A brief biography on the learner:
Going through the apprenticeship has been a great experience, allowing me to further my knowledge in best practices and customer service in the retail environment. The journey has been a positive one from start to finish, it has really helped in building my confidence on the shop floor and has enabled me to deliver a better service to our customers. Although it has taken a while to complete, the support I have received through coaching sessions and reviews has been helpful and consistent.
The examination process was a little nerve-racking, but the examiner made me feel comfortable and, in the end,, it wasn’t as scary as I’d anticipated. I am very pleased to have come away with a distinction and am happy that I was given the opportunity to undertake the qualification alongside my role. I look forward to using what I have learned to help other new colleagues with anything they may need in future and use the opportunity as a springboard into furthering my career.
Why the programme suited them:
Charlie was able to discuss teamwork at length and clearly values the importance this brings. She is able to describe how others have helped her and how she now helps others, particularly buddying up with new starters so they can learn alongside her.
Charlie can give examples with customers when service and communication is poor and the impact it can have. One of these was the slime in a customer’s tyres. She used this to demonstrate and how you have to work to turn the complaint into a positive situation by delivering a good solution and excellent service.
She could describe how by working together and using each other’s strengths and skills to solve issues benefited the customer and how service may be affected if the team did not work together.
What they got out of it:
At her EPA Charlie talked through her prepared notes at length and showed her knowledge whist doing so. She was able to provide some good examples when questioned to back up the points she made.
Charlie discussed the diversity policy and what it means. She talked through a number of the protected characteristics to watch out when in store and gave a good example of how she helps an autistic customer by taking him to a quiet area when he comes in, so he doesn’t get overwhelmed.
She gave an excellent example of how spending time with a customer going through the product information
She explained how she can help grow sales and create loyal customers. She talked through how she helped a customer choose the first car seat for her daughter and that the customer returned 18 months later to choose the first ride on bike and Charlie recognised her and even remembers he daughters name, showing the importance of service in growing sales and supporting the company vision of a lifetime of service.
She currently undertakes additional jobs beyond the basics of her role by supporting the training of new starters and also supporting other stores with their stock counts and she has been given the feedback this is a strength of hers.
Comments from EPA:
Charlie met the mandatory criteria of her qualification standard as well as the distinction criteria carried over from the observation. As a result, Charlie was awarded a distinction.
