A helpful sales phrase helps a customer take the next step: explain what they need, compare products, check a price, or decide whether to buy. Structure the conversation in this order: find out what the customer needs the product for and what budget they have in mind, show suitable options, confirm the product’s features, check availability, and state the full purchase price. Then offer to complete the purchase and give the customer time to decide.
To do this, a sales assistant needs verified product information and clear store policies. The owner or manager prepares this information, decides who confirms discounts and transfer times, and trains staff using specific scenarios. Review the suggested phrases against your own consultations and purchases: a prepared script alone does not guarantee increased sales.
What to prepare before training sales assistants
A script is a sequence of questions and answers for typical situations. For example, it sets out what to ask when someone is looking for a backpack for work and whom to contact if the requested color is unavailable. The sales assistant adapts the conversation to the customer’s answers.
Prepare a short reference sheet for each important product category:
- How the customer might use the product and what limitations to consider.
- Where to find the specifications: in the manufacturer’s instructions, on the packaging, or in another official description of the specific model.
- How to check the price, discount terms, what is included, and any extra charges.
- How to check stock and who confirms whether an item can be reserved or transferred from another store.
- What alternatives to suggest and how they differ.
- Who answers questions about delivery, warranty, and post-purchase inquiries.
The manager assigns someone to maintain each reference sheet and reviews it when products or sales terms change. If a sales assistant cannot find confirmation, they check with the responsible employee and agree with the customer on when they will get back with an answer.
How to find out what the customer needs and their budget
Start by asking how the customer plans to use the product. Then clarify their key requirements and comfortable budget. This approach is consistent with training recommendations for identifying customer needs. Ask questions gradually and use the answers as the conversation continues.
All dialogues below are hypothetical training examples. The products, prices, timelines, and circumstances are fictional; before using the phrases, the sales assistant should substitute verified information from their own store.
The customer has not chosen a model yet
Customer: “I need a backpack for work.”
Sales assistant: “What will you carry every day? Do you need a separate laptop compartment?”
Customer: “A laptop, charger, and documents.”
Sales assistant: “What budget would you be comfortable considering? And what else matters: the backpack’s weight, color, or number of pockets?”
After the customer answers, summarize what they are looking for: “So we’re looking for a backpack for a laptop and documents within your budget. I’ll show you some options, and we can check whether the compartment is suitable.”
If the customer does not want to name a budget, offer to compare options at several price points and explain the differences. That lets them decide what amount feels acceptable.
The customer wants to browse independently
Customer: “I’m just looking for now.”
Sales assistant: “Of course. The laptop backpacks are on this shelf. If you’d like to compare models or check the compartment size, I can help.”
Give the customer time to browse. Resume the consultation when they approach you or ask for help.
How to explain a feature and a verified benefit
Connect a product feature to a need the customer has mentioned. If they want to keep small items separate, show them the pockets. If they need space for a particular laptop, check that the compartment fits using the documentation and, if possible, by trying the laptop in it.
Hypothetical demonstration dialogue:
Sales assistant: “This model has a separate zip pocket. You said you carry keys with your documents; you can put them here. Try it and see whether they’re easy for you to reach.”
Customer: “Will my laptop fit?”
Sales assistant: “Let’s compare the compartment’s dimensions with your laptop. If you have it with you, we can check whether it fits and whether the backpack can be zipped closed.”
Do not use the result of a demonstration to support claims it does not verify. The fact that a laptop fits in the compartment does not prove the compartment protects it from impacts. Claims about water resistance, load capacity, or operating time require manufacturer data and the conditions specified by the manufacturer.
If information is missing, an appropriate response is: “I couldn’t find that specification in this model’s documentation. I’ll check it before recommending this product for your needs.”
How to answer questions about price and availability
State the price of the specific model and explain what is included in the purchase. If a discount applies, check whether this customer meets its terms. Confirm the cost of delivery, extra accessories, or services before completing the purchase.
The customer thinks the product is expensive
Customer: “That’s too expensive for me.”
Sales assistant: “What amount would you be comfortable considering? I’ll find an option within that budget and explain how it differs.”
If the customer is comparing your offer with another one, clarify the model, what is included, and the terms of purchase. If you do not have enough information, say: “To compare the prices, we need to check the model and what comes with it. Could you show me the offer?”
The requested size or color needs to be checked
Customer: “Do you have the same one in black?”
Sales assistant: “I’ll check whether this model is available in black and confirm the price. If it’s at another store, I’ll separately check whether it can be transferred and how long that would take.”
After checking, the sales assistant shares the confirmed result. For example: “The other store confirmed one unit. The employee responsible for transfers is still checking the timing. I can let you know when I get an answer.”
If you promised to reply by an agreed time, contact the customer even if you still do not have a final answer. Explain what you are waiting for and agree on the next time you will get in touch.
Checking stock and prices in Torgsoft during a consultation
In Torgsoft, the “Product availability in the retail network’s warehouses” (“Наявність товару на складах торговельної мережі”) mode shows product quantities and sizes in stores and warehouses. The table also includes product names, prices, and discounts. The accounting center here is the store or warehouse whose stock you are viewing.
Open “Warehouse → Product availability in the retail network’s warehouses” (“Склад → Наявність товару на складах торговельної мережі”), specify the product using “Filters” (“Фільтри”) (F12), and click “Select” (“Вибрати”). In the “Status as of date” (“Стан на дату”) field, choose the required date and click “Refresh” (“Оновити”) on the right. If the required columns are not shown, check “View → Column visibility” (“Вид → Видимість колонок”). The steps are described in the Torgsoft instructions.
According to the instructions, F5 or Enter in the text filter globally refreshes the data the first time it is accessed, or when 15 minutes have passed since the previous global refresh. Between these refreshes, search uses the previous data set; the instructions also provide a “Refresh” (“Оновити”) button for a global refresh. Before making a promise to the customer, check the date, refresh status, and actual product availability. The illustrations in the instructions refer to version 2020.4.5. Before training sales assistants, the manager should check that the described buttons and refresh sequence match the installed version of the program. Separately confirm any transfer, reservation, and when the customer will receive the product, and check the applicable discount, what is included, and extra charges to determine the final price.
How to suggest an alternative
If the requested product is unavailable, suggest a replacement based on the requirements the customer has already mentioned. Suggesting alternatives when a specific product is unavailable is also recommended in this practical guide to retail consultations. Explain the differences that could affect their choice.
Hypothetical dialogue:
Customer: “I specifically need a black backpack.”
Sales assistant: “This model is currently unavailable in black. The same model is available in gray. I can also show you a black backpack in a different model, but its laptop compartment is different. Which matters more to you: the color or the design?”
If no suitable alternative is available, say so directly: “I couldn’t find an available model that meets all your requirements. If you’d like, I can check whether it can be ordered.”
How to wrap up the consultation
Before completing the purchase, briefly repeat the customer’s choice: model, size or color, what is included, total price, and how they will receive it. State any terms that have not yet been confirmed.
Hypothetical dialogue:
Sales assistant: “You’ve chosen this model in gray. You checked the laptop compartment. The total is 1,800 Ukrainian hryvnias (UAH), and you’ll pick it up at the store today. Shall I complete the purchase, or do you have any questions?”
Customer: “I’ll think about it.”
Sales assistant: “Of course. I can write down the name and product code so you can find this model later.”
Do not promise to hold the price or set the product aside without confirmed terms. If the store can reserve it, explain the reservation period, how the customer will receive the product, and other terms before the customer agrees.
How to agree on post-purchase follow-up
After a purchase, you can offer a brief follow-up to ask how the customer likes the product or help them use it. Recommendations for thanking customers and inviting them to share feedback also appear in this guide to post-sale communication. For the store, we suggest a working rule: agree in advance on the purpose, channel, and timing of such a message.
Hypothetical dialogue: “May I message you in the agreed messaging app in a week to ask whether the backpack is comfortable to use? It will be one message about this purchase.” If the legal basis for using the customer’s contact details is their consent, obtain it in writing or electronically in a form that confirms they agreed. Keep that confirmation for the entire period during which the data is processed. Example message: “Thank you for your purchase. You agreed to receive a brief message about your backpack. Is it comfortable to use? If you have any questions, message us.”
Before collecting contact details, decide why you need them and what allows the store to use them. If the basis is the customer’s consent, explain the purpose of the message and get their voluntary agreement. Do not use permission for one purchase-related message for all future marketing mailings.
Prepare a short notice for the customer. Include:
- the name of the legal entity or individual entrepreneur that will use the data;
- what data you collect, why you need it, and to whom you pass it;
- what rights the customer has regarding their data.
If the customer gives you their contact details directly, provide this information when you collect them. If you got the data from another source, do so within 30 working days from the date of collection. Exceptions established by law apply in both cases. Keep evidence that you informed the customer; if you use their consent, also keep evidence of consent. Retain these records for the entire period during which the data is processed.
Designate the employees who need access to contact details and protect those details from unauthorized access. Decide how long you will keep contacts in line with the purpose and legal requirements, and how you will delete them afterward. If the customer withdraws consent and there is no other basis for that contact, stop using their data for this purpose. These requirements are set out in the Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection” and the Standard Procedure for Processing Personal Data.
How to review a script using store data
Start with one situation, such as answering a question about price. Before the review begins, the manager decides what counts as a consultation, how a purchase will be linked to it, and what period to compare. For a training log, anonymized records without customers’ phone numbers or names are sufficient.
- Write down the original and revised versions of the phrase. Change one element of the conversation at a time so it is clear what you are reviewing.
- Agree on counting rules with the sales assistants. For example, count consultations involving product selection, and mark separately any follow-up by the same person about that choice.
- Record the total number of consultations, the number that resulted in at least one purchase, and any reasons for not buying that customers volunteer.
- Record the conditions: product category, availability, prices, promotions, shift, and contact channel.
- Review the results together with feedback from the sales assistants. Check whether customers understood the answer and whether any incorrect expectations arose.
If there were consultations during the selected period, calculate the share that resulted in a purchase as follows: divide the number of consultations followed by at least one linked purchase by the total number of consultations, then multiply by 100%. Count each consultation only once in the numerator. If there were no consultations, do not calculate this measure.
Hypothetical training calculation: in the first group, 20 of 100 consultations resulted in a purchase; in the second, 24 of 100 did. So 20 ÷ 100 × 100% = 20%, and 24 ÷ 100 × 100% = 24%. The difference is 4 percentage points. These fictional numbers alone do not prove that the phrase made a difference: product availability, price, customer mix, or the sales assistants’ work may have affected the result.
If the revised version produced a better result, repeat the review under comparable conditions. If customers are more likely to misunderstand the price, what is included, or when they will receive the product, revise the response even if purchases have increased. Add to the reference sheet phrases that sales assistants can substantiate with data and deliver on in practice.
Official sources on customers’ contact details
- Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection” No. 2297-VI — the official text of the law.
- Standard Procedure for Processing Personal Data, approved by Order No. 1/02-14 of 8 January 2014 issued by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights: paragraphs 2.1, 2.3–2.10 cover purpose, legal basis, consent, notices, and processing periods; paragraph 2.15 covers withdrawal of consent.
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