Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment requirements may depend on the work situations available.

What interpersonal skills might be considered appropriate when identifying customer needs?
Skills may include using appropriate body language, summarising and paraphrasing to check understanding of customers message, providing an opportunity for the customer to confirm their request, seeking feedback from the customer to confirm understanding of needs, questioning to clarify and confirm the customers needs, listening and responding appropriately to what the client is communicating, using appropriate tone, having regard for manner, and personal space considerations.
It may include checking with client to determine budget considerations, exact requirements, proposed product usage, and environment/conditions in which product will be used

What customer needs might be identified?
These could include the specific needs of customer depending on job requirements and specifications. They may also relate to the need for specialised or technical assistance and the intended use of product and environment in which product is to be used.

What enterprise procedures might need to be considered?
"Meet and greet" procedures for customers including timing and nature of approach, store policy and procedures on customer service and sales, promoting products and encouraging sales. Enterprise policy might include "hard, suggestive or soft sell" techniques.

What products might be assessed against customer requirements?
Fertiliser: Urea, superphosphate, lime, blood and bone, potash, mixed fertilisers, trace elements, and speciality fertilisers.
Crop and seeds: Cereal crop including wheat, oats, barley, triticale, grey peas, maize lupins, and others appropriate to local district. Fodder and forage crop including choumoullier, turnips, swede, rape, and others appropriate to local district. Pasture species including subterranean, white and strawberry clover, annual perennial and short rotation rye grass, and others appropriate to local district.

What ecological considerations need to be taken account of?
Fertilisers: Identification of basic deficiency symptoms of plant samples, environmental and residual considerations, and basic nutrient requirements of crops.
Crops: District considerations such as prevailing soils and climate, perennial and annual plant species.

What authoritative sources might be accessed?
Specialist advice from manufacturer/supplier or technical expert within enterprise or attached to manufacturer/supplier may be sought.
Journals, books and audio-visual materials might also be accessed.

What advice might customers require?
Advice should cover: the identification of the most suitable product and materials for the application; quantities needed; recommendations on planting, sowing and applying seeds, crops and/or fertiliser; advantages, disadvantages, benefits and limitations of various fertiliser mixes, seeds/crops; environmental and residual considerations; basic nutrient requirements of crops; availability, and any rebates for quantity purchased.
Additional advice may be written or verbal, and include identification of safety and legal considerations in use, sales of products, correct usage of product; material handling hazards; personal protective equipment requirements (which may include fitting or demonstration of product); seed certification processes; identification of chemically-treated seed in line with established legislation; and establishment and maintenance requirements for crops and lawn.
Advice provided should also take account of prevailing soils and climates, recommended species and seed mix for environmental conditions, and customer/store responsibilities.
Additional advice could be provided on fertiliser application techniques such as mechanical spreading, fertilisers, spraying, aerial spreading, flooding, fertigation; legal implications of sale of fertiliser to customers; seed cleaning; and materials need for application.

How might advice be provided in a timely and professional manner?
Using appropriate interpersonal skills, advice should be provided after gaining customers attention and/or permission in a manner that is readily understood by the customer and addresses their information needs.

How might products be exhibited?
Arrangements may need to be made for products to be showcased or safely exhibited without wastage or contamination of seed. Products may also be exhibited though the use of audio-visual and written materials to highlight product and its application.

What alternative and additional products and services might be suggested?
Alternative products and services that would also meet job/customer requirements or could be needed to complete the application, such as more durable or cost effective alternatives. Tools needed in the construction or application of the product could also be included as "add on sales".

What interpersonal skills might be considered appropriate when identifying customer needs?
Skills may include using appropriate body language, summarising and paraphrasing to check understanding of customers message, providing an opportunity for the customer to confirm their request, seeking feedback from the customer to confirm understanding of needs, questioning to clarify and confirm the customers needs, listening and responding appropriately to what the client is communicating, using appropriate tone, having regard for manner, and personal space considerations.
It may include checking with client to determine budget considerations, exact requirements, proposed product usage, and environment/conditions in which product will be used

What customer needs might be identified?
These could include the specific needs of customer depending on job requirements and specifications. They may also relate to the need for specialised or technical assistance and the intended use of product and environment in which product is to be used.

What enterprise procedures might need to be considered?
"Meet and greet" procedures for customers including timing and nature of approach, store policy and procedures on customer service and sales, promoting products and encouraging sales. Enterprise policy might include "hard, suggestive or soft sell" techniques.

What products might be assessed against customer requirements?
Fertiliser: Urea, superphosphate, lime, blood and bone, potash, mixed fertilisers, trace elements, and speciality fertilisers.
Crop and seeds: Cereal crop including wheat, oats, barley, triticale, grey peas, maize lupins, and others appropriate to local district. Fodder and forage crop including choumoullier, turnips, swede, rape, and others appropriate to local district. Pasture species including subterranean, white and strawberry clover, annual perennial and short rotation rye grass, and others appropriate to local district.

What ecological considerations need to be taken account of?
Fertilisers: Identification of basic deficiency symptoms of plant samples, environmental and residual considerations, and basic nutrient requirements of crops.
Crops: District considerations such as prevailing soils and climate, perennial and annual plant species.

What authoritative sources might be accessed?
Specialist advice from manufacturer/supplier or technical expert within enterprise or attached to manufacturer/supplier may be sought.
Journals, books and audio-visual materials might also be accessed.

What advice might customers require?
Advice should cover: the identification of the most suitable product and materials for the application; quantities needed; recommendations on planting, sowing and applying seeds, crops and/or fertiliser; advantages, disadvantages, benefits and limitations of various fertiliser mixes, seeds/crops; environmental and residual considerations; basic nutrient requirements of crops; availability, and any rebates for quantity purchased.
Additional advice may be written or verbal, and include identification of safety and legal considerations in use, sales of products, correct usage of product; material handling hazards; personal protective equipment requirements (which may include fitting or demonstration of product); seed certification processes; identification of chemically-treated seed in line with established legislation; and establishment and maintenance requirements for crops and lawn.
Advice provided should also take account of prevailing soils and climates, recommended species and seed mix for environmental conditions, and customer/store responsibilities.
Additional advice could be provided on fertiliser application techniques such as mechanical spreading, fertilisers, spraying, aerial spreading, flooding, fertigation; legal implications of sale of fertiliser to customers; seed cleaning; and materials need for application.

How might advice be provided in a timely and professional manner?
Using appropriate interpersonal skills, advice should be provided after gaining customers attention and/or permission in a manner that is readily understood by the customer and addresses their information needs.

How might products be exhibited?
Arrangements may need to be made for products to be showcased or safely exhibited without wastage or contamination of seed. Products may also be exhibited though the use of audio-visual and written materials to highlight product and its application.

What alternative and additional products and services might be suggested?
Alternative products and services that would also meet job/customer requirements or could be needed to complete the application, such as more durable or cost effective alternatives. Tools needed in the construction or application of the product could also be included as "add on sales".

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in providing advice on agronomic products requires evidence that demonstrates the ability to advise customers as to the most appropriate products for their specific application/environment, and to understand customer requirements. It involves the ability to engage with customers and requires sufficient communication skills to ensure that advice on product type, suitability and application is understood by the customer. The ability to organise the demonstration of products, provide additional advice, encourage add on sales, and to represent the enterprise in a professional manner when dealing with customers is also required.
The skills and knowledge required to provide advice on agronomic products must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, if competence is demonstrated in providing advice on fertilisers in an agricultural setting, it must also be evident in providing information on seeds in a horticultural setting in a small, medium or large enterprise environment.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

customer service techniques
systems and procedures for the safe handling of products
enterprises business values, structure, products and services
industry terminology for products
requirements of local or specific customers
relevant requirements of OHS, industry, fair trading, trade practices, sales of goods and public liability legislation
crop seeds requirements of local customers
basic crop cultivation techniques
fertilisers
climate and growing conditions generally
relevant components of State/Territory Acts relating to fertilisers and certified seeds
basic plant disorders.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

communicate using a range of interpersonal skills, including questioning and affective listening skills
relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and of varying physical and mental abilities
assess and demonstrate cost benefits
research supplier information
safely lift, carry and handle products
identify basic plant disorders.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

customer service techniques
systems and procedures for the safe handling of products
enterprises business values, structure, products and services
industry terminology for products
requirements of local or specific customers
relevant requirements of OHS, industry, fair trading, trade practices, sales of goods and public liability legislation
crop seeds requirements of local customers
basic crop cultivation techniques
fertilisers
climate and growing conditions generally
relevant components of State/Territory Acts relating to fertilisers and certified seeds
basic plant disorders.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

communicate using a range of interpersonal skills, including questioning and affective listening skills
relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and of varying physical and mental abilities
assess and demonstrate cost benefits
research supplier information
safely lift, carry and handle products
identify basic plant disorders.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
Advice and information about customer requirements and products may be discussed with customers, suppliers, and other appropriate personnel. Technical information regarding products needs to be conveyed to customers in a manner that ensures the customer understands the products application and related information. (2)

Communicating ideas and information
Advice and information about customer requirements and products may be discussed with customers, suppliers, and other appropriate personnel. Technical information regarding products needs to be conveyed to customers in a manner that ensures the customer understands the products application and related information. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Customer requirements may need to be processed. Information with regard to products may be researched and recorded. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Customer requirements may need to be processed. Information with regard to products may be researched and recorded. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Provision of advice may need to be structured and product application thought through to ensure all components are accounted for and product is correct for application. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Provision of advice may need to be structured and product application thought through to ensure all components are accounted for and product is correct for application. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Consultation with other members of the work team to decide on best fit for application, and to ensure customer satisfaction. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Consultation with other members of the work team to decide on best fit for application, and to ensure customer satisfaction. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematical techniques may be applied in the measurement of quantities to meet purchase or job requirements, calculation of volumes and the pricing of stock supplies. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematical techniques may be applied in the measurement of quantities to meet purchase or job requirements, calculation of volumes and the pricing of stock supplies. (2)

Solving problems
Problems relating to matching customer requirements to correct product, and in helping customer to understand technical information. (2)

Solving problems
Problems relating to matching customer requirements to correct product, and in helping customer to understand technical information. (2)

Using technology
In calculating volumes and quantities needed to meet customers needs, and in accessing information about the product. (1)

Using technology
In calculating volumes and quantities needed to meet customers needs, and in accessing information about the product. (1)