My experience at Boots in Store Assessment

123user

Hello everyone,

I found this website very useful whilst I was researching for certain questions asked for Christmas temp position at Boots. I have been successful at interview and been offered the job, therefore I would like to share my experience!

I first of all got to know the layout of the store beforehand a week before just to know the whereabouts of things and also looked at my chosen product 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner and any offers this may have e.g: 3 for 2, etc...

On the day of interview I arrived 15 mins early and i was spotted by my interviewer. we went upstairs in a small office, gave my passport to be photocopied. then he asked to confirm the position i applied for, any holidays i would be taking and whether i could work bank holidays and boxing day etc.

Questions asked:

1) Why would you like to work here?

2) Any relevant experience with regards to the role being offered?

3) Example of working in a team?

4) Example of how I have helped someone I didn't know

5) How would u recognise a customer looks unsure whilst purchasing a product and how to put them at ease.

6) Example of when u have helped another member of a team

7) Example of how i have motivated or inspired team members

8) Explain a time when a new product or system was being introduced and what you did to familiarise yourself with it effectively

(maybe 1/2 more questions i cant remember but the more examples you think of the better prepared you will be)

Then the interviewer took me to the shopfloor and picked out a product of his choice .. some shower gel and to read all about the product..take it and find a customer and try to engage in a conversation and also try to promote the product. I found a customer who was looking at some hair dye, asked if she needed help and she did. she wanted a hair dye with same colour as her hair brown colour and would reduce redness. so i suggested for a non permanent product to start off with 'boot's brand and also pointed out its on offer '2 for 10' ..... also acknowledged her baby and engaged conversation with the baby, the customer seemed pleased with my service and thanked me.. i tried to introduce the shower gel into conversation but the customer wasnt interested. The interviewer was taking notes behind me and was pleased.

He then asked me to pick out my chosen product 2 in 1 shampoo and talk about it. then he asked to sell the product to him.. so i said i would first of all ask ur hair type, pick the suitable shampoo and also talk about any offers for the product and can also get points on advantage card etc.

He then asked to look around the store and see which customers seem confident in their purchases and say which customer would need help ... he asked not to point as this would be inappropriate. I described that customers who are in a hurry and are looking directly at the aisle in where they are intending to go look confident. Those customer who are moving in a slow pace and looking around confused would need approaching.

He then asked how would u want a customer to feel when purchasing things .. i said i would want to feel acknowledged and respected....and then which aisles would you leave customers for their purchases for their privacy,,, i said 'family planning products' and certain 'sanitary' products.

He then took me to an aisle and ask me what i think about it and how i would improve... i said mainly well presented with promotional offers clearly labelled .... some items were missing and products were hard to reach. He left me alone in the aisle telling me to tidy up abit so i put all products so easy to reach, where items were missing i decided to put two lines of the alternative products instead so looks more tidy and full.

And lastly he told me to look around the store and approach a customer that needs help... looking around a saw a customer that i had already asked but said she was ok so i said i wouldnt ask her again else it would be annoying and he agreed. I saw a women near the aftershave products looking around. I approached her and she needed help finding a cheap aftershave for her husband around £20 ... i tried to look but i couldnt find the aftershave section .... so i asked my interviewer what the customer requires and i cant find the aisle. He helped out and also said I did the right thing to ask for help.

We went back into the office, sat down and asked if I had any questions, I asked whether there are any chances for this role being permanent after christmas.... he says maybe but don't hope for it lol

Overall was a great experience, i would say jus be urself and relax..the more u will relax the more u will think of better things to say and do.

Good luck and i hope i was helpful xx

AP007

Such a product based interview you'd think the staff would have more knowledge.

Boots staff in general know nothing about the products. I once had to tell someone in a Boots store (a customer) an item from Rimmel had been discontinued and what was to replace it,

I should have been working there..............oh but I failed the online assessment

bugslet

I hope you are 123, it sounds a very thorough interview - and sounds as if you were really positive in it.

123user

Well i was nervous at first but i kept reminding myself to keep calm and jus talk through my experience. I think the interviewer was friendly which helped alot!

Yes it is more product & customer based assessment on the shop floor. But just need to think about your selling skills and look at displays such as offers for that product and mentioning the advantage card. I think its about the observational skills.

Hope i was helpful.

AP007

123user wrote: »

Well i was nervous at first but i kept reminding myself to keep calm and jus talk through my experience. I think the interviewer was friendly which helped alot!

Yes it is more product & customer based assessment on the shop floor. But just need to think about your selling skills and look at displays such as offers for that product and mentioning the advantage card. I think its about the observational skills.

Hope i was helpful.

The advantage card is not worth it as you can not part pay with the points unlike the card Superdrug offer

123user

maybe lol. BUT not advisable to say that in the interview at Boots lol

cambermam

Thanks for this I did the online assessment last night and had an email this morning to say my details have been passed to the interviewer. So if i get that far, at least I know what to expect (although it sounds scary so probably wish i didn't)

123user

Good luck and nah isn't scary just try to relax

AP007

123user wrote: »

maybe lol. BUT not advisable to say that in the interview at Boots lol

Id never get a Boots interview

925dancer

AP007 wrote: »

Such a product based interview you'd think the staff would have more knowledge.

Boots staff in general know nothing about the products. I once had to tell someone in a Boots store (a customer) an item from Rimmel had been discontinued and what was to replace it,

I should have been working there..............oh but I failed the online assessment

Bit unfair, I happen to work for Boots and product knowledge is one of my fortes. However, Rimmel is a budget brand in the self selection area of the store. Staff help as much as they can but the brands generally offer no brand specific training, much less discontinued item training! If I'm paying £30 for a Chanel mascara I expect the staff to know the product and even help me apply it. If I'm paying £5 for a mascara and am in a self-selection area of the store I can only be hopeful the staff happen to know about the product.

There are hundreds of products, we're not given one of everything to try, we can only hope the question we ask happens to be about a product we've used unless we are a consultant affiliated to a particular department (fragrance/skincare) or brand.

Edit: I'm not a manager or anything, it's my part-time student job, I just think the general public can be a bit hard on minimum waged retail staff who receive little training.

AP007

925dancer wrote: »

Edit: I'm not a manager or anything, it's my part-time student job, I just think the general public can be a bit hard on minimum waged retail staff who receive little training.

I don't expect it the interviewer seemed to here in the first post.......mine was only an example. Who really needs help in Boots