Independent retailer Kishor Patel is urging fellow retailers to invest in staff training, having seen the benefits of sending more than half of his employees through retail skills courses.
Kishor, who owns four Nisa Local stores in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, has been working with training provider RetailPlus to deliver the range of training to his staff team.
In addition to the 20 staff having already attended courses ranging from customer service to practical food safety, another 10 are set to attend courses in the coming weeks.
Other courses used by Kishor and his staff include training on National Lottery skills, fresh foods and beers, wines and spirits.
Kishor told Convenience Store: "It's becoming more and more vital for staff to have specialist knowledge. It enables them to speak confidently with fellow staff members and customers. At any one time we have two to three staff members under-going a course of some kind. I certainly recommend other retailers do the same. They might not see results overnight, but it will pay off in the long term. Since implementing the training I've seen improvements in teamwork, motivation, customer service and profitability."
Kevin Maxfield, founder and managing director of RetailPlus, added: "We're delighted that our qualifications have had such a direct impact on Kishor's business. Our qualifications are aimed at increasing skills within the retail sector and developing sustainable business models. Kishor's story is a real-life example of how it works in practice."