Levi's, My Original Coach

It was a typical Johannesburg summers afternoon, there had just been a thunderstorm, which cooled the sweltering day. There was a haze rising from the wet road, and this overwhelming feeling drowned my thoughts “ I've made a mistake, this is neither who I am nor what I want to become”. 2009 brought in a new chapter of my life with the registration as a Civil Engineering student at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), I remember the moment when I realized that I had just made a mistake. I brushed this off, thinking that it was just self doubt seeing that this was a notoriously difficult program. Little did I come to realize, this gut feeling was founded in truth. I spent much of my first semester trying to force myself to become something and someone whom I was not. I wrote my examinations and unsurprisingly failed all but one, Technical Drawing.

I needed direction, a higher source of guidance. Thus, contacted the Dean of Engineering, she provided me with sound advice, she simple told me: “Find out what it is that makes you tick”. I took her advice to heart. I dropped out of WITS and plunged into the pool with my fellow job hunters, but where was I to look? I had no qualifications and no working experience. I half-heatedly applied for a job at Levi's, to my surprise; they contacted me back, asking for an interview. My first objective was to research the Company's' history and what the brand stands for, following from which i went through the basic interview preparations. I was prepared and ready for my first job interview. Whist the interview commenced, I started I realized that, I could not simply regurgitate everything which I had read and learnt; I just had to be myself and be truthful about my abilities. It worked and I got the job! My first job ever. So the training and development process began in hast.

Levi’s set the standard for innovation and sort to ensure that every product provided the customer with the same quality of clothing which they become accustomed to knowing. What I failed to realized was the amount of research and development which goes into the production a new line or design of the clothing. There is the designer, who creates the style following from which the concept whilst selecting the finish. At this point, the Supply Planner takes over and sources the availability of the fabrics and the accompanying requirements for the products production. From this point on I was introduced to the Visual Merchandisers who designed the store, layout and look.

We were trained to was to create a customer journey through the Levi’s brand and what the brand essence was. Levi’s brand essence is based on the ideals that it is the original and definitive jeans, through which I as the store assistant was trained to embody this idealism, whilst still displaying my integrity, originality, the brands idealism, while still retaining my youthful independence.

However, the scary part of my journey with Levi’s was how to learn how to sell a product, which i knew every detail about. I was overwhelmed. However, Levi’s provided me with a rather simple technique of selling the products. It is a five-step process, which I would also go on to study in further depth at Rhodes University.

Step 1:Welcome and Approach

Make the customer feel welcome and let him/her know that you are here to help if need be. Begin to build rapport with the customer however, it is important not to introduce upon the customer as they walking, i feel that you should give the customer a little space before you approach them. This will allow for the customer to become comfortable in the store in their own time, thus making them feel more relaxed and therefore increasing the probabilities of a purchase being made.

Step 2: Determine needs and Recommend

Discover what is important to your customer, from which point you will be able to select the most appropriate merchandise. Describe the benefits of the product that match your customer’s needs. It is important to remain focused at this point in the sales process as you will need to be able to provide the customer with the best possible solution, which would be based on you ability to recall your product knowledge. Lastly, you need to confirm what you have understood from the customer this will then begin to build a sense of trust with the customer.

Step 3: Product and Fitting room experience

Reinforce the benefits of the product that match your customers needs and desires. At this point you may mention what make this product stand out from other slimier products found on the market.Make the customer feel like the need to have it. Changing a desire to a need.

Step 4:Sell, Add On and Close

Sell additional merchandise that matches the customer’s needs. Complete the sale before your customer stalls, however should your customer be in the right mind frame and they would not mind spending a few extra moments in the store. you could slow down your packing service, allowing the customer to make one final inspection before he/she is willing to leave the store.

Step 5: Farewell and Go the extra mile

Make the customer feel appreciated and excited enough to what to return to the store in the near future.

As a first time sales associate, the most important aspect of you job is to sell the product and to invite the customer into the lifestyle which the brand is providing to him/her. These are just the basics, yet the basics which Levi's training program thought me has provided me with the ability to create a solid foundation from which I can further propel myself forward into the world of Luxury Retail Management.

By: Gregory William Nicolson

5 February 2015