Key Soft Skills for C-Store Employees

Likely you already spend time and money providing your convenience store employees with training.  Almost every store has some type of new hire training program to ensure employees know the basic operating procedures, cash handling skills, how to use technology systems, and how to restock inventory and discard the out-of-date products properly.  Yet, successful managers know there are key soft skills for c-store employees that will make the business stand out from the competition.  By providing ongoing training and support to employees in these areas, you’ll achieve better customer reviews, more repeat customers, and stronger customer loyalty.

What are the most essential soft skills for c-store employees to have?

Active Listening

Active listening means going beyond hearing the words a customer or co-worker says to understand the meaning and intent of the message.  It requires engagement and commitment.  Some examples of active listening include:

• Making eye contact and showing interest in the conversation.
• Removing distractions and being fully present.
• Noticing visual cues.
• Asking open-ended questions to obtain clarity and understanding.
• Paraphrasing back the message to ensure the receiver’s understanding is accurate.
• Avoiding judgment and assumptions.

Problem-Solving

The first step in problem-solving is adopting an attitude of finding the best way to achieve a solution in the best interest of the customer and the company.  Alternatively, problems can be tackled between employees, the employee and the manager, or even the employee and issues outside of work (i.e., how to get to work on time more readily.) Problem-solving techniques involve:

• Identifying the actual problem.
• Developing a list of possible solutions.
• Weighing the pros and cons of alternatives.
• Taking charge of implementing a solution.
• Willingness to adapt if the solution doesn’t work out as anticipated.

Time Management

There are few people in the world that wouldn’t benefit from improving their time management skills.  Effective time management is more than just tracking deadlines and completing tasks on time.  Employees who are good at managing their time get more done, but more importantly, they enjoy their work more because they feel less stressed by the workload.

• Accurately evaluating the time required to complete tasks.
• Prioritizing work to ensure the most important jobs are completed as required.
• Saying “no” or negotiating workload requests appropriately.
• Avoiding procrastination.
• Tracking and reducing time-wasting activities.

Teamwork

Good teams don’t just happen; they are developed.  Teamwork requires collaboration, understanding, and cooperation.  There are many ways managers can learn how to coach their teams to foster strong teamwork skills–from reading popular business books like “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” to watching video biographies of successful sports team coaches.  Just some of the qualities of strong work teams include:

• Mutual trust and respect.
• Common goals and shared vision.
• Clear direction and purpose.
• Open and honest communication.
• Appreciation for diversity.
• Enthusiasm for continuous learning and development.

Adaptability

“Change management” is a popular business buzz term, but really what we need from our teams is adaptability.  Change will happen, and the convenience store industry is undergoing tremendous change now and will be into the immediate future.  Adaptability means having the ability to adjust and be flexible when the working environment changes.  Employees who have strong adaptability skills have these characteristics:

• They promote a positive, collaborative culture.
• They welcome fresh ideas, perspectives, and suggestions.
• They focus on good communication.
• They work well together as a team and support teammates who need help.
• They maintain a positive perspective in times of adversity.