company xyz evaluation report

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1Company XYZ STAR 2.0 Training Evaluation

Company XYZ Star 2.0 TrainingProgram Evaluation

Conducted by the following students in the USU MS InstructionalTechnology Program:

Patrick CassityJustin GastKyle Loosle

Lori MaherRichard Mckenna

Shawn PollockJan Reese

Stephanie Anne RoosChristian Smith

Ann Yandell

Instructor: Dr. Nick Eastmond

Evaluation and Research in Instructional Technology & Learning Sciences(INST 6510) class during the 2011 Spring Semester
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Executive SummaryThis report summarizes the findings of an evaluation of the STAR 2.0 training

method designed and developed by the Company XYZ Learning/Training

department and currently being utilized by retail employees. The evaluation

sought to discover how STAR 2.0 is currently being used as well as if there

needs to be another iteration of the STAR training. Data was gathered using

surveys developed for this evaluation. The results show that STAR 2.0 is being

used in every retail store interviewed and that the overall opinion of it is

favorable. Results also indicate that STAR 2.0 is effective overall in helping

employees achieve the goals of the program. Results indicate that an iteration to

the current STAR 2.0 is not necessary, but there are enough improvement

suggestions for a STAR 3.0, should that course of action be chosen.

IntroductionThe STAR 2.0 training program was designed and developed to be a successor

to the MAGIC training program, a program which previous Company XYZ

employees were trained on. This program was created to assist Company XYZ

employees both old and new on techniques to approach customers as well as

how to effectively sell products. The program has been in place for approximately

one year. Company XYZ administrators requested an evaluation to assess its

effectiveness. The study was conducted by a group of 10 INST 6510 students in

Dr. Nick Eastmonds Evaluation and Research in Instructional Technology &

Learning Sciences (INST 6510) class during the 2011 Spring Semester. The


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evaluation was conceived and deployed by ,

graduate of the USU MS Instructional Technology program and current

Company XYZ employee. The evaluation was conducted through qualitative

information gathered from Company XYZ stores across the US continent. Data

were gathered from surveys conducted in person as well as via the telephone by

the students in the evaluation group.

The Star 2.0 program is a training program for new and existing employees

stationed at any of the US retail stores. It was first introduced to existing

employees in 2010 via the Company XYZ All Store Meetings. The purpose of

the training program is to assist employees in skill development for approaching

store patrons for customer service, educating new employees on product

knowledge, as well as training employees on sales skills. The STAR 2.0 program

consists of several steps as represented by the acronym STAR: Smile, Talk,

(Be) Available, and Rapid. Each of these steps also has substeps to guide the

employees in approaching guests so that there is consistency and effectiveness

in their approach. Videos created by the Company XYZ Learning Department

are shown to all employees as well as all new hires to demonstrate and train on

the program.

The task for the Company XYZ student evaluation group was to answer two

evaluation questions:I) How are team members using STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING) to engage

guests?2) What does the next level of STAR look like?


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We planned on answering these evaluation questions by interviewing current

retail employees and store mangers, and using this qualitative data to assess the

current standing of the STAR 2.0 program as well as what could be included for

the next iteration. By gaining this feedback from current store managers and

team members we hoped to gain the insight needed to address the above

research questions.

Orientation to the Training Materials

Our team reviewed a collection of videos and documents created for the STAR

2.0 program developed by the Company XYZ Learning department. The videos

were developed to introduce the program to retail store employees and as well

as to assist them in how to implement the program in their daily duties. There

are three videos in total: STAR Guest Engagement Model Video, SuperSTAR

Selling Video, Star Coach Video. Each video has a different purpose and focus of

its presentation. Documents that were reviewed also include the training

materials from the All Stores Meeting when the program was first being

introduced, as well as some documents relating to the plans for the

implementation of the STAR 2.0 training project.

Our evaluation team first viewed the videos in a meeting that we had with the

store manager of the Layton, UT store on January 28 th, 2011. There we were

introduced to the store layout and were able to view the training videos given to

all new trainees. By viewing these materials and discussing some of its contents


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with the Layton, UT store manager our evaluation team was able to gain some

valuable insights into what the STAR 2.0 program is about and how it is

presented to its employees. We felt that this on-site visit offered a solid

foundation for the evaluation.

MethodTo gather data for this evaluation study, our team developed our own instruments

instead of trying to locate and adapt existing ones. In order to coordinate the

development of these instruments so we could most effectively gather the

information that we were looking for, we focused the creation of the survey

questions around our two previously mentioned research questions as well as

level 3 and level 4 of Kirkpatricks Four-Level Training Evaluation Model. All

questions for the survey were targeted to address one of these two levels as well

as the two basic research questions.

We developed two different survey instruments, one targeted for store managers

and the other for the retail store employees. The questionnaire for the store

managers consisted of twenty-seven questions, broken down into four main

categories: Value, Training/Coaching, Results, and Suggestions. A copy of the

survey instruments is provided in Appendix 1. The team member questionnaire

consisted of thirteen questions, four of which were ratings questions based on a

five-point Likert scale, with one being the least useful and five being the most

useful. The pilot test of these surveys was conducted at the Orem, UT Company

XYZ location, with minor changes to the survey instruments made afterwards.


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These minor changes included adding a final question to the team member

survey bringing the total to fourteen questions. The surveys for the pilot study

were conducted face-to-face with the rest of the surveys completed later via

telephone. After the pilot study was completed and changes made, evaluators in

the group were given an assignment of names and stores to contact across the

country. Some of the states included on the list were California, Pennsylvania,

and Utah. Included in these assignments were schedules for the store managers

as well as the team members to be interviewed and store phone numbers.

LimitationsThere were multiple limitations for this evaluation. First, there were strict

deadlines that were given to the evaluation team for gathering data. The team

was informed of the opportunity to conduct face-to-face interviews in Orem, UT

for the pilot study only days before the actually meeting date. Because of this

short notice, only one evaluator was able to attend. In addition, many team

members and store managers were not available by phone at the appointed

times, making it difficult to collect all of the desired data. In all, the evaluation

group was given 150 employees to interview, but we only reached 46 team

members and 15 managers.

Additionally, there were budget limitations which made it difficult for some

researchers to make long distance calls to some of the states in areas outside of

their residence.


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Time constraints were also a large factor. Many of the students who were

participants in the research group are also working professionals and were not

able to call their assigned employees at the appointed times.

Data Analysis


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Results of the surveys are divided up into team member results as well as the

store manager results. Each section that follows shows the quantitative and the

qualitative results of each survey, along with an evaluation of that data.

Team Member Results:How long has it been since you completed STAR 2.0 Training?

Statistic Value

Total Responses 46


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How helpful do you feel the STAR 2.0 Training has been in improving your guest

engagement skills?

# Answer Response %

1 1 -Not Helpful 0 0%

2 2 - Somewhat Unhelpful 2 4%

3 3 -Neutral 11 24%

4 4- Somewhat Helpful 21 46%

5 5- Very Helpful 12 26%

Total 46 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 2


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Max Value 5

Mean 3.93

Variance 0.68

Standard Deviation 0.83

Total Responses 46

Rate how confident you felt about engaging guests immediately after completing

STAR 2.0 training.


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# Answer Response %

11 - Not Confident At

All0 0%

2 2 - Not Very Confident 2 4%

3 3 - Neutral 4 9%

4 4 - Somewhat Confident 12 26%

5 5 - Very Confident 28 61%

Total 46 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 2

Max Value 5

Mean 4.43

Variance 0.70


Total Responses 46

How useful are the observation and feedback sessions in helping you to improve

guest engagement?


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# Answer Response %

1 1 -Very Useless 2 4%

2 2 - Useless 0 0%

3 3 - Neutral 9 20%

4 4 - Somewhat Useful 18 39%

5 5 - Very Useful 17 37%

Total 46 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 1

Max Value 5

Mean 4.04

Variance 0.98


Total Responses 46


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How much, if any, did your product knowledge increase as a result of completing

STAR 2.0?

# Answer Response %

1 1- None 4 9%

2 2 - A Little 6 13%

3 3 - Somewhat 16 35%

4 4 - A Lot 7 15%

5 5 - Very Much 13 28%

Total 46 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 1

Max Value 5

Mean 3.41


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Variance 1.63


Total Responses 46

Has your guest engagement technique improved over time? If so, in what ways?

Of the 46 responses, 97.83% people said that it helped them improve their

technique. Two of the biggest things reported to have been gained from the

training were how to approach guests and that using product knowledge helped

them sell better. A few team members also mentioned becoming more

comfortable with asking questions and having the confidence to approach people

as their techniques were developed.

Do you think your guest engagement technique has resulted in increased sales?

If so, how?

Almost all team members, 98%, believe that their guest engagement technique

does result in increased sales. Responses were divided about why they were

able to achieve increased sales, however, 27% believe sales increased due to

their ability to communicate with guests, 33% believe their 2-minute selling

technique was the key to increased sales, and another 27% of team members


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believe they are able to increase sales because of product knowledge.

Can you give an example of how STAR 2.0 created a solution in a guest

engagement situation?

One person said that the training had helped with how to interact with

customers rather than just be a salesman, and that selling is all about how you

approach the customer . Most team members mentioned that they ask more

open-ended questions. Another example of what seemed to help was being able

to answer all the customers' questions and then to take them to the closest

match with the product that they are looking for.

When you are helping guests, what issues do you encounter, if any, that STAR

2.0 does not cover?

Of team members surveyed, 40% indicated they felt STAR 2.0 was adequate in

covering issues of guest engagement. The most common suggestion for

additional training in STAR 2.0 was the 12% of team members who suggested

they would like training on how to handle situations where there are out of stock

items or with having techniques for dealing with disgruntled guests. The second

most frequent suggestion by 6% of team members was concerned with how to

deal with guests who dont want to be helped or how to help guests when team

members are also fielding an in-store phone call. Another 4% wished they knew


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more about both product knowledge and how to accept coupons.

It should be noted the survey answers indicated concerns that the STAR 2.0

program does not take into consideration that some of the guidelines are affected

by the team member's job duty. For example, if they are doing returns, service at

the service desk, or being on the register they cannot leave their posts to show

the customer products. On the team member survey we did not record the team

members position to indicate if lack of training is isolated more toward

specialized tasks.

Two percent of team members listed the following issues they have encountered:

selling an item can often take longer then two minutes, dealing with damaged

items, returning items, knowing customers pricing/price matching, keeping

communication fluid with customer while waiting for manager to show up, selling

warranties, dealing with isle information not matching with information shown on

the register, showing customers how to shop online, demonstrating the Store

Ordering Process (SOS), and making good suggestions to guests.

Is there anything that prevents you from engaging guests according to the STAR

2.0 model? If so, what aspect?

The majority (60%) of team members felt there was nothing impeding their ability

to engage guests according to the STAR 2.0 Model. However, 22% felt the


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challenges of multitasking frequently prevented them from engaging with guests,

while 6% reported having trouble with customers avoiding them, and 4% reported

they were involved with a phone call with another customer and could not

engage a guest standing right in front of them.

Two percent of team members listed the following issues they have encountered:

parents being occupied with children, language barriers, and guests talking on

their cell phones.

What aspect of STAR 2.0 guest engagement do you find most difficult to

implement?

It was reported by 37% of the team members that they had no difficulty

implementing the STAR aspects of Smile, Talk, Available, and

Rapid. However, the majority of the feedback, stated that meeting the

prescription to be both Rapid and Available were the most difficult to

implement in practice. This challenge was especially difficult on busy days with a

limited amount of team members.

Responding in Rapid fashion was the difficulty mentioned by 32% of the team

members. Of those who mentioned Rapid as the most difficult to implement,

most made comments centered on 2-minute selling. Here are some team

members' comments: Sometimes you need more time with a guest to give them


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information; youre in the middle of something and you have to leave it. In such

cases, you often cant find an item in time, and your approach to the client can

seem pushy. Specifically, Rapid doesnt cover when there is a lack of

associates around to meet the demand...some products (cribs and car seats)

take more time to explain and sell. And, at the register, So much time is spent

offering rewards and dealing with credit cards, and that takes time!.

Available made up 21% of the responses. Of those who mentioned Available

as the most difficult, many said that it is difficult when its busy, especially at cash

registers and when multiple people need assistance. One team member said, It

can be difficult to deal with customers at the register depending on coupons and

issues that arise. Another, We are supposed to offer services and products to

each guest while ringing up the sale, but that can be difficult when there are

many other guests waiting in line.

The aspect of Talk made up 8% of the responses. Comments centered on the

difficulty of having sufficient product knowledge to properly engage guests.

How could STAR 2.0 training be improved to strengthen your guest engagement

skills?

The majority of responses can be grouped into 4 main categories: 1) Provide

more realistic solutions (19%), 2) Provide reminders or refreshers (15%), 3) Use


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peers (13%), and 4) Provide more product information (10%).

For more realistic solutions, team members requested being shown several

different scenarios of how to use guest engagement skills. They would like to see

these scenarios deal with handling multiple guests, unapproachable guests,

phone calls, and complaints. Other suggestions involved having reminders or

refreshers on a consistent basis in morning meetings and reviewing a new

monthly STAR scenario using a new video (not a repeat of the same one). It was

mentioned that peers and role-playing could be used to encourage dialogue

practice, the sharing of ideas in a group training, and having peers do

observations, shadowing, and feedback. Some wanted to see more training on

product knowledge. Others point out the need for a register-specific coaching

form; recognition/appreciation for associates doing a good job; and tips for

dealing with foreign language speakers. Of those surveyed, 26% had no

suggestions.

How would you change the STAR 2.0 program if you could?

Of the 46 responses, 30% were either positive or noncommittal in their

assessment of the training (i.e. could not think of anything, or could not respond

without offering any specific positive examples). Among the remaining

responses, 6 felt that the videos were not realistic and too simplistic, in that they

did not address different types of customers (grandparents, teenagers, etc.) and


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Manager Results

What do you like best about STAR 2.0 Training?

Store managers frequently offered the opinion that STAR 2.0 training allows

them to interact and work with their store employees on a personal basis. Some

store managers felt that STAR 2.0 gave a good baseline from which to judge

employee performance. One manager mentioned that STAR 2.0 training gives

them a good opportunity to be able to judge employee performance one at a

time. Another mentioned that they like to be able to listen in to the conversation

that employees are having and to be able to analyze the small details of what is

going on. Some liked the fact that STAR 2.0 was very specific and direct. One

manager mentioned that this makes it easy for new employees to catch on.

Some managers liked the selling strategies that STAR 2.0 teaches and the

scaffolding that it provides the employees.

There were a few managers that were straightforward in stating that they didnt

like STAR 2.0, making comments such as Don't like it at all. It's not informative

and too vague, and simply Could be better.

In summary, they was a general positive attitude towards the training with most

comments focused on STAR 2.0 being a very direct program, easy to understand

especially for newer employees, and a great tool for interacting with employees


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one-on-one and evaluating them, as well as being a good selling tool.

What do you like least about STAR 2.0 Training?

The overwhelming response to this question was that the managers do not have

time to do the training and the observations that are required. Many would like to

be able to do more of the evaluations and give more consistent (and regular)

feedback. One manager mentioned that he or she likes doing it, when time is

available to do so. A second manager felt that STAR 2.0 was too vague and that

they were not sure what corporate wanted out of them. Another mentioned how

the forms that they are given to evaluate their employees were too black and

white and that there needed to be more gray area for the guidelines.

Some other general comments included that they Like[d] it much better than

other trainings that have been done, referring to previous Company XYZ

trainings. Two different managers mentioned the observations as something that

they didnt like to do. One felt that it was too time -consuming. Another felt that the

guidelines did not pertain to every situation. A singular comment was made that

MAGIC was much better because it was easier to follow. Finally, one manager

did not like that STAR 2.0 doesnt give guidelines for not-so-perfect customers.

The overall assessment was that carrying out consistent observing is too time-

consuming. These managers felt that the observation requirement needs to be

less vague and more streamlined, although they did not give suggestions on how


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service as a result of the training. Additionally, 14% commented that the required

paperwork was a hindrance to effective training.

Do you feel the time you spend to train your team members in the STAR model is

time well spent?

Overall, the greater part of the managers, 79%, stated that the time spent training

team members with STAR was valuable. One manager felt that it was not useful

at all. Another felt it was more useful for new hires. Yet another felt that one-on-

one training would be more useful if time would allow.

From observations, does STAR training help team members understand the

value of good guest engagement?

Overall, 86% of managers feel that STAR 2.0 training helps team members

understand the value of good guest engagement. One felt that the training did

not do so, and another manager felt that the outcome depended on leadership

attitudes.

Do you believe motivation plays an important part in training?

Nearly all (93%) of managers responded that motivation is an important part of

training. They elaborated that it is important to understand the reasons behind


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the training, especially for team members who lack experience. It is less of a

factor for more seasoned associates. Also mentioned as important are praise

and feedback, though the opinion was expressed that the repetition of feedback

tends to reduce motivation.

Do you think people learn better when they are motivated?

All of the managers responded that people learn better when they are motivated

or when they want to learn. Sometimes learning can be affected by what type of

motivation is present.

What do you think motivates people to learn?

The results from this question varied since it was such a broad question. The

managers stated that the following were motivators to learning: positive work

environment and feedback, incentives and rewards, praise, self-appreciation,

meeting goals, new information, opportunities to learn, and knowing that it will

benefit their job. Of these results, positive feedback and work environment were

mentioned by three different managers. Receiving rewards and incentives also

had three comments.


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Whats your impression of STAR COACH?

Most of the manager's responses mentioned that the idea behind the STAR

COACH was good. However, there were some areas suggested for

improvement. Some felt that there wasn't enough time to review it and had not

watched the video except for the first time. They suggested having a review of

the video in staff meetings. Others mentioned that the video came across as not

realistic and a little awkward. The suggestion was made that behavior modeled

by the coach on the video could be improved to show the person as being more

friendly and likable. Others mentioned that there was a lot of paper work that was

not useful in turning the observations into positive conversation that would benefit

the team members.

Did the STAR COACH video adequately prepare you to train your team

members?

The majority of the managers felt that the video was helpful. Several store

managers mentioned that their prior experiences agreed with the video, but

added little new information. One manager did mention that the video needs to

be adapted depending on whether it is being shown at a Company XYZ or a

location since, in their view, the two-minute selling isn't feasible

in the situation.


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How could STAR COACH be improved?

The majority of the ideas on how to improve the STAR COACH program focused

on the video. There was a general sense that the video was unrealistic and the

acting (mostly the coach) was awkward and uncomfortable. Other suggestions

included having different observations sheets depending on where the employee

is working (cashiers shouldn't be judged on the same criteria as team members

doing sales), give techniques to motivate team members, show how to take the

form and transfer it to a conversation, and how to do role plays. It was also

mentioned that some branches implement the STAR program differently than

others. If true, in their view, the implication that different stores should act

differently leaves a lot of gray area.

Which part of STAR training do you find most difficult to present?

There were several managers who mentioned that nothing about STAR 2.0 was

difficult to present by citing such things as their own retail experience or that the

training was just simple enough and straightforward. Some managers felt the

difficulties were in working with their employees, such as getting them to do

STAR consistently, comfortably, as well as having some consistency with the

observations.


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Rapid was mentioned a couple of times as something difficult to present, with

one manager mentioning that the implementation of Rapid depends on how busy

the store environment is. The busier the store is the less relevant the Rapid

concept becomes. There was some mention of the difficulty of getting employees

to do the STAR approach as well as some lack of consistency in the

observations that were taken. One manager mentioned it is difficult getting others

to give good feedback while doing the observations. Another mentioned the day-

to-day activities do not look the way the video did. A couple of managers

mentioned the difficulty of getting their employees to approach the guests

properly.

Finally, one manager mentioned the sales and specifically that rapid was not

possible at the check-out counter.

Not including scheduled observation/feedback, how much time do you spend

coaching your team members in guest engagement practices after they complete

STAR training?

Almost every manager said they are coaching their team members on STAR

training on a daily basis in the daily meetings, as well making it an ongoing

process. The managers really seem to make this a focus and feel that it is

important. Others stated they would like to take more time for these coachings.

There seemed to be no dispute that they feel that it is more important to coach


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insufficient. Some managers even felt the training made no difference at all.

managers did indicate the training gave their staff more instructions and options

than just greeting the guests and walking away. Being able to go back and retrain

their employees was a common proposal from the managers.

To what extent do you believe STAR training strengthens the guest engagement

practices of your team members?

The majority of managers felt STAR training met the basic expectations they had

for providing skills their employees needed to get out of the training. It helped

team members to be aware of the guests and make the required interaction. A

few managers expressed enthusiasm about the training, but felt it lost its

effectiveness with time. While a couple manages feel a lot of guest engagement

is more about the store getting high survey scores instead of focusing on serving

the guests needs.

Have you observed effective guest engagement techniques that are not currently

addressed in STAR 2.0 Training? If so, what are they?

Topics that were not addressed in the training included techniques to offer

solutions for out-of-stock items, extra services for backroom employees, taking

packages to customers cars and getting carts, developing conversations and

adding personal customer approaches, making a connection with the children,


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using the SOS and in-store pickup services, and providing guest engagement

training for no-sales employees.

From observation, which part of STAR guest engagement is most difficult for

team members to implement?

The managers reported that the most difficult to implement was RAPID. This was

because everyone operates at a different pace. Two-minute selling is hard

because of different customer needs and lack of product knowledge on the part

of the customer. Communication skills including follow-up skills were mentioned

along with approaching customers and how to follow the STAR steps when other

customers are waiting.

What guest engagement practice(s) do you feel team members most often miss

or neglect, why?

This question had many diverse responses that included Rapid. The thought

was that sometimes the customer needs help that will take more time. Two

minute selling, buyer protection plan, all of the product knowledge information,

add-ons, return policy and approaching guests were also pointed out as

frequently missed on the observations.


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Do you feel the observation form provides the feedback necessary for improving

guest engagement skills? Why?

Of the managers interviewed, 77% stated that the observation form does indeed

provide the necessary feedback to help team members improve guest

engagement. They described the form as self-explanatory and clearly

delineated. Another 38% of the managers offered that there are possibly too

many aspects of guest engagement addressed on the coaching forms to give

effective feedback. For example, one mentioned how there are six items under

communication, which this participant thinks are too many. 46% percent of the

managers referenced the effectiveness of the comment sections in giving the

manager the ability to record comments and feedback from the coaching

experience. Also, 46% of managers described the experience of using the form

as an opportunity to teach team members valuable skills and attitudes.

Do your team members remember all the steps and sub-steps on the observation

form?

When asked how many team members remember the steps on the observation

form, 80% of managers said their team members do not remember all the steps

and sub-steps. Managers observed that team members know the STAR model,

but do not know the sub-steps. One manager said the form is too specific and

should include benchmarks instead of specifics. Another agreed, saying there


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are too many bullet points. One manager said the form isnt used enough, and

that could be a cause of why team members dont remember the sub-steps.

Have you observed inappropriate guest engagement practices that you found

difficult to provide feedback for? Please explain.

The majority of managers (75%) said they have not observed inappropriate guest

engagement practices that they have found difficult to provide feedback

for. However, one manager expressed a need for training on how to handle loss

prevention, which is a scenario that can affect guest engagement. One important

concern that was mentioned was that many times managers fill out the form

without much thought for the training, and as a result, what the manager

observes does not reflect what he or she records in the form. Another mentioned

providing feedback on how to follow through with instant credit.

List some ways STAR 2.0 training could be changed to improve guest

engagement in a measurable way:

A small portion (14%) of the managers said that the training is good and no

changes need to be made. The remaining managers suggested changes to the

training that fell into 2 categories: the content of the training and the process by

which the training is delivered.


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Of the 50% of managers who mentioned a change to the content, 21%

suggested that a change to the form should be made so that it is suited for the

front end of the store or for sales. Cashiers should use a different form than floor

team members. Additional content-related suggestions were to increase product

knowledge and adapt training to accommodate versus

Company XYZ. One manager suggested that the Rapid element of the STAR

model be more guest-oriented, and not time-oriented. Another suggested a more

thorough training on 2-minute selling and a different manager suggested in-

depth training on add-on selling.

36% of the managers asked for a change to the process. Three managers

advocated the implementation of a more effective coaching process, with a focus

on quality over quantity, more hands-on training, and more opportunity to give

positive feedback. One manager suggested after the initial STAR training that

there be standardized refresher courses for managers to cover with team

members during morning meetings or to have a monthly (or quarterly) newsletter

to cover various topics.

As a manager, what do you think is the greatest weakness of the STAR training

your sales seam members receive?

Only 1 felt there were no weaknesses with the 2.0 training. The other 97% had

varying ideas on what the weaknesses were. The most consistent, with four


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responses, was time constraints. The basis for this concern was caused by the

time it takes to do the observations or the time it takes team members to get up

to speed after receiving the training. Individual comments included the need for

product knowledge, consistency in implementing the training in all the stores, the

difference in sales techniques between Company XYZ and

brands and how each brand warranted its own training, how the training is too

general and unrealistic, and how team members acted differently when they

knew they were being observed.

What kind of program would you like to see if a STAR 3.0 was created?

Only one manager felt the current training was fine, with the qualifying statement

that managers need less paperwork. The most consistent wish for 3.0, with 5

responses, addressed more training in selling and guest engagement. Other

responses included the need for motivation and incentives, peer training and

periodic refresher courses and follow-up, product knowledge, observation forms

tailored to various departments and positions, better examples in the videos, and

customer surveys.

Conclusions

Team Members

Team members generally had a positive view of STAR 2.0, with roughly 98% of

those interviewed stating that their guest engagement technique had improved

as a result of the training, helping them interact with guests, answer guests


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questions and ask open-ended questions. 60% percent of those felt there was

nothing from the training that impeded their ability to engage guests. However,

even with this response, many of the team members provided feedback on

additional factors that they felt were important enough to be considered.

STAR 2.0 provides guidance on the ideal guest engagement situation, but a

small percentage of team members indicated that they dealt with situations their

training had not prepared them for, yet for which they were still evaluated. Some

of these included:

parents occupied with children

language barriers

guests talking on their cell phones

A bigger concern stemmed from the fact that there are several different positions

within a store, such as sales, back room, cash register, service desk, etc., which

allows for different types of interactions with guests, but that there is only one

observation form from which they are all evaluated. Team members at the

service desk or cash register, for example, cannot leave their posts to show a

guest a product and implement the Two-Minute Selling techniques, as indicated

in the survey responses in the previous section.

STAR 2.0 Model

Of the four points in the STAR model, Rapid was the one with which most team

members had difficulty. About 30% found Two-Minute Selling challenging due to


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the realities of guest engagement. Team members spoke of giving guests

information, finding items, or even attempting to refrain from being pushy as

factors that often exceeded the two-minute mark. Additionally, being short-

handed also required team members to spend more time on a sale. Selling a toy

is also different from explaining the differences in a line of baby products; the

latter often takes more time.

Available was the next most challenging STAR point for team members, with

21% stating that if a store is busy it is difficult to be available for every guest.

This was especially a problem at the cash register, when cashiers are expected

to continue to engage guests but feel rushed by the lines that form.

Improvements

Team members cited four main areas in which the STAR 2.0 training could be

improved:

1.Provide more realistic solutions in the videos; i.e., depictions of various

guest engagement scenarios (handling multiple guests, guests of different

ages, unapproachable guests, phone calls, and complaints). 19% of team

members mentioned it.

2.Schedule reminders or refreshers; i.e., follow-up training and videos.

Responses from 26% of team members were divided between this and

the next point.


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3.Use peer training and role playing; i.e., practice dialogues among team

members, the sharing of ideas in a group training, and having peers do

observations, shadowing, and feedback.

4.Provide more training on product knowledge. 9% of team members

mentioned this.

Managers

Sixty-seven percent of managers interviewed stated that they like STAR 2.0

training and appreciate the chance that the training provides to interact with their

employees on a personal level. Twenty-seven percent of them feel it is helpful,

but not vital to the success of a store. For the most part, they felt it is at a level

that is beneficial to employees, allows them to learn the sales techniques and

provides guidance as they do.

Managers see the main drawback to STAR 2.0 as a matter of having enough

time to do everything that is required. The training and observations dont always

get the attention they deserve because of other time constraints. Managers also

regard paperwork as a hindrance that prevents them from conducting more

observations and one-on-one reviews with their employees.

Another complaint is similar to the one the team members have, in that they feel

the training is too general and does not provide instruction on the various types


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of guests and situations. In this state, it serves as a good primer for a new hire

but does not necessarily help employees gain experience with the many

situations they encounter on the job.

Managers also cited the things they felt keep their employees motivated. Of

these, positive feedback and work environment, and receiving rewards and

incentives were mentioned most.

STAR COACH

Most of the managers felt STAR COACH was a good idea that needs

improvement. Most of the comments were about the video: it was not very

realistic and didnt add much to what they had learned from prior experience,

although several also thought reviewing the video periodically would be helpful.

One manager said there needs to be two STAR COACH videos, one for

Company XYZ and one for , addressing the different sales

styles in the two stores.

STAR 2.0 Model

For the most part, managers did not find STAR 2.0 difficult to present to their

employees. Some felt Rapid was the most difficult part of the STAR model to

train on. The rapidity with which a team member can successfully implement


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Rapid depends on how busy the store is, and is often a problem at the checkout

counter as well. Likewise, different customer needs did not always fit within the

two-minute time limit.

Managers endeavor to coach on a daily basis and feel it is important to do so.

Many of them would like to be able to spend more time coaching but have to

consider time constraints.

Even with daily coaching, not every manager feels STAR 2.0 has an impact on

guest engagement. A slight majority felt there was an impact, with the rest

stating there was little or no impact. While it meets the expectations one might

have for a basic training, some felt it did not improve on basics or provide

instruction that remained fresh over time.

Observations

67% percent of the managers interviewed stated that the observation form is

intuitive and provides the necessary feedback to help team members improve

their guest engagement techniques. Thirty-eight percent said there was too

much detail in the form, which made it difficult to provide effective feedback. One

example cited was the six items in the communication category.


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The majority of managers (79%) said their team members do not remember the

STAR 2.0 model in enough detail to be able to focus on every sub-step. Some

felt that managers might be filling out the form without considering the training

and delivering feedback that does not necessarily reinforce the training. Still, a

similar number of managers were able to provide feedback on inappropriate

guest engagement practices with no real difficulty.

Improvements

86% of the managers felt there is room for improvement in either the training

content or its delivery. See the Recommendations section below for suggestions

on improving these aspects of the training.

All the managers but one said time constraints were the biggest weakness in

STAR 2.0, with observations and paperwork taking up too much time and team

members taking a great deal of time to learn the training well enough to put it into

practice.

Others cited the difference in the Company XYZ and brands

and want training specific for each.


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Summary and Recommendations

The overall conclusion is that, while STAR 2.0 is generally well-regarded, it has

some wrinkles to iron out. It has the basis of a good training program that

provides suitable direction for team members. Improvements generally deal with

details rather than the foundations of the program.

There are significant recommendations for both the training material and the

means by which the training is implemented and sustained. These are primarily

drawn from the suggestions and concerns of the team members and managers.

This would indicate that Company XYZ would be justified in creating a STAR

3.0 program to improve on the current 2.0.

For the training videos:

Depict varied and realistic situations in the videos that deal with different

age groups, different numbers of guests, and different stress levels.

Teach team members how to make a connection with children.

Develop guest engagement training for non-sales employees (service desk,

cash register, etc.).

Make allowance for, and provide training on, situations and store positions

where rapid selling is not always possible.

Develop different training material and expectations for Company XYZ and

.


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After initial training:

Provide refresher courses that include occasional supplemental videos

that train on a given specific issue (two-minute or add-on selling, for

example).

Allow managers to review the STAR Coach video as a refresher, and tailor

it toward realistic situations.

Design peer training activities such as role playing and peer reviews.

Provide instruction on loss prevention/shoplifting.

Provide additional product knowledge training, especially for .

Make more time for coaching and observations with simplified observation

sheets and paperwork.

Create different observations sheets for different positions in the store.

Provide a system of rewards or incentives for team members.

Focus on quality feedback over a quantity of observations.

Do not stress Rapid at the expense of good guest interaction for the sake

of time.

An evaluator with experience in document control systems proposes one final

recommendation, which is that Company XYZ might consider investing in a

training software in which training is created on a given topic, trainees added and

the training configured to recur at defined intervals. Some such programs require

the trainee to pass exams before they can sign off on the training, making it more


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probably that a trainee has absorbed the lesson. This will provide a consistent

cycle of refresher courses on many of the issues cited above and help managers

organize their schedule accordingly.


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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------APPENDIX I: The Instruments

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Company XYZ, INC TEAM MEMBER SURVEY ON STAR 2.0 (SUPER STARSELLING) TRAINING

Questions posed by TRU Learning:I) How are team members using STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING) to engageguests?2) What does the next level of STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING) look like?

Proposed Introduction:Hi, Im _____ from the Utah State University ITLS department, and we are

conducting an anonymous survey as a class project for Company XYZ to helpdiscover how the STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING) training is being used toengage guests.

As a reminder STAR 2.0, also known as Super STAR Selling, was delivered tothe field in 2010 via our All Store Meetings or Onboarding. STAR 2.0 focuses onthe following: Smile: Approach, Welcome, Initiate Talk: Ask, Tell, Show Available: Be Aware Rapid: Use Two Minute Selling

This survey has been approved and authorized by (title, name ), at theCompany XYZ corporate office. Well be asking you (#) questions, and itshould take around 10 minutes. We appreciate your candid, honest answers --Be assured that your answers will be completely anonymous. This is not aperformance evaluation, but an evaluation of the training program itself. Yourfeedback is important to help us determine the state of the current training andwhat improvements might be made in the future.

Proposed Closing (after the survey):Thank you so much for your help and sharing your experiences with

STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING)! We appreciate your time and value your

input. Do you have any questions for me, or any final thoughts? (If they ask forresults of the survey, collect their email address).

SALES TEAM MEMBER SURVEYQUESTIONS1. How long has it been since you completed STAR 2.0 Training?


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On a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the least and 5 being the most,2. How helpful do you feel the STAR 2.0 Training has been in improving yourguest engagement skills?1: Not helpful 2: Somewhat unhelpful 3: Neutral 4: Somewhat helpful 5: Very

helpful

3. Rate how confident you felt about engaging guests immediately aftercompleting STAR 2.0 training?1: Not confident at all 2: Not very confident 3: Neutral 4: Somewhatconfident 5: Very confident

4. How useful are the observation and feedback sessions in helping you toimprove guest engagement?1: Very useless 2: Useless 3: Neutral 4: Somewhat useful 5: Very useful

5. How much, if any, did your product knowledge increase as a result ofcompleting STAR 2.0?1: None 2: A little 3: Somewhat 4: A lot 5: Verymuch

The next are short answer questions:6. Has your guest engagement technique improved over time? If so, in whatway(s)?7. Do you think your guest engagement technique has resulted in increasedsales? If so, how?8. Can you give an example of how STAR 2.0 created a solution in a guestengagement situation?9. When you are helping guests, what issues do you encounter, if any, that STAR2.0 does not cover?10. Is there anything that prevents you from engaging guests according to theSTAR 2.0 model? If so,what?11. What aspect of STAR 2.0 guest engagement do you find most difficult toimplement?12. How could STAR 2.0 training be improved to strengthen your guestengagement skills? (1)13. How would you change the STAR 2.0 program if youcould?

Company XYZ, INC TEAM MEMBER SURVEY ON STAR 2.0 (SUPER STARSELLING) TRAINING

Questions posed by TRU Learning:I) How are team members using STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING) to engage


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guests?2) What does the next level of STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING) look like?

Proposed Introduction:Hi, Im _____ from the Utah State University ITLS department, and we are

conducting an anonymous survey as a class project for Company XYZ to helpdiscover how the STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING) training is being used toengage guests.

As a reminder STAR 2.0, also known as Super STAR Selling, was delivered tothe field in 2010 via our All Store Meetings or Onboarding. STAR 2.0 focuses onthe following: Smile: Approach, Welcome, Initiate Talk: Ask, Tell, Show Available: Be Aware Rapid: Use Two Minute Selling

This survey has been approved and authorized by (title, name ), at theCompany XYZ corporate office. Well be asking you (#) questions, and itshould take around 10 minutes. We appreciate your candid, honest answers --Be assured that your answers will be completely anonymous. This is not aperformance evaluation, but an evaluation of the training program itself. Yourfeedback is important to help us determine the state of the current training andwhat improvements might be made in the future.

Proposed Closing (after the survey):Thank you so much for your help and sharing your experiences with

STAR 2.0 (SUPER STAR SELLING)! We appreciate your time and value yourinput. Do you have any questions for me, or any final thoughts? (If they ask forresults of the survey, collect their email address).

MANAGER SURVEY QUESTIONS

As a manager,1. What do you like best about STAR 2.0training?

2. What do you like least about STAR 2.0training?

VALUE:3. What is your impression of the value of STAR 2.0training?4. Do you feel it is important for all of your team members to receive STAR


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training?5. How vital do you feel STAR training is to the success of yourstore?6. Do you feel the time you spend to train your team members in the STARmodel is time well spent?

7. From observation, does STAR training help team members understand thevalue of good guest engagement?

TRAINING/COACHING:8. Do you believe motivation plays an important part intraining?9. Do you think people learn better when they aremotivated?10. What do you think motivates people tolearn?

11. Whats your impression of STARCOACH?

12. Did the STAR COACH video adequately prepare you to train your teammembers?13. How could STAR COACH beimproved?

14. Which part of STAR training do you find most difficult topresent?15. Not including scheduled observation/feedback, how much time do you spendcoaching your team members in guestengagement practices after they complete STAR training?16. Do you think the way in which STAR training is delivered effectively transferslearning to sales for team members?

RESULTS:17. How would you rate the impact of STAR 2.0 training on guest engagementpractices?18. To what extent do you believe STAR training strengthens the guestengagement practices of your team members?19. Have you observed effective guest engagement techniques that are notcurrently addressed in STAR 2.0 Training? If so, what are they?20. From observation, which part of STAR guest engagement is most difficult forteam members to implement?21. What guest engagement practice(s) do you feel team members most oftenmiss or neglect, why?22. Do you feel the observation form provides the feedback necessary forimproving guest engagement skills? Why?23. Do your team members remember all the steps and sub-steps on the


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observation form?24. Have you observed inappropriate guest engagement practices that you founddifficult to provide feedback for? Explain.

SUGGESTIONS:

25. List some ways STAR 2.0 training could be changed to improve guestengagement in a measurable way:26. As a manager, what do you think is the greatest weakness of the STARtraining your team members receive?27. What kind of program would you like to see, if a STAR 3.0 was created?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------APPENDIX II: Data Results

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Initial Report

Last Modified: 04/04/2011

1. What is your store number (and state location)?


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# Answer Response %

1 8730 Florida 0 0%

2 6536 Florida 0 0%

3 5657 California 1 9%

4 8002 Washington 1 9%

5 9237 Indiana 1 9%


7 8729 Florida 0 0%



10 7515 Connecticut 0 0%

11 6321 New Jersey 1 9%

12 6379 New Jersey 1 9%

13 8303 Pennsylvania 0 0%

14 9203 Ohio 0 0%

15 6022 Illinois 1 9%


17 8361 Maryland 2 18%

18 6079 Michigan 1 9%


20 7820 Texas 0 0%

21 6040 Iowa 1 9%

22 5689 Utah 0 0%

23 5691 Utah 0 0%

24 6515 Utah 0 0%

25 9568 Utah 0 0%

26 8739 Florida 0 0%

28 6010 Illinois 0 0%


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30 7808 Texas 0 0%

31 7713 Texas 0 0%

32 7811 Oklahoma 0 0%

Total 11 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 3

Max Value 21

Mean 11.73

Variance 40.62


Total Responses 11

2. What do you like best about STAR 2.0 Training?

Text Response

Allows the managers to stop and pay attention to the

conversations that are going on with their employees and look at

the smaller details that they normally wouldn't pay attention to.

Being able to train one-on-one with team members.

Could be better. It's been out for a while now. It's not that I

don't like the training. Would like more time to re-train on

existing materials.

Don't like it at all. It's not informative and too vague.Good tool for GSL to have a baseline to judge behavior. Good to

help team members understand areas to work on, also approach and

product knowledge.

Helps associates have a good example.

IT asks for deliberate guest service. It is task-related. Their

guest service wasn't deliberate before STAR 2.0. It is now

specific and actionable.

It gives us chance to observe and focus on one person at a time

It makes our employees aware of responsibilities.

Likes that it is very straightforward, described it as "black and

white, no gray area"

Like the selling. It's quick.

Self explanatory, what STAR stands for, this is more simple. Easy

for newest employees to catch on.

The opportunity for interaction between manager and team member.

The video is "catchy". Good intro that draws you in. I like the

different situations presented.

Two minute selling, in depth, covers basics, provides example.


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Statistic Value

Total Responses 15

3. What do you like least about STAR 2.0 Training?

Text Response

Doesn't go into problem solving phase of guest interaction.

Doesn't give examples for not perfect customers.

Don't have time to do it

Don't like the "mgr" represented on the video. He is "weird" the

way he peers around the corner to conduct observations. Makes

team members uncomfortable.

Don't like to have GSL to do observations b/c they don't have

time. Suggests supervisors and peers give feedback.

Felt that the number of observations of team members was too time

consuming

I don't think you're training enough. When you're new, need more.

Most of the new people don't know anything. They see when we on-

board them but not after that.

It doesn't flow. We used to have MAGIC program, that was easier

to follow, it was more linear. STAR is just kind of a word to

follow. IT doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's just an

acronym. Likes MAGIC better, MAGIC was easier to follow.

It is a formalized piece of paper. I am constantly doing

coaching but not necessarily with the paper. When I see an

opportunity for coaching I am not going to run back to the office

to get the form so I can do an official coaching session.

Not really anything that they can think of. Likes it much better

than other trainings that have been done.

Observations. Guidelines don't obtain to every situation.

There's too much information to train. I feel like I can't do it

fully.

The way the forms are setup. It is black and white when people

are in the gray area. Too structured. Example, 2 and 3 star

rating, unable to communicate isn't an option. Everyone

communicates. 2 star option isn't reasonable because no one does

that terrible which makes it black and white (between 3 and 4

star). A little manipulative by wording. It is negative and not

positive towards the people being evaluated.

Too vague on what is expected - what does corporate want to see?

Would like to spend more time with every team member and wishes

she had more time for the message. Observations take time, they

like them but doing them has not been consistent.

You have to type in information on your associates -

reporting/paperwork takes time.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


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4. What is your impression of the value of STAR 2.0

training?

Text Response

better than nothing, but not goodDoing it as a scheduled exercise seemed to make a point with team

members. Talking to team members on a casual basis was not as

effective.

Emphasizing what STAR stands for and it helps with initlal guest

interaction.

Good step up from initial Star training rollout, but thinks the

selling part could be improved. Selling is different for

and Company XYZ.

It's valuable. It gives us the opportunity to sit down and go

over how to engage guests.

It has a high value. It goes a long ways for what we want in

team members.

It is good, b/c it makes employees/mgrs aware of what they should

be doing

It is good and gives the customers a good basis

It is valuable because it makes associates aware of the need for

good customer engagement.

It tells team members what guest service should look like.

Some parts are good. Greeting them and selling to them. Hard to

do every customer.

There is benefit to the on-going coaching in the training, but is

becoming repetitive and redundant to team members because they

hear the same things (feedback) over and over again. Getting

tired of it.To bring associates who are struggling more up to speed, with our

expectations.

Valuable as far as finding out baseline information -

expectations. Good measurement tool.

video was good except for not enough focus on how to

constructively give feedback. How to take observations and have a

positive conversation. The STAR 2.0 is a step in the right

direction.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


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5. Do you feel it is important for all of your team

members to receive STAR training?

Text Response

AbsolutelyAbsolutely.

Absolutely. It provides them with consistent expectations of

what we want.

Very

Yes

Yes

yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

yes, but we need more coaching tools

Yes, definately.

Yes.

Yes. If they had it more than just on-boarding it would be good.

Yes. It provides a refresher on the most important part of our

job. For many team members, this is their first job and it's

easy to get lazy in regards to guest engagement.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


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6. How vital do you feel STAR training is to the success

of your store?

Text Response

Everything starts with guest service. One of the most important

things that can be done with the store.

It helps when it teaches you to approach. The guest gets to see

you more.

I think it's more important than I realize. I use the program

itself more than I use the sheet.

It is vital but depends on the execution of the tools given. The

form makes it difficult to give the right communication. More

pencil work than communication.

Not vital. I have seen no change in store success. The training

is good to redirect behavior, but not vital because managers

would redirect without it.

Really vital.

The staff here is very tenured, 15-20 years, it's not like we

have great turnover, even cashiers have been here 3-5 years. It

would be more important during seasonal times, they have to get

up to speed in a 10-12 hours.

Utilize Star training daily, we are the leader in implement Star

training.

Very

Very important, since the point is to retain guests

Very Important. Creates environment where guests want to come

back.

very vital

very vitalvery vital

yes, If it is not too vague

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


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8. From observations, does STAR training help team

members understand the value of good guest

engagement?

Text ResponseDepends on the leader. It also depends on if they are behind it.

I think so. Even the tenured staff forgets what to do.

It takes time for associates to understand what the value is, but

as they progress they start to see the value of each step.

no

Yes

yes

yes

yes

Yes

Yes, when done in the right way. It's more than just filling out

the paper. The feedback that team members get is most valuable.

Yes.

Yes. Feedback (coaching) adds to it.

Yes. The video gives good examples.

Yes. Training is only going to be as successful as the follow

conversations.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


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9. Do you believe motivation plays an important part in

training?

Text Response

AbsolutelyMotivation is part of it. The lack of experience of team members

is another part. This is their first job, and so giving them

experience is very important.

No, I don't think they need to be motivated to use it. Especially

tenured, they just do it usually.

Very critical to understand the reason behind it, motivation is a

self directed attribute, each individual associate is motivated

differently.

Yeah it does. They have to have a reason. A lot of the quick

seasonal trained people don't use it - they weren't trained well.

Yes

Yesyes

Yes

yes

Yes, and the initial motivation provided by the training is good,

but the repetition of the feedbacks tend to reduce motivation

yes, motivation and incentives

yes - praise and being positive are important

Yes.

Yes. People want to hear how they are doing. Being able to

coach them and give feedback is effective in this way.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


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10. Do you think people learn better when they are

motivated?

Text Response

Absolutely.They learn alot better when they want to learn.

Yes

Yes

Yes

yes

yes

yes

Yes

yes

yes, depends on the motivation

Yes.

Yes.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 13


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11. What do you think motivates people to

learn?

Text Response

Any benefit to the learner is motivational; in this case, what

will make their jobs easier.

Competitive factor within themselves and departments.

Creating a positive work environment. Being honest & kind in the

way that you lead others and in how you lead.

financially - more hours accolades

If you set goals to help them learn, they'll see progress.

There's nothing they currently see.

incentives, rewards, telling about wins to store managers

New information - keeps you stimulated, like new product

knowledge content

People want to feel like they are good at their job. Internalconfirmation of doing a good job.

Positive attitude, financial incentives, please thank yous,

positive feedback motivates, the satisfaction of knowing you're

helping

praise

Praise. Others see that and try to do better.

When they know they have an opportunity to grow and improve from

it.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


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12. Whats your impression of STAR COACH?

Text Response

A little cheesy...having a variety of people would be better

Feedback is important but the form needs to be rewritten. Need to

take results from form and transfer to a conversation.good

good

Important in every aspect and should be utilized more often than

it is.

I think it's good. Most employees know when you're watching them,

then they step it up.

Its important.

It works if managers dedicate themselves to following it well.

I watched it once. That's all.

needs to have fun, not necessary to fill out paper

The ones I've had were pretty good. They did a good job.

The purpose of it is to help people improve, which is good.

The video coach was "creepy", not realistic.

They need more time to review it each quarter with staff in the

in-staff meetings. It needs to be mandated.

Video was awkward - the video coach was not the type of coach I

would want training team members. He was weird and unfriendly.

Their was no positive reinforcement to team members. I had to

redirect my coaches after watching the video.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


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13. Did the STAR COACH video adequately prepare you

to train your Team Members?

Text Response

Basic general breakdown. Gives knowledge on what to do and what

not to do. Liked video.

It explained it well, but I didn't need it.

It is an okay video. I think it is lacking. The coach in the

video seems like a stalker.

n/a. I already know how.

No, a little too vague, broadband approach. Not enough trouble

shooting.

no - I go with instinct

The way that it is shown in the video is hard to do ni the store

. To the leaders, "it's the spirit" of getting the observations

done.

yesYes

Yes, as much as a video can.

Yes, but I also have 10 years of customer service experience and

feel it is common sense

yes - good guidelines

Yes. It was an ok video.

Yes and no. The basics were good, but this manager feels the

training needs to be adapted to each brand. The training

required for BRU employees is different from that required for

TRU employees. The emphasis is on 2 minute selling, which is

feasible with toys but BRU employees typically take 20-45 minutesto complete sale. There is a difference between recommending a

toy and telling a customer about several different makes of car

seat or stroller.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


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14. How could STAR COACH be

improved?

Text Response

Add more realistic situations/examples of guest engagement. The

ones on the video were too staged and easy.

By taking the awkward coach out - It is very staged and

uncomfortable. He looked like he was "spying" on the team member.

Difficult to fill in different sections of the STAR levels.

Different sheets based on what the employees are positioned.

Cashiers should be looked at differently than people on the

floor.

Explain how to motivate team members - give techniques to do this

Form. Need to take results from form and transfer to a

conversation. The forms should be a pathway and not a staircase.

Not every conversation is the same. There needs to be different

forms based on the sales floor or someone at the register.

Gave the basics, felt that they had to stress the spirit of it

with their employees. The video acting was rigid and elicited

lots of giggles form employees while watching, although they

still took it seriously.

How to role play between coach/team member

If part of the Coach program were a management meeting meeting to

convey the importance of the training, I think it would help us

to be more effective. Everyone has different perceptions and it

would be good for us to talk about our differences and try to

align ourselves more.

It's bad acting. It doesn't seem real. I think they could make

it more productive looking and professional. Also, it isn't very

realistic. For example, we are supposed to greet every guest.

In the video the coach is too busy stalking the team member to

greet the guests around him.

It's been a while since I watched it. Nothing stands out.

make it more black and white. Too much grey area, up to

interpretation. Training needs to be streamlined - every store

approaches it differently

Need to be realistic and allow them to be managers

See above.

Troubleshooting information.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


64/77


15. Which part of STAR training do you find most

difficult to present?

Text Response

2-minute selling. Especially at the registers. When I am

observing cashiers I have seen that it is really hard for a

cashier to have to practice 2-minute selling to a guest.

Accountability factor, conflict management.

Approaching is a hard part for some associates

Attitude, dress code

Available and Rapid. Rapid is tough because it isn't always

relanvant based on how busy it is.

Consistency in observations.

Getting associates to approach initially - TALK

It's all pretty easy and straightforward.

Making other people who are doing observations more comfortable

giving feedback.

n/a

No. I've been in retail a long time.

none

No problems. However, sometimes a team member doesn't hit every

point on the form, but they still do the job. The problem is the

form makes it seem like they are missing something, when in

reality they did great.

RAPID

The day-to-day activities in the store do not always loot how the

videos did. The training video should combine multiple guest

experiences.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


65/77


16. Not including scheduled observation/feedback, how

much time do you spend coaching your team members

in guest engagement practices after they complete

STAR training?Text Response

10-15 minutes per day among the 50 team members.

A lot, upfront and after

Constantly. Every morning they emphasize how important it is to

help the guest. in group meetings.

Daily discussions, ongoing process.

Go over STAR expectations on a daily basis. Going over

expectations of the observing doesn't happen enough.

I am a stickler for training. I am constantly training team

members.

Initially, more time. Now less b/c it is not feasible to take

the time - redundant.

Less b/c it's not important. The quality needs to be higher.

Would prefer to do fewer of them and take more quality time with

feedback rather than a greater number of them.

Less than I need b/c of time

Less time, in the beginning it was more

Less time than required b/c of time constraints

Thew approach. How approaches guests and initiate/end

conversations -- > The whole dynamic of working with the guest.

This manager is at it constantly, 8 hours out of a 10-hour shift.

Company XYZ is about STAR quality service to the guests. Weare talking about STAR training constantly. In every meeting and

every day out on the floor.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


66/77


67/77


18. How would you rate the impact of STAR 2.0 training

on guest engagement practices?

Text Response

Definately an impact, but could be better

Depends on how much the leader put into it. Not in other stores

from what they have seen, for example in Sugar House. Murray has

struggled as well as is not doing as well with guest interaction.

Employees are awar of what they need to do and it makes them more

comfortable engaging guests

Has not had an impact.

High, it helps give guidelines.

It's ok, but it could be better. I'm not sure exactly what to

make it better. But it would be nice to go back and re-train.

They get it once and that's it. Unless there is a problem, you

don't go back.I think it has helped - have seen some improvement.

It is a good basis for them

Positive impact. Created more awareness.

Rates pretty high. It gives them actual steps to do instead of

saying hi and walking away. It's a good things.

This goes back to the same observation about the difference in

the two brands and the need for adaptable training.

Very High

Very high - get lots of good customer feedback

Very valuable.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


68/77


19. To what extent do you believe STAR training

strengthens the guest engagement practices of your

team members?

Text Response

alot

Helps a lot.

Helps guide.

Helps them to understand expectations.

Immediately after was good. Long term - minimal

It does strengthen guest engagement

It has all the necessary information in it

It separates those who do well from those who don't.

Makes them more aware of what makes and complete interaction witha guest.

The initial training for team members is okay. When the manager

is able to use it to train the team members, it is great!

They was a high guest level last year but it was done

dishonestly. They were focused more on numbers than guests.

Employees can't walk with guests during busy months. Members were

asking for a 100% result form the survey if the guest was

satisfied when the survey printed off on the receipt at the

register. Employees then circle it and place their name next to

it. This is suggested at district meetings but this store manager

does not agree with it.

yes

Statistic Value

Total Responses 13


69/77


20. Have you observed effective guest engagement

techniques that are not currently addressed in STAR 2.0

Training? If so, what are they?

Text ResponseCouldn't say yes. Offer solutions for out of stock and never let

the guest leave empty handed.

Extra effort by back room employees - i.e. taking packages to

car, getting carts, going the extra mile

Gives them guidelines. Its up to the leadership team to take it

to the next level along with employees.

Going extra step to find what they need instead of talking them

into buying something else.

How to develop a conversation. How to engage a guest and not wait

for the guest to come to you. What open ended questions help

stimulate conversation. Stimulate the conversation.

I don't think so. It would help if the team member knew theordering system better to help customers.

Making a connection with the customer by adding personal

experiences/similar interests into the conversation

Matching guest engagement practices with individual personalities

- the team members sort of personalize their approaches

no

no

No.

None, they use the training.

Talking to the children to make a connection

Using the SOS and in-store pickup services are new and need to beaddressed in the STAR training. Also, the behind-the-scenes guys

who work in the back have a lot to do with good guest engagement,

but they aren't addressed in the training.

Yes. My non-sales employees use good guest engagement even

without seeing the training.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


70/77


21. From observation, which part of STAR guest

engagement is most difficult for team members to

implement?

Text Response2 minute selling, for the branding reason explained above.

Approaching customers

Approaching customers - the initial contact

Available and Rapid with being available when there are multiple

guests.

Follow up conversation

Hard to give a sales pitch, when other customers are waiting for

help.

It depends on the team member. Some are somewhat shy, so they

don't like talking to guests. We try to steer certain employees

to better jobs if that's the case like truck processing.Most of the team members say hi and walk away. To stay and assist

the customer is difficult. They get the first step and not the

rest.

N/A

Product knowledge

RAPID - everyone's pace is different. Quick response means

different thing to different people. 2-minute selling is quite

difficult to do.

RAPID - they want to help customers, but they don't want to do it

so quickly that the customers don't feel helped.

RAPID. W