Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables statement provides details of the scope of the Elements and Performance Criteria to allow for differences within enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The Range of Variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The variables listed should be considered indicative rather than exhaustive and should be used as applicable to the job role or function.

General Contexts may include but are not limited to
Type of products and services provided
Business policy and procedures with regard to the acquisition and sale of products and services
Size, type and location of business
Business merchandise range
Strategic measurement and evaluation systems and processes
Characteristics of the specific product(s) or service(s)
Management structure and communication relationships
Business service range
Customers including other businesses or end consumers serviced through business customers or directly
Varying levels of staff training
Worksite specific context, variations and environments

Workplace Contexts may include but are not limited to
Workplace-specific guidelines, policies and practices
Conditions of service, legislation and industrial agreements
Consultative processes may involve
Staff members
Teams
Management
Union representatives
Industrial relations, Occupational Health & Safety specialists
Other professional or technical staff
Relevant personnel may vary with context, level of employment, ascribed duties, nature of enquiry or response required.

Applicable State/ Territory/ Commonwealth regulations and legislation may include but are not limited to
Occupational Health and Safety
Workplace relations
Workers compensation
Industry codes of practice
License, patent or copyright arrangements
Environmental protection legislation
Equal Employment Opportunity and anti-discrimination law
Emergency procedures
Transport, storage and handling of goods
Goods and Services Tax
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission provisions
Trade Practices Act

Sources of information may include but are not limited to
Legislation and regulations
Work procedures and internal manuals
Company operating procedures and instructions
Manufacturer's specifications
Supplier and/ or customer instructions
Manifests
Codes of practice
Quality assurance systems, procedures and policies
Awards, workplace agreements, and other industrial arrangements
Oral/ verbal communication including face to face, telephone, Internet, radio, and such like
Written instructions and communication such as data exchange, letters, e-mails
Non-verbal communication
Feedback
Safety instructions and workplace signage
Direct or indirect
Electronic or hard copy
Policy and protocols

Work site environment factors may include but are not limited to
Benefits sold to a business partner may include
Market share
Price
Quality
Volume of sales
Presentation or merchandising of the product
Associated sales
Associated promotions
Promotional 'tie ins' or co-location

Sales objectives/ targets may vary with
Product and/ or service
Merchandising/ sales strategy
Sales
Promotional strategies and their duration, cycle, territory coverage and product or service focus.

Joint business objectives will vary based on
Product, range, line, or category performance requirements
Objectives such as those for price, profit, brand share, market share

Sales techniques may include but not be limited to
Gaining a customer
Closing a sale
Associates sales techniques including trade-up, trade-in, tie-ins, cut-ins, range-ins
Negotiation skills
Over-the-'phone empathy creation
Securing payment

Territory may be defined by
Size, type and location of stores
Demographic parameters
Territory size, location and geographic spread
Business/ account customers

Key elements of a commercial strategy may include
Consultation with key stakeholder
Expenditure budget meets organisational requirements for probity
Procurement process agreed by users, documented, and meets legal and probity requirements
Approvals obtained
Contractual arrangements that capture and address identified risks, protection of all parties, and include performance indicators which provide the basis for due performance

Product knowledge may include
Warranties
Corresponding benefits of various products
Use-by dates
Storage requirements
Stock availability

Promotional problems may include
Timing of promotion
Promotion type (event, seasonal, new lines, new store)
Supplying volume requirements
Types of promotions
Business customer planning times and cycles

Matter impacting business customers and trading terms may include
Due diligence requirements
Value or money
Risk sharing
Market position
Planning cycles and the time of the year
Cost/ Price analysis
Terms and conditions agreed
Intellectual property and technology rights
Value management
Continuous improvement
Supply chain management
Infrastructural and capital outlay requirements
Organisational systems integration and compatibility

The following components of the Evidence Guide relate directly to the Performance Criteria and the Range of Variables for the unit of competency and will inform and provide guidance for assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. This Evidence Guide must be read in conjunction with the Assessment Guidelines for the National Wholesale Training Package.

Critical aspects of evidence
Assessment requires evidence of the following be collected:
Application of appropriate selling approach/ technique across a range of service encounters
Demonstrated application of effective sales techniques using service in both remote and direct customer encounters
Effective closure of sale
Application of product knowledge and characteristics in sales process
Written and oral workplace-related documents that affect entry level employees, other than work-process items
Communicate effectively summary information to team members and senior colleagues
Construction of the foundations required for long term customer relationships

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed in conjunction with other units that form part of a job role or function.

Underpinning knowledge and skills
Display knowledge in terms of job role or function:
Product range, prices, strengths and weaknesses
Product knowledge including:
Characteristics
Features
Comparative advantages
Price
Availability
Special features (ie. warranties, after sales support, etc.)
A variety of strategies for closing sales
Business policies and procedures, in regard to:
Selling products and services
Allocated duties and responsibilities.
Business customer relationships and current service range.
Advantages of long term customers
Sales techniques
Factors influencing customers decisions
Life time value of a customer
Business policies and procedures for servicing customers
Team work and collaborative effort to service customers
Occupational, health and safety aspects to job
Relevant consumer law, commercial law and legislation

Display skills in terms of job role or function, including the ability to:
Use a range of sales approaches and techniques
Demonstrate application of effective oral communication skills across a range of selling situations
Adopt a personal selling processes
Explain alternative sales approaches across a range of situations
Identifying own learning needs and those of the clients
Use interpersonal and communication skills appropriately
Document procedures for improving sales and especially in support for selling advantages
Communicate product range, prices, strengths and weaknesses
Plan a personal training program in collaboration with team and supervisor
Use technology, including data input
Build effective and personal customer relationships

Resource Implications
Access to required assessment evidence, time spent with assessee in assessment, competency outcomes and appropriate assessment facilities.

Consistency in performance
The assessment method should be conducted over time to cover all elements and performance criteria, across a range of variables.
Work practices should be in accordance with safe operating procedures to minimise the risk of injury to self or others or damage to goods, equipment or products.

Context for assessment
Assessment may occur on the job or off-the-job though industry has identified that is appropriate for this unit to be assessed in the workplace.