Product knowledge

Product knowledge means sales staff fully understand what they are selling: its features, how it works and what it is suitable for. Customers expect staff to know the product well enough to answer their questions confidently.

If you ask about a product and staff hesitate, guess or cannot answer, you start to doubt them. An unanswered question can make you leave and buy elsewhere, so the sale may be lost even when the product itself was suitable. Confidence in the staff is part of what makes a customer willing to buy.

Good product knowledge helps staff in three main ways:

• Explain features clearly, saying what each feature does and why it matters, rather than reciting a list.
• Match the product to the customer's needs by asking questions and recommending a suitable option.
• Deal with objections, such as a customer saying a product is too expensive, by explaining the differences between models and why one costs more.

This matters for every product, not only technical or complicated ones. A customer buying a saucepan, a pair of trainers or a phone case still expects staff to know the whole range and the differences between options.

For example, a customer wants a tent for a family camping trip but is unsure whether a three-person tent will be big enough. Staff who know the dimensions, sleeping space and ventilation can explain the difference and suggest a four-person tent. The customer feels confident in the choice and buys. If staff shrug and say they are not sure, the customer may go to another shop.