By Sibylle Dorndorf

In view of an increasing shortage of labour and skilled workers, the retail sector is expanding its programmes for training employees and giving them advanced qualifications by 51% compared to previous years. This impressive figure is the result of a recent survey by the German Retail Association (Handelsverband Deutschland – HDE). Even before the pandemic, companies in the retail sector were having problems finding trainees. Now the situation has drastically worsened. This is something that Christian Krömer can well confirm. The managing partner and operator of a total of 19 “caring toy stores”, according to the promising label, runs his business together with his father Hans-Jürgen Krömer and brother Daniel: “In 2016 and 2017, we trained a total of 12 young people in our stores; currently we have just five trainees,” Christian Krömer says. “One e-commerce clerk and four retail salespeople.”

Those who want trainees search proactively

Christian Krömer would have liked to give more young people a chance. “Sadly, it has to be said that both the quality of applicants and the number of applications leave something to be desired,” he states with regret. “We would have liked to have taken on ten apprentices,” says the entrepreneur, who is involved with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry as chairman of the regional committees in the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen area. He is not alone with this problem. The retail trade is experiencing extreme problems with recruiting young talent, both in sales and in the commercial sector. Whereas in the past, you had a pile of applications to choose from, these days you have to be proactive in your search for young recruits.

What makes vocational training attractive

Many business owners ask themselves the question: What makes me, the employer, attractive to young people? There’s the famous “work-life balance”, for one thing, along with flexible working hours, good earnings prospects and, of course, a profession that is generally fascinating and has a future. And the competition isn’t idle either. Apparently, desirable brands look good on resumes: at the carmakers Audi and BMW, things look considerably more relaxed on the training front than in the toy trade. And then there are the parents who force their children to graduate from high school, no matter what. They want them “to have a better life one day”.

High school graduation as a guarantee of social advancement

That is simply short-sighted thinking. A society in which even nursery teachers and opticians now need university degrees isn’t automatically a society in which the goal of “education for all” is actually achieved. In the mid-1970s, the proportion of people with a degree was less than 20%. These days, it is more than 50%. In addition, almost 70% of parents want their children to graduate from high school. For many, this is still seen as the ticket to a better future. In view of this ‘academization mania’ – in 2021, there were more than twice as many students as trainees and apprentices – Christian Krömer and his retail colleagues have to pull out all the stops to find suitable young talent.

Training dropout rate in sales is lower than in the office

“We send trainee scouts from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce to schools and to apprenticeship events to invite young people to come and try out our training positions. And we post our training places on social media channels,” says the businessman. In general, he says, the training places for the e-commerce sector attract more candidates than the job of a trainee retail salesperson. Krömer said that 20 applications had been received in response to the advertisement for an e-commerce sales trainee, compared with only two for the retail salesperson training programme. Bianca Leiprecht, responsible for e-commerce and purchasing at Spielwaren Krömer GmbH & Co. KG, confirms this trend: “Almost everything consumed by the youth of today is linked to technology, being online and the Internet. Interest in these areas is a lot more pronounced.” Neither of them knows why office-based trainees are more likely to drop out than their counterparts on the sales floor. Perhaps the famous spark that only comes across in direct contact with products and customers, especially with children, plays a role? That idea gives us hope for the future.

Good salespeople – more important than ever before

The sales profession has changed significantly in recent years. These days, it’s a basic requirement that sales staff demonstrate product range competence and are well acquainted with each individual product, because customers come to the stores already well informed. When talking to customers, salespeople should be self-confident and approachable – even when the customer, with his smartphone in his hand, tries to negotiate. That’s when it’s important to remain confident. “The brick-and-mortar retail sector has a decisive advantage over online shops – and that is good, honest and personal advice,” states Christian Krömer with confidence. He runs his business online and offline and is aware that the Internet cannot provide advice. In his opinion, this is a “joker” that should be played to much greater advantage. This is why, he says, it’s vital for entrepreneurs in the retail sector to invest in good employees. They should send them to trade fairs, for example, and offer them further training opportunities. Krömer employees regularly have the chance to qualify as trainers themselves. “I myself can no longer do that, because a good trainer has to be on site and stay in contact with the trainees all the time,” Krömer says. He has teamed up with Monika, Peter and Christian Wiedemann to have his staff coached to become trainers by them. The Wiedemann perfumery chain, with 16 stores in southern Upper Bavaria – six of them in the Munich metropolitan area – is one of the prime addresses in the German perfumery retail sector. The structures and corporate philosophy of the two family businesses are similar.

Trainers as mentors for trainees

The one-week exam preparation for the training certificate is held at Benediktbeuern Abbey, and the two firms share the not inconsiderable costs. Per employee, including remuneration for the trainer coach, examination fees, and so on, the cost comes to around EUR 2,000, which the companies are happy to invest. The prospective trainers take a lot with them: an additional qualification as well as a bonus that is paid in addition to their salary, but, as Sabine Kesting, trainer at Krömer Pfaffenhofen, confirms, above all, they take with them the feeling of holding an important position in the company. “I got the trainer’s certificate primarily so that we could train suitable and qualified junior staff ourselves.” At first, she had some doubts because she is no longer that young herself. But, she says, she was very lucky with her first trainee. “Johannes Brunner is articulate, he’s good with people, he’s well-groomed and, above all, he’s motivated.” The fact that motivation is often lacking is something that is confirmed by many entrepreneurs in the retail sector – and by Johannes Brunner, a first-year trainee at Spielwaren Krömer in Pfaffenhofen: “Only a few people of my age want to go into sales; they’d rather work in an office or do something technical,” he reports.

The joy of interacting with people and toys

Johannes Brunner, on the other hand, knew early on in life that he wanted to work with people. “I was already playing shop as a child. Sitting at the checkout at Aldi would be a horror for me. I want to work with people and with merchandise.” Brunner has struck it lucky at Spielwaren Krömer. “I still build Lego models myself from time to time.” Of course, he says, keeping track of everything on the shelves is a challenge, but, “The products are just exciting. There’s always something new and you have a large assortment and an incredible number of opportunities to advise and make recommendations.” Do customers come to the store already informed? According to Johannes Brunner, it depends on their age: “Older people like to be given advice; they don't know many products and they’re not sure whether they’re buying the right one. Younger people usually know exactly what they want.” Especially children. They usually come with their parents to spend their birthday or pocket money. Both Sabine Kesting and Johannes Brunner have noticed that the amount of advice given has increased, the products have become more complex, and the customers more critical. Oh – and the industry has become more demanding.

Area of tension between industry and the retail trade

The retail trade is the last sector in the chain. If sales are worse than expected, then the way the merchandise is presented, the commitment of the staff and the advice they give are all questioned one after the other. The retail trade simply “didn't understand” the product is another readily accepted excuse. The already fragile relationship between industry and the retail trade is significantly strained when people hold back on making purchases. The B2C business is the final straw that’s breaking the camel’s back. These days, it’s not only the “Big Five” that are making high demands on retailers – and then often do the deal themselves. A strained personnel situation is the last thing a retailer needs. What is needed instead are well-trained, committed employees. Nicole Teichmann, trainer at Spielwaren Krömer in Landsberg, laments the poor image of the profession: “You often hear, ‘Oh, you’re just a shop assistant.’ That’s a pity, but it’s not likely to change any time soon.” Asked what could “attract” trainees, she states very clearly: “In any event, it’s important to give trainees a decent salary and to offer them chances to get advanced training after their initial training is over. Opportunities for advancement are also motivating, for example, in our specific case, the chance of later working as a store manager.” And the company must be a good fit, must be attractive. Spielwaren Krömer is a well-known brand, and the shops are located in the most sought-after locations in Upper Bavaria. That means a lot of tourism and high purchasing power. Selling there is fun. That’s what Leonie Scholz thinks, too. The trainee thinks it’s great that she can also work in other areas later on as a retail saleswoman. And like Johannes Brunner, Leonie Scholz also enjoys working with people, especially children. The young woman was also impressed by the good working atmosphere, the teamwork and the respectful and good way people are treated. “You don’t find that everywhere as a trainee,” as Leonie Scholz knows. When that is the case, however, it’s nice to get involved and grow with your tasks. At Krömer, they check, confer and advise a lot. Items that are not in stock are promptly procured, and the stores help each other out. Gifts are, of course, lovingly wrapped.

No day is like the other

The work is varied. “Here, no day is like the other,” confirms Sandra Machka, a trainer in the Bad Tölz branch of Krömer. “We organise game afternoons and so arouse interest in family and board games. We do information events in schools to get young people interested in training with us.” Spielwaren Krömer also offers internships. Christina Zigelski, a trainee at Spielwaren Krömer in Bad Tölz, liked the idea of getting a little peek at a possible profession, without having to sign up to it: “I did an internship at Spielwaren Krömer in Bad Tölz. It was clear from the start that I wanted to train here. It’s fun to get to know new merchandise again and again and to present it attractively for the customers.” All the trainees agree on one thing in particular: “The best thing is seeing how happy the children are with their new toys.”

Conclusion? As a retail entrepreneur, it pays to invest in trainee acquisition. After all, is there a better job than fulfilling people's wishes every day? Definitely not. If the companies in the toy industry could manage to bring this message to life, i.e. to convey it credibly using the right targeted approach and on all channels, the problems with recruiting young people should be a thing of the past in the near future.

About the author

Sibylle Dorndorf has been writing about the toy industry for almost 30 years. Most recently, the journalist was editor-in-chief of the TOYS magazine programme at the Göller Verlag publishing company in Baden-Baden. She’s passionate about companies that reinvent themselves; brands that position themselves credibly; people who have something to say and products with a future.