Onboarding

Introduction Apparel Group, a renowned global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate headquartered in the UAE, is committed to providing exceptional retail experiences to millions of customers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Apparel Group has established itself as a leader in the industry, with over 2,000 retail locations across 14 countries and representing more than 80 global brands. However, to continue surpassing the expectations of its diverse clientele, Apparel Group recognized the need to revamp its approach to associate onboarding and training across its retail operations in the GCC. They faced the challenge of understanding and exceeding the expectations of a youthful, diverse, and tech-savvy retail sales workforce while also reducing the time required to onboard new employees. Solution To address these challenges, Apparel Group partnered with Axonify, a leading provider of innovative training solutions. The objective was to implement a strategic approach to onboarding and training that would not only engage the sales associates but also track their knowledge growth and competency improvements, ultimately driving positive business impact. With the help of Axonify, Apparel Group deployed interactive digital onboarding and training programs that were tailored for both general onboarding and specific sales associate roles. The traditional classroom approach was left behind in favour of a more engaging and personalized training experience. Impact The results of this transformation were remarkable. The Skechers brand experienced an 8% increase in sales, while productivity across all brands saw a significant 20% boost. The training initiative also led to observable behaviour changes, with over 2000 behaviour observations completed, out of which 933 were marked as exceptional, scoring a perfect 100%. Additionally, knowledge growth showed a remarkable increase of 13%, with the baseline knowledge level of 67% rising to an impressive 80%. Furthermore, the engagement levels among the sales associates were extraordinary, with a participation rate of 91% and an average of four to five training sessions per week. The commitment to continuous Learning and Development was evident, with an average of 174,000 extra training sessions completed. Apparel Group's partnership with Axonify has not just revolutionised their associated onboarding and training but also delivered tangible business results. By embracing technology-driven, interactive training methods, Apparel Group has positioned itself as a forward-thinking organisation that understands the evolving needs of its workforce and customers alike.