How Temp Employees Can Contribute To The Bottom Line

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The Directory team participates annually in a handful of career days which focus on giving opportunities to those starting out their career and bringing fresh talent to our talent pool. As the new academic year is in full swing - the team has been reaching out and building their community with a core group of schools. This is ideal for students who are studying at universities such as UAL, GCU, Ravensbourne and the University of Buckingham. Recently, the team had another successful day at the recent UAL Careers Fair in Kings Cross, the onboarding of a new roster of Temps comes with a lot of questions about how to be of value to a retailer as a temp while studying towards larger goals. It’s understandable how it can feel confusing for a student with a heavy academic curriculum to feel they are contributing anything of value to a fashion retailer as a temp.

To demystify this recurring question and provide some easy and actionable tips while on the shop floor, here is a list of how a Temporary Employee can contribute to the bottom line. That means, no matter how little you work - you are contributing to the business in helping achieve sales goals and reach KPI’s.

As a Temp employee, whether you’re working 2 shifts a week or up to five shifts a week during peak trade (ie: Christmas Holiday season), there are really easy ways to impact the business and add value.

Know your product categories. Offer shoppers information about the features and benefits of a product to peak their interest. It is very common for shoppers to miss out on an item unless a retail sales associate shows them. Approach showing new products or promotional products in a conversational way instead of a pushy sales motivated angle. You’ll be surprised how many times a customer will ask more questions.
Greet every customer! This one seems like a no-brainer but it’s often the one aspect that is missed the most. Every single person browsing in a store is the guest of that brand. As sales associates, customer service is the primary goal of your job. Think of it as greeting a guest who enters your home. The more this simple gesture is practiced, the easier it becomes.
In a recent survey, it was revealed 15% of shoppers leave a store because of the price. Even though shoppers who enter luxury fashion houses expect a higher price tag, due to lack of interaction with customer service staff, they will often walk out never having been approached about what they are browsing for or offered products within their price range. It’s easy to be intimidated by the environment of a luxury retailer, but it’s the staff’s job to make the space feel welcoming and the customers at ease.
Clienteling is a key skill to build, especially in the space of luxury fashion and brands such as Sezane that bring a more intimate shopping experience to their customers. A Temporary employee can easily build a strong client list even while working one day a week. The quality of the interaction with your customer is what counts. If you’re working as a Temp and a client is looking for something that has to be transferred from another location, give them all the information they require for personalised service. This includes your schedule, when you’ll be following up and the name and contact information of a full-time team member who can assist you in providing a holistic customer experience.
Take ownership of your shifts. Whether you’re working 4 hours a week or 36 hours, become the CEO of your shift. From the moment you clock in, take time to bring yourself up to speed with what’s been happening, check in with your supervisor and ask your full-time team members if there is anything you can assist them with. Offering to help internally while also balancing focus on customer service is a key to all successful Temp employees being valued.

If you’re looking to work as a Temp employee consistently while in between jobs, or as you build your career and need a side hustle, or as a student looking to make some extra cash leading up the holiday season, get in touch with the agency today, follow Directory on Instagram @directory_group and apply for jobs via the website directly!