Class 11 Retail Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Retailing

Class 11 Retail Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Retailing Solutions English Medium As Per AHSEC New Syllabus to each chapter is provided in the list so that you can easily browse through different chapters Class 11 Retail Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Retailing Question Answer and select need one. Class 11 Retail Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Retailing Notes Download PDF. AHSEC Class 11 Elective Retail Question Answer English Medium.

Class 11 Retail Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Retailing

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Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. AHSEC Class 11 Elective Retail Textual Solutions are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given AHSEC Class 11 Retail Textbook Solutions English Medium for All Chapters, You can practice these here.

Fundamentals of Retailing

Chapter: 1

A. Fill in the blanks:

1. The goods sold in a retail store are for _______________ use.

Ans: Consumer.

2. Wholesalers operate between ____________ and retailer.

Ans: Manufacturer.

3. Unorganised retail is featured by _____________ and _____________ units.

Ans: Small, scattered.

4. The local baniya or kirana shop comes under ______________ retailing.

Ans: Unorganised.

5. All items are provided under one roof in ______________ retailing.

Ans: Organised.

6. Retail is the sale of _______________and ________________ from individuals to the end-user.

Ans: Goods, services.

7. _______________combines the features of supermarkets and general merchandise stores.

Ans: Hypermarkets.

B. Multiple choice questions:

1. The purpose of retail business is to ___________________.

(a) Go for partnership.

(b) Make maximum promotion.

(c) Extend to other localities.

(d) Offer products and services.

Ans: (d) Offer products and services.

2. Place utility is making the products available at _____________.

(a) Showrooms.

(b) Convenient location.

(c) Distant places.

(d) Regional stores.

Ans: (c) Distant places.

3. The retail store changes format to suit the requirements of ___________.

(a) Wholesalers.

(b) Producers.

(c) Consumers.

(d) Tax payers.

Ans: (c) Consumers.

4. Under organised retailing, the most common feature is that ________________.

(a) Number of brands and products are large.

(b) Purchases are on credit basis.

(c) Few employees exist.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (a) Number of brands and products are large.

5. Unorganised retail is confined to __________________.

(a) Particular locality.

(b) Different branches.

(c) Chain of stores.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (a) Particular locality.

6. The unorganised retail units operate based on _____________.

(a) Partnership.

(b) Sole-trader.

(c) Chain stores.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (b) Sole-trader.

7. Retail stores offer sale of goods and services from individuals to ________________.

(a) End-user.

(b) Consumers.

(c) Ultimate user.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (a) End-user.

8. Retail has changed our lives and changed the way we ______________.

(a) Speak.

(b) Eat.

(c) Live.

(d) None of the above.

Ans: (c) Live.

C. State whether the following statements are True or False:

1. Retailing is the final step in the distribution of goods.

Ans: True.

2. Wholesalers are not intermediaries in the distribution channel.

Ans: False.

3. Kirana store is a form of unorganised retailing.

Ans: True.

4. Size of employees is more in unorganised retail business.

Ans: False.

5. Providing customer services is not a function of retailer.

Ans: False.

D. Match the Columns:

Ans:

1. Differentiate between organised and unorganised retail with examples.

Ans: The differences between organised and unorganised retail business are as follows:

2. Explain the types of retail business establishments.

Ans: Store retailing is classified in two categories: Based on merchandise offered and Based on ownership.

(i) Based on merchandise offered: 

(a) Convenience stores: These are small-sized stores located in residential areas. They are open for long hours and offer a limited line of convenience products like eggs, bread, milk, vegetables, etc.

(b) Supermarkets: A supermarket is a self-service shop offering a wide variety of food and household products, organised into aisles.

(c) Hypermarkets: A hypermarket is a retail store that combines a departmental store and a grocery supermarket. Often very large establishments, hypermarkets offer a wide variety of products, such as appliances, clothing and groceries.

(d) Specialty stores: Consumer outlets, such as furniture, electronics, sports, appliances, jewellery stores, that offer unique, often individualised products or a large amount of products within a particular grouping of consumer goods are considered to be specialty stores.

(e) Departmental stores: A departmental store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different product categories known as ‘departments’. Departments are made as per the types of goods to be sold. It requires a lot of capital to maintain different departments and a huge stock of goods. The profit or loss is calculated on the entire stock. It is a combination of decentralised buying and centralised selling. They also establish restaurants inside these stores. They provide home delivery services.

(ii) Based on ownership:

(a) Independent retailer: An independent retailer is a small business, owned and operated by an individual versus a corporation. An independent retailer has direct contact with customers. For example, local baniya or kirana store and paanwala. He or she decides the retail strategy based on the store location and product mix.

(b) Corporate retail chain: A retail chain is one of a group of stores engaged in the same kind of business in different locations, and under the same ownership and management. Chain stores in malls or shopping centres always look to improve their position and strengthen their brand identity in the marketplace. For example, Reliance, Bata, Arrow, Louis Philippe, Food World, etc.

(c) Franchising: Franchising is an arrangement where one party (the franchiser) grants another party (the franchisee) the right to use its trademark or tradename, as well as, certain business systems and processes to produce and market a good or service according to certain specifications. For example, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Van Heusen, etc.

(d) Consumer cooperatives: Consumer cooperatives are enterprises owned and

managed by consumers, which aim at fulfilling the needs and aspirations of their members. Consumer cooperatives often take the form of retail outlets owned and operated by their consumers. The customers or consumers of the goods and/or services the cooperative provides, are often also the individuals who have provided the capital required to launch or purchase that enterprise. For example, Apna Bazaars in Mumbai, etc.

3. Narrate the functions of a retailer.

Ans: Retailers buy varieties of goods from various manufacturers or wholesalers after estimating customer demand. Thus, a retailer provides a wide range of choice enabling the consumers to select the products of their choice. 

There are four main functions of retailer:

(i) Breaking bulk into small quantities: To reduce cost of long distance transportation, producers ship the goods in large quantities; middlemen including retailers, open these large packages and make the products available in smaller quantities to the consumers as per their needs.

(ii) Providing products information to customers: For retailers, product knowledge can mean more sales. To effectively sell to a customer, the retailer shows how a particular product will address his or her needs.

(iii) Providing customer services: Good customer service means helping customers efficiently in a friendly manner. It is essential to be able to handle issues for customers and do your best to ensure they are satisfied. Nowadays, services may include free home delivery, gift wrapping, credit facility and after-sales services.

(iv) Creating a convenient, comfortable and pleasant shopping experience for consumers: The aim of the retailer is to make the products required by the consumer conveniently available. Convenience is about speed, being in the right place at the right time and delivering everything that a customer needs there and then. The sales increase when the environment inside the retail store is friendly and pleasant. A warm welcome from the owner, offering the right products at relevant times with exceptional customer service, playing soft music, proper lighting, space for easy movement, courteous and well-dressed employees, etc., create a positive environment for customers.

(v) Providing feedback to producers about customer needs: To keep the product in demand and make it available to buyers at a competitive price, manufacturers have to constantly obtain feedback from users and improve the product. Due to their first-hand interaction with the customers, retailers have a good understanding of the customer needs. They share this information in the form of feedback with the producers.

F. Check your performance:

1. Demonstrate the functions of retailers.

Ans: Retailers buy varieties of goods from various manufacturers or wholesalers after estimating customer demand. Thus, a retailer provides a wide range of choice enabling the consumers to select the products of their choice. 

There are four main functions of retailer:

(i) Breaking bulk into small quantities: To reduce cost of long distance transportation, producers ship the goods in large quantities; middlemen including retailers, open these large packages and make the products available in smaller quantities to the consumers as per their needs.

(ii) Providing product information to customers: For retailers, product knowledge can mean more sales. To effectively sell to a customer, the retailer shows how a particular product will address his or her needs.

(iii) Providing customer services: Good customer service means helping customers efficiently in a friendly manner. It is essential to be able to handle issues for customers and do your best to ensure they are satisfied. Nowadays, services may include free home delivery, gift wrapping, credit facility and after-sales services.

(iv) Creating a convenient, comfortable and pleasant shopping experience for consumers: The aim of the retailer is to make the products required by the consumer conveniently available. Convenience is about speed, being in the right place at the right time and delivering everything that a customer needs there and then. The sales increase when the environment inside the retail store is friendly and pleasant. A warm welcome from the owner, offering the right products at relevant times with exceptional customer service, playing soft music, proper lighting, space for easy movement, courteous and well-dressed employees, etc., create a positive environment for customers.

(v) Providing feedback to producers about customer needs: To keep the product in demand and make it available to buyers at a competitive price, manufacturers have to constantly obtain feedback from users and improve the product. Due to their first-hand interaction with the customers, retailers have a good understanding of the customer needs. They share this information in the form of feedback with the producers.

2. Differentiate between organised and unorganised retail business.

Ans: The differences between organised and unorganised retail business are as follows:

A. Fill in the blanks:

1. A customer becomes the consumer of a commodity when the goods are purchased_____________.

Ans: Consumption.

2. _________________ is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation.

Ans: Customer satisfaction.

3. _________________ customers do not have any specific item into their product list but urge to buy what they find good and productive at that point of time.

Ans: Impulsive.

B. Multiple choice questions:

1. Which of these is a feature of good customer service?

(a) Politeness.

(b) Personalisation.

(c) Promptness.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (d) All of the above.

2. A dealer who purchases goods for re-sale is called ______________.

(a) Retailer.

(b) Intermediary.

(c) Consumer.

(d) None of the above.

Ans: (b) Intermediary.

3. A person who regularly buys milk from the supermarket is a ______________.

(a) Loyal customer.

(b) Wandering customer.

(c) Impulsive customer.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (a) Loyal customer.

4. Which type of customers are normally new in the industry and most of the times visit suppliers only for confirming their needs on products?

(a) Loyal customer.

(b) Wandering customer.

(c) Impulse customer.

(d) None of the above.

Ans: (b) Wandering customer.

5. Which of the following is a customer service feature?

(a) Technical support.

(b) Pre-sales education.

(c) Social media customer service.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (b) Pre-sales education.

6. Which of the following comes under customer retention strategy?

(a) Conducting customer surveys.

(b) Sending postcards on new products.

(c) Using social media to build customers.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (d) All of the above.

C. State whether the following statements are True or False:

1. In customer service, emails are used to send special promotions.

Ans: True.

2. Customer satisfaction surveys are not important in retailing.

Ans: False.

3. Customer satisfaction increases customer churn.

Ans: False.

4. Social media, such as Facebook, is used to build a community of engaged customers.

Ans: True.

5. Technical support is not required by customers.

Ans: False.

6. Answering customer questions comes under pre-sales.

Ans: True.

7. There is no need to treat customers professionally.

Ans: False.

D. Match the columns:

Ans:

E. Short answer questions:

1. Who is a customer?

Ans: A customer is an individual or business that purchases the goods or services produced by a business. 

Customers may belong to two broad segments:

(i) An entrepreneur, who purchases goods for resale.

(ii) An end-user, who does not sell but is the actual consumer of the goods.

2. Differentiate between loyal and impulsive customers.

Ans: The differences between loyal and impulsive customers are as under:

3. What is meant by ‘customer services’?

Ans: It is the task of identifying and fulfilling a customer’s needs in a friendly and helpful manner. Retail customer service is the act of providing customers with assistance, answering their queries and helping them solve problems. Customer services include providing and delivering goods to customers and assistance before, during and after sales.

4. Define the term ‘customer satisfaction’.

Ans: Customer satisfaction occurs when the value and customer service provided through a retailing experience meets or exceeds consumer expectations. Customer satisfaction is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectations.

5. What is the importance of customer satisfaction?

Ans: Customer satisfaction plays a significant role within the business. It is not only a leading indicator to measure customer loyalty, identify unhappy customers, and increase revenue but also helps to attract new customers in a competitive business environment. 

The values of customer satisfaction are as follows:

(i) It indicates consumer repurchase intentions and loyalty.

(ii) It shows points of discrimination.

(iii) It reduces customer retrenchment.

(iv) It increases the lifetime value of the customer.

(v) It reduces negative word of mouth.

(vi) It helps in retaining customers.

F. Long answer questions:

1. How do you classify a customer? Explain.

Ans: A customer buys products from businesses. One who buys goods is a customer. Customers play the most significant part in business. A customer is the one who uses the products and services and judges the quality of those products and services.

Hence, it is important for an organisation to retain customers or make new customers and flourish its business. To manage customers, organisations should divide their customers into groups because each customer has to be considered valuable and profitable.

Customers can be of the following types:

(a) Loyal Customers: These types of customers are less in number but promote more sales and profit as compared to other customers. These customers revisit the organisation over time, hence, it is crucial to interact and keep in touch with them on a regular basis and invest much time and effort with them.

(b) Discount Customers: Discount customers are also frequent visitors but they are only a part of business when offered with discounts on regular products and brands or they buy only low-cost products.

(c) Impulsive Customers: These customers do not have any specific item into their product list but an urge to buy what they find good and productive at that point of time. Handling these customers is a challenge as they are not particularly looking for a product and want the supplier to display all useful products they have so that they can buy what they like.

(d) Need-based Customers: These customers are product specific and only tend to buy items to which they are habitual or have a specific need for. These are frequent customers but do not indulge in buying most of the time so it is difficult to satisfy them.

(e) Wandering Customers: These customers are normally new in the industry and most of the time visit suppliers only for confirming their needs on products. They investigate features of the most prominent products in the market but do not buy any of those or show least interest in buying.

2. Explain the 4Ps of customer service.

Ans: How a customer is treated has a direct impact on the bottom line of a business. Happy customers come back for more and also promote the brand, and that’s how a business grows. Customer service means meeting the needs and desires of the customers.

The features of good customer service or the 4Ps of customer service include:

(a) Promptness: A retailer should fulfill his/her promises by delivering products on time. There should be no delay in delivering the products or in case of cancellation.

(b) Politeness: Politeness here means putting the customers’ needs before your own. It means consistently being welcoming, using their name, being respectful and interested in the customers. It means listening to them and watching the language being used around the customers.

(c) Professionalism: All customer interactions should be professional. A retailer should demonstrate competence, knowledge and expertise in the field, and should avoid demonstrating anxiety, frustration, fear or weakness.

(d) Personalisation: A retailer should personalise a customer’s experience. Clients appreciate when a business owner remembers their name, preferences and unique needs. Personalisation should be incorporated wherever possible in service delivery. It makes the clients feel valued, and increases their loyalty and engagement towards the business.

3. Discuss the various customer service functions of a sales associate.

Ans: A sales associate deals with customers and also solves their problems quickly. The person engages in providing different types of services to the customers.

Customer service functions include:

(a) Customer support: Interacting with potential customers, answering their questions related to products and services; suggesting information about other products and services.

(b) Pre-sales: Providing necessary information to customers regarding the products.

(c) Marketing: Marketing is done by responding to the customers effectively, replying to mails, telemarketing, management of marketing campaigns, conducting surveys and polling.

(d) Sales: Sales include physical as well as e-selling.

(e) Technical support: Customers require and want different technical support services, such as data verification, address update, application support and problem resolution.

(f) Social media customer services: It is a strategy of providing customer service through social media channels like Facebook and Twitter. Due to the potential for high engagement between brands and customers, social media and customer service, when handled properly, work well together.

4. Explain the strategies followed by the retailer to retain customers.

Ans: Customer Retention Strategies:

The business may incur losses if a retail store fails to attend to customer relationships. 

Some customer retention strategies are as follows:

(i) Writing blogs for educating customers.

(ii) Sending emails for special promotions.

(iii) Conducting customer satisfaction surveys for promotion.

(iv) Offering a personalized experience to customers.

(v) Setting customer expectations early.

(vi) Using social media to build a group of engaged customers.

(vii) Increasing customer retention by learning from the best.

 (viii) Developing questionnaires and conducting surveys.

There may be several other techniques that can be utilized in the business depending on the product, type of customers, and resources available with the firm, etc.

G. Check your performance:

1. Demonstrate the functions of a sales associate.

Ans: A sales associate deals with customers and also solves their problems quickly. The person engages in providing different types of services to the customers.

Customer service functions include:

(a) Customer support: Interacting with potential customers, answering their questions related to products and services; suggesting information about other products and services.

(b) Pre-sales: Providing necessary information to customers regarding the products.

(c) Marketing: Marketing is done by responding to the customers effectively, replying to mails, telemarketing, management of marketing campaigns, conducting surveys and polling.

(d) Sales: Sales include physical as well as e-selling.

(e) Technical support: Customers require and want different technical support services, such as data verification, address update, application support and problem resolution.

(f) Social media customer services: It is a strategy of providing customer service through social media channels like Facebook and Twitter. Due to the potential for high engagement between brands and customers, social media and customer service, when handled properly, work well together.

2. Spell out the various customer services for convincing and satisfying the customer.

Ans: Various customer services offered to convince and satisfy customers include:

(i) Customer support: Answering queries and offering help.

(ii) Pre-sales service: Providing product details before purchase.

(iii) Marketing interactions: Responding to customer feedback, surveys, etc.

(iv) Sales service: Providing both in-store and online buying support.

(v) Technical support: Data updates, issue resolution, etc.

(vi) Social media service: Handling customer interactions on platforms like Facebook or Twitter.

A. Fill in the blanks:

1. _____________________ is the degree to which a person or organisation focuses on tasks and the end results of those tasks.

Ans: Goal orientation.

2. A sales associate must explain the information and processes the customer needs to complete a __________.

Ans: Transaction.

3. ______________ is a necessary and often overlooked virtue for retail employees.

Ans: Patience.

B. Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why is there a need to have skillful sales associates?

(a) For displaying merchandise.

(b) For interacting with customers.

(c) For promoting loyalty among customers.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (d) All of the above.

2. The ability to readily listen to a complaining customer and to understand him or her comes under which skill?

(a) Patience.

(b) Attentiveness.

(c) Communication.

(d) Resilience.

Ans: (b) Attentiveness.

3. Skill is a(n)___________.

(a) inborn ability.

(b) learned ability.

(c) Both of the above.

(d) None of the above.

Ans: (b) learned ability.

4. Some customers go on enquiring about a product and you have insufficient time, which of the following skill will you use here?

(a) Patience.

(b) Attentiveness.

(c) Goal orientation.

(d) None of the above.

Ans:  (c) Goal orientation.

5. Which of these is not a skill?

(a) Carpentry.

(b) Reading and writing.

(c) Cooking.

(d) Rising up.

Ans: (d) Rising up.

6. Which of these is a specific skill?

(a) Teamwork.

(b) Time management.

(c) Barber work.

(d) None of the above.

Ans: (c) Barber work. 

7. Which of these is an essential step of skill development?

(a) Taking stock of yourself.

(b) Creating a plan.

(c) Creating an environment for development.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (d) All of the above.

C. State whether the following are True or False:

1. It is not important to have goal in handling retail business.

Ans: False.

2. Customer service representatives should possess the skill of patience.

Ans: True.

3. Attentiveness is the ability to listen to the customers carefully.

Ans: True.

4. Communication skills are not required for customer service.

Ans: False.

D. Match the columns:

Ans:

E. Short answer questions:

1. Define skills.

Ans: ‘Skill’ is an ability to do a task with pre-determined results within a given period of time, energy, or both. It is the ability to do work with expertise. Skills may be general or specific. General skills include time management, teamwork and leadership, self-motivation for the work and domain-specific skills used in certain jobs. Knowing which skills a person possesses helps determine whether their training and experience have prepared them for a specific type of workplace activity. For example, requirement of carpentry skills for a carpenter’s job.

2. How are time management skills important for a sales associate?

Ans: Time management skills are important for a sales associate because retailers may be busy with many research-backed production activities. However, he or she must have the ability to solve customer problems within a limited time so that they can also focus on further improvements in the retail business.

3. Why are communication skills necessary for a sales associate?

Ans: The required skills include listening effectively and explaining the specific benefits of various products and services to customers. A sales associate must also clearly explain the information and processes the customer needs to complete a transaction. At the same time, the person must maintain a pleasant and approachable demeanor.

F. Long answer questions:

1. Discuss the essentials of skill development for a sales associate.

Ans: Skill development is an important instrument to increase the efficacy and quality of labour for improved productivity and economic growth. Skill building is a powerful tool to empower individuals and improve their social acceptance.

In terms of retail, it encompasses:

(a) Taking stock of the retail store: Assessing where the retailer stands and managing development and taking realistic inventory of personal and professional assets.

(b) Creating a plan: Creating a plan for development, it enables the retailer to reach one’s goals.

(c) Creating environment for development: For creating an environment for self-improvement, consider the following strategies:

(i) Practice consistently and self-directed learning.

(ii) Make a note of problems or mistakes.

(iii) Interact with peers at a professional level.

(iv) Pay attention to health.

2. Explain the skills required by a sales associate.

Ans: Sales associates have broad and flexible responsibilities that often include acting as cashier, customer service representative, stocker and stepping into other roles, sometimes multiple roles, in a single day. 

Here are some of the most important skills you will need to become a sales associate:

(a) Patience: Patience is a necessary and often overlooked virtue for retail employees. Not all customers are exceptionally kind and retail associates must have the patience to diffuse tough situations with difficult customers.

(b) Attentiveness: A sales associate is bound to spend at least a portion of his or her day operating a point of sale (POS) system or arranging merchandise. Both of these key roles require a high level of accuracy. A sales associate must focus his or her attention to detail to ensure that transactions are processed accurately and the sales floor looks its best.

(c) Communication skills: The required skills include listening effectively and explaining the specific benefits of various products and services to customers. A sales associate must also clearly explain the information and processes the customer needs to complete a transaction. At the same time, the person must maintain a pleasant and approachable demeanor.

(d) Product knowledge: One can never answer customer questions or provide accurate information without fully understanding the products that one is selling. A sales associate should read all about the product.

(e) Use ‘positive language’: Language is a part of persuasion. Customers create perceptions about a retailer based on his or her language. Minor changes in conversational patterns go a long way in creating happy customers.

(f) Acting skills: Sometimes, a retailer comes across people who he or she will never be able to make a happy customer. Sometimes, retailers will have to deal with boring, angry and complaining customers. Every sales associate must have basic action skills necessary to deal with and maintain one’s customers.

(g) Time management skills: The retailer may be busy in many research-backed production activities. However, he or she must have the capability to solve customer problems in limited time so that he or she can think of some additional improvement in the retail business.

(h) Goal oriented: The retailer sets goals and then uses strategies to attain them. Goal orientation is the degree to which a person or organisation focuses on tasks and the end results of those tasks.

(i) Resilience: Each day is packed with small and large challenges. It may simply mean running out of time to meet a sales goal or being understaffed on an unexpectedly busy day. To do this, a sales associate should learn to think clearly, make quick decisions and not take things too personally.

G. Check your performance:

1. Demonstrate the skills required by a sales associate.

Ans: Sales associates have broad and flexible responsibilities that often include acting as cashier, customer service representative, stocker and stepping into other roles, sometimes multiple roles, in a single day. 

Here are some of the most important skills you will need to become a sales associate:

(a) Patience: Patience is a necessary and often overlooked virtue for retail employees. Not all customers are exceptionally kind and retail associates must have the patience to diffuse tough situations with difficult customers.

(b) Attentiveness: A sales associate is bound to spend at least a portion of his or her day operating a point of sale (POS) system or arranging merchandise. Both of these key roles require a high level of accuracy. A sales associate must focus his or her attention to detail to ensure that transactions are processed accurately and the sales floor looks its best.

(c) Communication skills: The required skills include listening effectively and explaining the specific benefits of various products and services to customers. A sales associate must also clearly explain the information and processes to customers that need to complete a transaction. At the same time, the person must maintain a pleasant and approachable demeanor.

(d) Product knowledge: One can never answer customer questions or provide accurate information without fully understanding the products that one is selling. A sales associate should read all about the product.

(e) Use ‘positive language’: Language is a part of persuasion. Customers create perceptions about a retailer based on his or her language. Minor changes in conversational patterns go a long way in creating happy customers.

(f) Acting skills: Sometimes, a retailer comes across people who he or she will never be able to make a happy customer. Sometimes, retailers will have to deal with boring, angry and complaining customers. Every sales associate must have basic action skills necessary to deal with and maintain one’s customers.

(g) Time management skills: The retailer may be busy in many research-backed production activities. However, he or she must have the capability to solve customer problems in limited time so that he or she can think of some additional improvement in the retail business.

(h) Goal oriented: The retailer sets goals and then uses strategies to attain them. Goal orientation is the degree to which a person or organisation focuses on tasks and the end results of those tasks.

(i) Resilience: Each day is packed with small and large challenges. It may simply mean running out of time to meet a sales goal or being understaffed on an unexpectedly busy day. To do this, a sales associate should learn to think clearly, make quick decisions and not take things too personally.

2. Draw a chart highlighting the various skills of sales associate.

Ans: 

A. Fill in the blanks:

1. A sales associate always renders services to the _____________.

Ans: Customers.

2. A sales service associate gathers one’s ____________________ via a telephone call.

Ans: Information.

3. Most sales associates work at the ____________________ location.

Ans: Selling.

B. Multiple choice questions:

1. A sales associate who works in retail may have similar duties to bank tellers which is (are) ____________________.

(a) Counting money.

(b) Cashing cheques.

(c) Servicing accounts.

(d) All of the above.

Ans: (d) All of the above.

2. Sales associates may interact ______________ with customers in the retail store itself.

(a) Face-to-face.

(b) Over the phone.

(c) Via email.

(d) None of the above.

Ans: (a) Face-to-face.

C. State whether the following are True or False:

1. When customers have issues that need to be resolved, they cannot approach a sales associate.

Ans: False.

2. A sales associate deals directly with customers.

Ans: True.

3. Selling a company’s product is not a part of the sales associate’s duties.

Ans: False.

D. Match the columns:

Ans:

E. Short answer questions:

1. What are job specific responsibilities?

Ans: All duties of a sales associate largely depend on the type of retail store. 

the responsibilities that are specific to their job role include:

(i) Greeting customers.

(ii) Responding to questions.

(iii) Improving engagement with merchandise.

(iv) Providing outstanding customer service.

(v) Operating cash registers.

(vi) Managing financial transactions.

(vii) Balancing drawers.

2. Handling problems is one of the important duties of a sales associate. Why?

Ans: Handling problems is one of the important duties of a sales associate because customer inquiries involve complaint handling by sales associates. Sometimes, the sales associates solve customer problems or propose some solutions. They must ensure that the complaints filed by customers are valid and solved within the bounds of their authority.

3. How do sales associates undertake the responsibility of resolving issues of customers?

Ans: A sales associate deals with customers to provide for their needs regarding retail products. They also deal with and help in resolving customer complaints. For instance, a sales or customer associate may assist customers to resolve their problems. Usually, a sales or customer service associate gathers information through a telephone call.

4. What are the clerical tasks of a sales associate?

Ans: A sales associate, many a time, is required to undertake clerical responsibilities, such as obtaining or receiving merchandise, totalling bills, accepting payments, taking orders, etc.

F. Long answer questions:

1. Explain the duties of a sales associate in a retail store.

Ans: The duties of a sales associate are as follows:

(a) Handling problems: Customer inquiries involve complaint handling by sales associates. Sometimes, the sales associates solve customer problems or propose some solutions. They must ensure that the complaints filed by customers are valid and solved within the bounds of their authority.

(b) Assisting sales: Sales associates help customers identify and purchase products they desire. Their duties include selling, restocking and merchandising. The goal is to provide high-class customer service and increase company’s growth and revenue through sales maximisation.

(c) Clerical tasks: A sales associate, many a time, is required to undertake clerical responsibilities, such as obtaining or receiving merchandise, totalling bills, accepting payments, taking orders, etc.

(d) Job specific responsibilities: All duties of a sales associate largely depend on the type of retail store. But the duties which are specific to their job role include greeting customers, responding to questions, improving engagement with merchandise and providing outstanding customer service, operating cash registers, managing financial transactions and balancing drawers.

2. Discuss the responsibilities of a sales associate in a retail store.

Ans: The responsibilities of a sales associate in a retail store are as follows:

(a) Interact with customers: Sales associates may deal with customers face-to-face or may assist them over phone or via email or chat. Some phone- and Internetbased associates may work remotely from home.

(b) Working directly with customers: A sales associate deals with customers in retail stores.

(c) Resolve the issues of customers: Customers approach sales associates when they face issues, such as incorrect price listed for a product, returns, etc.

(d) Listen to customers: Every sales associate must listen to the customer. Effective listening helps in solving customer problems easily and quickly.

(e) Remain friendly and polite: The sales associate must behave politely with customers.

3. What are the special activities undertaken by sales associates in a retail organisation?

Ans: The special activities undertaken by sales associates in a retail organisation are as follows: 

(i) Prepare for customer inquiries.

(ii) Respond to customer inquiries.

(iii) Document customer inquiries.

(iv) Improve quality service.

(v) Identify new products.

(vi) Update job knowledge.

(vii) Participate in educational opportunities.

A sales associate requires skills, such as product knowledge, ability to inform customers, data entry, analysing information, verbal communication, reporting skills, managing processes, general consulting and multitasking skills.

G. Check your performance:

1. Demonstrate the duties of a sales associate in a retail store.

Ans: The duties of a sales associate are as follows:

(a) Handling problems: Customer inquiries involve complaint handling by sales associates. Sometimes, the sales associates solve customer problems or propose some solutions. They must ensure that the complaints filed by customers are valid and solved within the bounds of their authority.

(b) Assisting sales: Sales associates help customers identify and purchase products they desire. Their duties include selling, restocking and merchandising. The goal is to provide high-class customer service and increase company’s growth and revenue through sales maximisation.

(c) Clerical tasks: A sales associate, many a time, is required to undertake clerical responsibilities, such as obtaining or receiving merchandise, totalling bills, accepting payments, taking orders, etc.

(d) Job specific responsibilities: All duties of a sales associate largely depend on the type of retail store. But the duties which are specific to their job role include greeting customers, responding to questions, improving engagement with merchandise and providing outstanding customer service, operating cash registers, managing financial transactions and balancing drawers.

2. Perform the responsibilities of a sales associate in a retail store.

Ans: The responsibilities of a sales associate in a retail store are as follows:

(a) Interact with customers: Sales associates may deal with customers face-to-face or may assist them over phone or via email or chat. Some phone- and Internetbased associates may work remotely from home.

(b) Working directly with customers: A sales associate deals with customers in retail stores.

(c) Resolve the issues of customers: Customers approach sales associates when they face issues, such as incorrect price listed for a product, returns, etc.

(d) Listen to customers: Every sales associate must listen to the customer. Effective listening helps in solving customer problems easily and quickly.

(e) Remain friendly and polite: The sales associate must behave politely with customers.

Parimol

Hi! my Name is Parimal Roy. I have completed my Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy (B.A.) from Silapathar General College. Currently, I am working as an HR Manager at Dev Library. It is a website that provides study materials for students from Class 3 to 12, including SCERT and NCERT notes. It also offers resources for BA, B.Com, B.Sc, and Computer Science, along with postgraduate notes. Besides study materials, the website has novels, eBooks, health and finance articles, biographies, quotes, and more.