As with any customer relations, the attitude and commitment of staff are the pivotal in determining the success of a store campaign

The following thought starters may assist you in determining your approach

• Have staff join the vision – life after the plastic shopping bag
• Train your staff to help customer make the change to alternative ways to carry their shopping
• Use the Bag Smart Retail kit. Click here to order
• Incorporate changes in store policy on shopping bags usage and  any internal or external customer service assessments (eg Mystery shopping surveys)

Depending on the type and size of store there will be a number of approaches staff could use to make engaging your customers easier and pleasant

• Using a Brochure or Pamphlet – time is precious at the checkout and by giving a customer some written information may help them consider the impact of plastic shopping bags and how they could be part of reducing this impact. Click here for a sample brochure
• Introduce a survey at the checkout. Ask your customer for their view on plastic bags uses by taking a moment to fill in a survey. This gives you an opportunity  to engage customer on the issue,  and it is also a way of passing a lot of information without spending too much with the customer at the chechout. Click here for a sample shopper survey.

Consistently around 90% of people surveyed are very aware that something has to be done to reduce the impact of plastic shopping bags, and a local survey of your customers is a way to gauge the potential reaction to an initiative in your store

The simplest way to help your customers through this change is to talk to them in a friendly and informative way

Staff Training

Thanks to funding from the Department of Environment and Heritage a Retail Training CD and kit is available free for retailer in Western Australia until 30/9/2006

Order your Bagsmart training Kit, download the order form here (PDF)

The Bag smart Retailers Kits includes the following

• 1 x CD-ROM 
• 1 X   We all Win User Guide
• 2 X Posters
• Bag Stuffers A4 for photo copying 
• 5 x Bag Smart brochures

The  purpose of this Training is to:

• Provide staff with knowledge and understanding on the issues with plastic shopping bags
• Provide staff with strategies to engage customers in the process of changing the way they carry their shopping

The Training CD contains

• Facts about plastic Bags
• Why are they an issue?
• Phase out policy 
• Engaging your customers
• Helping your shoppers kick the habit
• Shop Merchandising
• In-store activities
• Bag Smart Training Certificate

Click here to order a Bag Smart Retail Kit