www.clarusadvisory.comNavarhou Nikodimou 2, 10557, Athens, Tel: 210-7250117, Fax:210-7250183

Executive course

AGORA Europe II

Market Research – Retail Trade – Greece:Survey Results

February 2012

List of Contents

1. Survey Results Overview

2. Detailed Findings and Results:

2.1 Industry Types2.2 Year of Business Establishment2.3 Number of Employees2.4 Internet Accessibility2.5 Recent Workplace Training Provisioning2.6 Education & Training Preference2.7 Preference in E-Learning Options of Education2.8 Opinion on Most Energy-Intensive Work Relationships2.9 Range of Important Qualification Issues for Employees 3.0 Interest & Method of Preference in Internet Training

3. Factors Effecting & Influencing Results for Greece

Survey Results Overview

This survey was conducted on 23 small businesses around Athens, consisting on average of 10 employees and under, and covering the following industry fields: food, retail, health/medical and beauty. The major findings that were derived from the questionnaires, in relation to the project’s objectives, are as follows:

Internet Accessibility:

Findings indicated that internet accessibility was basically equal between ‘access from home’ (50%) and ‘access from the work place’ (41%).

Recent Workplace Training Provisioning:

In relation to whether any further training has been undertaken in the last 5 years, it appears that in the food industry most cafes, restaurants, and take-away shops have done some sort of training in coffee making or cooking/decorating. Whilst retail outlets have indicated that a basic selling techniques course has been done at some point, as either a ‘refresher’ for existing employees, or as ‘skills development’ for new employees. Whilst the more professional industries expressed having attended seminars that relate to their field to gather information on new advances and to maintain business networks. Educational &Training Preference:

Results showed that preference was directly equal between selecting ‘e-learning’ or ‘course training’ in the section (46%). This significant high percentage of opting for e-learning can also be correlated to the fact that 91% of our test participants have internet access which could influence their decision.

Preference in E-learning Options of Education:

The preference here reflected a huge inclination towards ‘customer communication’ (62.86%), followed by ‘complaints handling/solving’ (22.86%).

Opinion on Most Energy-Intensive Work Situation:

88.5% of the survey participants expressed that the most energy intensive situation at work is the ‘relationship with the customer’ (It is therefore not surprising that the most favored option for e-learning training and skills development is ‘customer communication’).

Range of Important Qualification Issues for Employees:

The 4 most common expressions of ‘high importance’ in this section of the survey were as follows:

Basic Selling Techniques (43.47%) Handling Difficult Customers (65.22%) Time Management (86.61%) Customer Service (100%)

Interest & Method of Preference in Internet Training:

The results here indicated a very strong preference in undertaking any form of training during ‘personal leisure time’ (74%).

Industry TypesIndustry Type Amount Surveyed

Jeweler 1

Tourist/Souvenir Store 1

Café/Restaurant/Take Away 3

Bakery/Cake Shop 1

Pharmacist 1

Shoe Repairer 1

Boutique Real Estate Agent 1

Bookstore 1

Florist 1

Mini Supermarket/Grocery 2

Art Gallery 1

Optical Retailer 1

Pet Store 1

Musical Instrument Retailer 1

Dentist 1

Hairdresser 1

Clothing/Boutique Store 1

Beauty Therapist 1

Massage Therapist 1

Internet Café 1

TOTAL: 23

Year of Business Establishment

Number of Employees

(Average number of employees, rounded off to a whole number, in the selected industries)

Internet Accessibility

Recent Workplace Training Provisioning

Industry Type Type of Training

Jeweler N/A

Tourist/Souvenir Store N/a

Café/Restaurant/Take Away Food Hygiene/OH&S/Coffee Making/Crepe Making

Bakery/Cake Shop Cake Decorating Short Course

Pharmacist N/A

Shoe Repairer N/A

Boutique Real Estate Agent Fundamental Selling Techniques for new sales persons

Bookstore N/A

Florist Flower Arrangement Short Course (refresher)

Mini Supermarket/Grocery N/A

Art Gallery N/A

Optical Retailer Occupational related seminars

Pet Store OH&S

Musical Instrument Retailer Fundamental Selling Techniques for new sales persons

Dentist Seminars/Excel Course for Administrator

Hairdresser Exhibitions/Information Seminars on new looks/trends

Clothing /Boutique Store N/A

Beauty Therapist Nail Technique Training for new employees

Massage Therapist N/A

Internet Café N/A

Educational & Training Preference

Preference in E-Learning Options of Education

Opinion on Most Energy-Intensive Work Situations

Range of Important Qualification Issues for Employees

Interest & Method of Preference in Internet Training

Factors Effecting & Influencing Results for Greece

The financial crises that Greece is currently encountering is having a huge influence on business profitability , the job market, and overall consumerism. Generally, the energy and attitude in all industries is very low and pessimistic, and the pressures that they are enduring is increasing the levels of stress and anxiety. Those that accepted to be interviewed for this study where very skeptical on how useful and sustainable a training implementation such as this will be.

Their perception remains to be: ‘that if people have no income and expendable cash, how is any training or skills tuition going to be of any true benefit’?

For these reasons and perceptions, the following points need to be brought to our attention, as they stand as the key factors effecting and influencing the survey results for Greece:

The reason why ‘customer communication’, ‘complaints handling’, ‘dealing with difficult customers’, and ‘customer service’ were indicated as key interests for e-learning training and important in employee skills, is due to the changing and demanding expectations of consumers in Greece today. Greek buyers were explained by the businesses to be very rude, demanding, and not willing to buy; whereas tourist are apparently becoming more cynical and expecting everything at below cost rates because of the crises. Owners are desperate for truly compelling methods to counteract these behaviors and assist themselves and their employees with managing them.

As more businesses are unable to afford holding onto their employees and are forced to let them go, longer working hours are been created for those that remain, along with more job responsibilities and demands. For this reason, ‘time management’ is so highly perceived as an important skill to possess, as it has become crucial in order to maintain good business output. If there was not such a lack of available time and need to focus on generating sales and business, perhaps this would not have been so strongly favored.

The results relating to what is the most energy intensive work situation can be slightly limited, as all those that were surveyed were either the owner or manager. Perhaps if more employees were interviewed, there would have been more responses in relation to ‘relationship with boss’ or ‘relationship with other colleague’. The surveyed bosses suggested that there is obvious tension amongst their employees as they are all worried about their future prospect at work and being fired, creating competition and clashes, but they did not see this as most important.