In-Aisle Training

In-aisle training is a service we offer where our team provides product education to retail store staff right on the sales floor. This approach has become increasingly popular and effective, especially in environments like Bunnings where staff are busy and learn best through hands-on experience. The goal of in-aisle training is to arm the store’s team members with knowledge about our client’s product – its features, benefits, and usage – so that they can confidently assist customers and ultimately help sell the product. It’s a quick, focused training delivered in the context of the actual product display, often taking just a few minutes but leaving a lasting impression.

How In-Aisle Training Works: We typically develop these training programs in collaboration with the product’s manufacturer. For example, when Panasonic engaged us to train Bunnings staff on one of their new tech products, we worked together to create a clear and concise training module. The training content includes a short explanation of the product’s unique selling points, a demonstration of how it works, and a Q&A segment for staff. We leverage our experience delivering similar content to ensure the module is engaging and understandable. Importantly, we design the training to be brief – around 5 minutes – and often use visual aids on a tablet or mobile device to show key points or images.

Tracking and Reporting: One of the challenges with any training program is ensuring it reaches all intended stores. We handle this by scheduling the training as part of our regular call cycle or as a special project. Each time our team delivers the training at a store, they record it in our A Team Live app, marking that store as completed for the program. We also record any relevant notes/feedback. This live reporting allows our client to see progress: for the Panasonic example, they could log into the portal and immediately see which stores have received the training and which are pending. At the end of the campaign, the client gets a consolidated report showing coverage (e.g., “Training delivered in 95% of targeted stores”) and any qualitative insights gathered from the field.

Benefits of In-Aisle Training:

• Product Knowledge = Confidence: After training, store associates are more confident in recommending the product to customers. They can speak about the item’s features and benefits accurately, which enhances the customer’s trust. Retail staff are the ones face-to-face with shoppers; if they believe in and understand a product, they’re more likely to suggest it and answer customer queries effectively. We’ve heard store team members express appreciation for these quick sessions, as it helps them feel like experts in their department.
• Real-Time and Contextual Learning: Training on the sales floor means we’re often standing right next to the product in question, possibly even in front of a live demo display. This context helps learning – it’s easier to remember details when you’re in the actual environment you’ll use them. It also allows for spontaneous customer interaction; on a few occasions, our trainer might end up demonstrating the product to both the staff and a customer who happens to be interested at that moment, turning training into a live selling exercise. In-aisle training sessions are brief enough that they don’t disrupt store operations; instead, they often energize staff, breaking up their routine with something new and interesting.
• Immediate Sales Impact: The ultimate aim is increased sell-through. When a staff member knows why a product is great and who it’s best for, they can match it to customer needs more effectively. For example, if a Bunnings team member has been trained on a new kind of sealant and learns that it’s 2x faster-drying than competitors, they will remember to recommend it to a customer asking for paintable sealants on a tight timeline. These little pieces of knowledge, provided on-the-spot, can directly convert to sales. Additionally, our presence doing training signals to store staff and management that the supplier is invested in their product. This builds goodwill and often leads to better in-store support (like ensuring the product is kept in stock and merchandised correctly).
• Consistent Messaging: Because the A Team merchandiser deliver the same structured module across all stores, the message about the product remains consistent. Every store hears the same key features and benefits, preventing distortion of information. Consistency is important for brands – you don’t want one store misunderstanding the product and conveying incorrect info. Our team, armed with a clear brief loaded into A Team Live ensures uniform training quality nationwide.

In-aisle training is a win-win-win: the supplier gets knowledgeable advocates in stores, the store staff gain useful product insight (making their job easier when helping customers), and customers ultimately receive better service and recommendations. As our client Panasonic saw, we hit the ground running and “delivered training in aisle in about 5 minutes” per store, with performance tracked through our live reporting system. We’re proud to offer this agile training solution as part of our service – it’s all about empowering the people on the front line of sales with the information they need, right where they need it. In fact, training is something we emphasize not just for store staff, but internally too – at A Team, continuous learning is “key to our success” and that philosophy extends to how we help our clients’ products succeed.