Airport retail careers uncovered

Airports provide us with the world’s most exciting shop floor. With so many people jetting off for holidays, visiting friends and family they haven’t seen for a long time, or embarking on a voyage of discovery, there’s always a buzz airside. And that’s what makes it so exciting to work in travel retail.

To give you an idea of what working airside might be like, we thought it would be a good idea to do a blog uncovering all you need to know about airport retail careers.

Who will you be working for?

We work with a number of luxury fashion, fragrance, skincare and beauty brands. In addition to working for specific brands where you will need specialist knowledge, you may also be asked to sell other items including alcohol and tobacco.

People are looking for an experience

The way people shop is changing, and customers want their shopping to be more of an experience. Now that we can order virtually anything we need online, shopping has changed. People want their ‘in real life’ shopping experience to be entertaining and interactive, so the in-store experience needs to be more theatrical in order to entice them in. There is therefore a greater demand for temporary staff who can dazzle at promotional work – many of our promotional staff are actors who see this as an ideal way to earn some money while they wait for their big break. Alternatively, if you’re an extrovert or a people person, it’s a great way to earn money doing what you do best – being friendly and engaging!

Product knowledge is essential

If you don’t know everything there is to know about what you’re selling, you’re not going to sell much. People will ask many questions about what they’re buying, and you must know the answers, or you will lose your customer. But don’t worry, you’ll get lots of brand immersion training so you can do your job effectively, as well as being trained on any new products the brand wishes to promote. This is particularly important in the case of skincare, cosmetics and fragrances – you’ll learn about the ingredients and possible allergies, and MUAs will be trained to create the brand look when doing makeovers and demonstrations. It’s also important that you do your own research about products you may be selling and keep up to date with the latest trends as well as have an overall knowledge of relevant brands. The more knowledge you have, the better the customer experience, and the more likely it is that customers will buy from you.

Customer service must be amazing

Every customer is a VIP, so you must provide great customer service at all times. Indeed, you’ll need to be as fresh and enthusiastic at the end of your shift as you were at the beginning. Airside customers are excited about their upcoming trip and they want to buy, so make sure you delight them!

Sadly there will be times when flying becomes more of a nightmare than a pleasure – when planes are delayed and waiting passengers become bored and irritable. This Easter, travel chaos meant long delays for airline passengers, with the inevitable frustrations that entailed. Even in extreme and thankfully rare situations like this, you must always go above and beyond to provide customer service excellence. You cannot underestimate the value of giving passengers such great service that those who were feeling grumpy when they came in leave you with smiles on their faces – and probably a bag full of goodies! Your great service will have increased brand loyalty, which is likely to result in recommendations and future custom. Now that’s job satisfaction!

And you can always top up your customer service training via the online Artisan Training Foundation.

You must be passionate about what you do

Artisan People is well known in the airside retail world for providing superstars who dazzle. We’re always on the lookout for passionate, motivated people who thrive in busy environments. In return we offer flexible hours, great pay and bonuses. This kind of work suits people such as students, actors or parents – anyone who needs to fit their working hours around their life.

Fancy becoming part of a team of Artisan People travel retail superstars? Contact us to find out more.