John Pass Jewellers requires staff to complete the JET1 course and encourages JET2 completion (which earns staff the Professional Jewellers’ Diploma) because it provides comprehensive training in all aspects of the trade. Attending tutorials related to these courses is also encouraged.

Continuous communication with staff is the best way to ensure that they are up to date on their industry knowledge.

“We like to check how each person is doing and provide support, if needed, by helping with the structure of assignments and lending or purchasing relevant textbooks for staff,” says Parsons.

Beaverbrooks does this by issuing quizzes that re-test material covered in training sessions. During the intensive five-day training period Beaverbrooks tests its trainees’ knowledge of gold, diamonds, silver, platinum and watches. These topics are tested throughout the six-month transition period that follows the training to keep material fresh in the staff member’s memory.

Beaverbrooks training manager Denise Mitchell recommends re-testing after periods of time. “We need to keep up with new initiatives and keep our new starters engaged,” says Mitchell.

Online achievers
New initiatives also include different ways of reaching staff members, especially through technology. Online programmes are available for businesses where taking time out of the work day may not be an option. NAG began offering JET1 online in January and JET2 became available online in August.

“The syllabus has remained the same but we can add more to the online version, such as additional activities and exercises that reinforce the learning,” says Wingate. “The online learning activities have enhanced the learners’ experience, as well as aiding their knowledge and understanding. These exercises better prepare them for the assignments. It’s an easy way for students to test themselves as they go along, so it gives them an idea of how they’re progressing.”

Beaverbrooks incorporates technology into in-store training via DVDs and programmes that staff can access on their own computers, which allows them to read material at their own pace.

John Pass Jewellers is also working with the brands it stocks to create a more interactive training method. “We want to use apps on iPads much more because the visual aspect of this training allows a better understanding, in particular when trying to communicate how watches work,” says Parsons.

He says Omega’s iPhone app is an efficient way to explain watch models and provide insight into how watches function. The clearer the picture employees have, the better their customers will understand the product.

With the rise of the brand, training in the specifics of each company has become more important. Jeremy France Jewellers trains its employees to become brand ambassadors. They work directly with stockists’ representatives and fulfil ordering, returns and brand-specific enquiries.

Brand ambassadors are responsible for reading information about their brand that the store receives and attending brand-specific seminars.

They also share information regarding the brand that can be used on the shopfloor with the rest of the team.

“The amount of information a member of the shopfloor staff requires is less than that of an ambassador, but they need enough to tell a story to interest the client to make the purchase,” says France.

John Pass Jewellers uses a similar system and says that it is partly motivated by cost. “External training has a cost, so training one person extensively on a brand allows you to do more with the rest of the training budget,” explains Parsons.

The downfall to adopting brand ambassadors is that employees will specialise in different brands and so others will have little knowledge of the brand and may not be as helpful as customers would like.

“While we allocate members of staff as ambassadors for certain brands, everyone is encouraged to know as much about each brand as possible and to be proactive in all aspects of the business,” says France of his business, which has been a finalist for Employer of the Year for the past five years at the UK Jewellery Awards, after winning in 2007. “This keeps everyone fresh, interested, and able to cover for absences.”

Parsons suggests using staff newsletters, staff meetings and emails to keep everyone in the know about products. And, as Wingate says, training doesn’t have to be a formal, day out process. “In-house training does not need to take up a whole day,” she explains.

“It can be incorporating a mini training session about a new product range that you stock. One-day training seminars are a good way to address specific subjects and can be used as a refresher, but one-to-one training between a manager and staff member can be just as useful.”

If additional resources are needed to supplement internal training, store owners should not be afraid to shop around to find them. “Have a good awareness of what is on offer and don’t just stick to the courses you know as there might be something newer or better out there,” says Parsons.

Branching out
Training shouldn’t be limited to teaching staff the obvious skills. Parsons explains that John Pass Jewellers uses the Mary Portas retail training programme from Skillsmart Retail because it gives training in the areas of business that jewellery courses do not include. The course uses step-by-step guides, interactive workshops and video case studies to teach concepts such as business plans, retail financing and cost-efficient marketing strategies. Other areas include stocking products that attract customers and draw a profit, selling techniques and fostering successful team dynamics.

A less costly option is the Level 2 Diploma Jewellery Manufacture course, offered by Holts Academy in London’s Hatton Garden. It teaches the basics of jewellery manufacture, jewellery design, computer-aided design and the materials and processes used in jewellery making to provide a better understanding of how products are made. It can be partially or completely funded through government bursaries, depending on the trainee’s age and employment status.

Staff training doesn’t have to adopt a one-size-fits-all model. By trying to tailor training to individuals, your team will hopefully retain more information and sell more products. And, like those beads and charms, it will allow their particular talents to shine.

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