An Investigation into Staff Training and Customer Service at Boots Plc

This business dissertation proposal investigates the impact of online and face-to-face staff training on customer service at Boots Plc. The introduction highlights the importance of effective training for employee efficiency, particularly in the context of Boots' pharmaceutical and cosmetic product offerings. The research aims to analyze these training methods, identify challenges faced by Boots, and determine the effect of training on customer service. The literature review explores concepts of online and face-to-face training, the challenges Boots faces in its trading operations, and the impact of training on its business performance. The methodology outlines the research design and ethical considerations. The proposal includes research objectives and questions focused on training concepts, challenges, and effects on customer service. The literature review covers online and face-to-face training methods, including e-learning, blended learning, and the benefits of each. It also addresses the challenges Boots faces in its sales and trading, the importance of training, and the need to adapt to changing trading patterns. The proposal also discusses learning styles (Activist, Theorist, Pragmatist, Reflector) and organizational learning theories to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs. The aim is to determine how effective staff training impacts customer service and Boots' overall business performance.

BUSINESS DISSERTATION
PROPOSAL

Table of Contents
Title of proposal: “An investigation into online and face to face staff training towards customer
services at Boots Plc”......................................................................................................................1
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Identify a specific researchable topic area............................................................................1
1.2 Importance of problem..........................................................................................................1
1.3 Aim of the research project...................................................................................................3
2.0 Research objectives and research questions..............................................................................3
2.1 Research objectives...............................................................................................................3
2.2 Research Questions...............................................................................................................3
3.0 Literature Review.......................................................................................................................3
3.1 Concept of Online and face-to-face staff training.................................................................3
3.2 Challenges faced by Boots in trading its products................................................................4
3.3 Effect of staff training on trading in Boots UK....................................................................4
4.0 Research Methodology..............................................................................................................5
4.1 Research Design, Research approach and Research Type....................................................5
4.2 Rationale...............................................................................................................................5
4.3 Access to data and research ethics........................................................................................5
4.4 Limitations............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

Title of proposal: “An investigation into online and face to face staff training
towards customer services at Boots Plc”.
1.0 Introduction
In an organisation, employees are considered as most valuable asset because they give
their support and efforts in achievement of its business goals. In order to gain efficiency in
business operations like customer service, it is essential for companies to provide effective
training to its staff members (Aryee and et. al., 2016). This includes online and face to face
training, under which through video or internet sources, a company can enhance skills and
knowledge of workers as per requirement. In addition to this, it also helps employees in
becoming familiar with their assign roles and responsibilities. In context with Boots Plc, since it
mainly offers pharmaceutical products including a range of cosmetics. Therefore, for giving best
customer services, it is essential for its workers to possess appropriate knowledge about such
products. In this regard, giving face-to-face training and online learning, aid workers to enhance
their knowledge area into this particular area (Presbitero, 2016). This would aid Boots Plc to
increase productivity of its workers and gain commitment of them for giving out best customer
services. It helps in enhancing its brand image and retain loyal customers for longer period of
time.
1.1 Identify a specific researchable topic area
As Boots Plc deals in trading sector and offer products like natural collection, beauty and
pharmacy products in various countries. Currently it has near about 5,600 number of employees
working in its retail business. But due to dynamic changes in trading process like initial
endowments of human-capital, changes in labour productivity and cost etc., assist this company
to organise online and face-to-face training program for its workforce (Nikas and et. al., 2017).
This would make them more familiar about trading process for delivering products on time.
Therefore, to analyse the concept of such staff training techniques, researchers have made
investigation through various sources of research methodology. This study helps in
understanding the concept of online and face to face staff training towards trading in better
manner which further help in improving efficiency of business operations.
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1.2 Importance of problem
Due to rise of regional trading blocs, increased participation of countries, emergence of
global businesses and more, pattern of trading procedures is rapidly changing (Kumar and
Pansari, 2016). Trade in both manufacturing and retail industries is much affected, due to which
it assist organisations in UK, to develop strategies for trading goods and services in global
market, smoothly. In this regard, as Boots UK sales its products in many countries therefore, it is
essential to provide effective training to its staff members. This would help in gain contributions
of workers for trading its products effectively in global market. Through statistical analysis as
shown in given figure, it has interpreted that global trade has raised from 40% to 60% in the year
2014 in UK (DeCenzo, Robbins and Verhulst, 2016). This would affect many merchandisers in
UK in terms of sales and retailing. Therefore, for trading products in effective and efficient
manner, Boots Plc provie appropriate training to its staff members. It leads to enhance skills and
required abilities in workers for giving out best performance to provide effective customer
services. In this present assignment, the primarily focus is giving out to study the role of face-to-
face or online training programs in boosting productivity of workers. For this purpose, various
articles have been explored from secondary resources. Furthermore, how productive workers aid
Boots Plc in providing best customer service is also explained in detailed manner.
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1.3 Aim of the research project
Aim: “To analyse the concept of online and face to face staff training towards customer
service.” A research on Boots Plc.
2.0 Research objectives and research questions
2.1 Research objectives
 To investigate the concept of online and face-to-face staff training.
 To identify the challenges faced by Boots in customer service its products.
 To determine the effect of staff training on customer service in Boots Plc.
2.2 Research Questions
 What is the concept of online and face-to-face staff training?
 How to identify the challenges faced by Boots in trading its products?
 What is the effect of staff training on trading in Boots UK?
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Illustration 1: Growth in trade

3.0 Literature Review
It is the most important part of a research which helps in gathering adequate amount of data
for studying concept of a particular topic. Within literature review, various sources like books,
scholarly articles and government census report etc. are used to collect secondary information
which are gathered by other professionals (Stein and Ramaseshan, 2016). In context with present
research, by accessing internet sources, concept of training programs are analysed. Further,
through perseptive of other authors, role of such training is also evaluated for providing best
customer service within Boots Plc.
3.1 Concept of Online and face-to-face staff training
According to Gregory (2016), it has analysed that employee training is considered as one
of the best technique for driving productivity at workplace. Well-trained workers will not only
give out their best performances but also feel happier while working in an organisation.
Therefore, for organising different types of training programs, it is essential for Boots Plc to
ascertain that it must meet the requirement of business and preferences of employees. It includes
online learning and face-to-face training programs, where e-learning is considered as best
training technique, that give opportunities to employees to understand their role more
appropriately (Presbitero, 2016). While face-to-face training give advantage to organisation to
engage workers in business activities through presentation.
In this regard, face-to-face training approach is used when a company plans to train
workers in a particular geographical area only. Here, such type of training is being provided by
lecturers, seminars and conference meeting. On the other hand, the biggest benefit of organising
tech-enabled training methods for Boots Plc is that workers get to learn at their own pace of
working (Hayes, 2018). With this assistance, online training courses give advantage to workers
to be taken anytime, anywhere and enhance skills in more appropriate manner. This
empowerment of workers, in turn, leads to better skill development of them and knowledge
retention. With respect to Boots Plc, to provide such type of training to its workers by identifying
their needs and preference (Gregory, 2016). It will make employees productive for business and
gain their efforts to provide best customer services.
E-learning and Blended learning- This type of learning can be defined as training
which is provided or mediated through digital technology. It covers a variety of approaches as
multimedia sources like graphics, audio, video and web links that can be taken from internet
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browser and these components can be used against traditional class room teachings (Gregory,
2016). They present course material and content on online mode that proved beneficial for
employees to live interactions and can frequent feedback for their query. In that instruction and
knowledge should be deliver by online medium by using video-conferencing chats, emails and
web based communications method. It is an self paced and customized source to giving learning
according to needs of employees. It can be deliver any time, place and comparatively less costly
than traditional source of learning with help of high speed data and internet access. It makes
training and development convenient and easily modify training accordingly schedule of day to
day. To avail online training and development student have the knowledge of computer basics
and if person not know about functioning of computer it is not possible for them to avail online
training and development program. Advance users can easily avail training and development for
full capacity.
Face to face staff training: In an organisation while giving training and development
virtually but due to sometimes technical errors and employees can not able to get effective
results out of them. Face to face training helps in communicate and developing relationship by
doing personal interaction is one of key reason behind face to face staff training. In that training
method by using personal contact they can be understand things and attributes in good manner
and employees can easily can solve their queries and take action immediately (DeCenzo,
Robbins and Verhulst, 2016). In face to face staff training they can easily ask questions and can
get immediate response by using verbal language and style that make them comfortable and
helps in avoiding miscommunication. By using that kind of interaction and training method. In
face to face training method for employees one of most useful kind of transferring data and
information according to choice and preferences of employees so that they remain always
motivated that they get accordingly as they want. It save cost and time to deliver right kind of
knowledge and information to reach at desirable goals and objectives. Face to face and online
plays very important role to deliver right kind of knowledge and information teach appropriately.
3.2 Challenges faced by Boots in trading its products
As per article given by Staff Writers, it has identified that Boots Plc has faced problems
like sales declined in both retail and pharmacy division. The reason behind this issue is funding
cuts in UK due to which, near about 3.4 % sales has dropped (Walgreens admits Boots “faced a
challenging year” amid further sales drop, 2019). Therefore, to overcome from this situation and
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increase sales performance, it is essential for Boots Plc to create innovation in its delivering
services. For this process, by bringing new technology in its business like e-commerce, it can sell
the beauty and pharmacy products directly to end customers (Edger, 2016). For this purpose, by
providing online and face-to-face training, respective company can boost skills and knowledge
of its workers. This would encourage working staff to give best customer services both at
physical stores and online platform, for enhancing sales performance. In order to organise such
type of training programs, management need to identify the learning preference of each
employee first. Here, they can use the concept of Honey and Mumford learning styles that
categorised learning styles of individuals on the basis of following:-
 Activist- It includes those people who seek to learn by doing through open discussion.
Therefore, it is better to provide face-to-face training to such workers by Boots Plc.
 Theorist- It includes learners who understand by analysing the theory behind an action.
So, they want e-learning type of training for increasing their skills.
 Pragmatist- These learners usually like to do experiments for understand a thing. So,
face-to-face like on-the-job learning is better for them.
 Reflector- Learners here learns by watching so it is better to provide online learning
program for them.
In this regard, after giving e-learning and face-to-face training programs, management of
Boots Plc use organisational learning theory, to evaluate the effectiveness of learning outcomes.
It includes three main stages as given below:-
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As per figure, single-loop learning works on the basis one-directional transition, where if
set goal is not achieved at initial stage then loop will return to application phase. Here, after
taking the training if workers fail to give required performance then managers of Boots Plc will
provide them again. Under second stage i.e. double loop renewal outcome, here if result doesn't
meet with criteria then obstacles are measured and procedures used to remove the same, for
getting achievement. Similarly, in triple loop development outcome, principles are followed to
achieve required goals i.e. make workers able to give best performances.
3.3 Effect of staff training on trading in Boots UK
As per views of Jones, Comfort and Hillier (2016), it has analysed that providing training
to workers, give advantage to Boots UK to get high talented workforce. They can give their
contribution to management to deliver and trade products in global market on time as per
customer demand (Stein and Ramaseshan, 2016). As for enhancing skills and knowledge of
workers, respective company seek to provide both online and face-to-face training. Therefore,
impact of both type of training on workers’ performance can be evaluated in following manner:
Impact of Online training:
 Flexibility: Technology always demands newer updates as well as faster systems in
business all the time. This would can only be achieved through constant training and
learning programs. As working for more than 6 to 8 hours in an organisation and then
give extra time for pursuing training seems to be much difficult (Kumar and Pansari,
2016). Therefore, online training courses in this regard, give flexibility to be taken
anytime, anywhere. It will drive productivity in workers more rapidly as compared to
other type of training methods like face-to-face. E-learning increase mobility of workers
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as they can learn in own manner about new technology and techniques through internet
access. Easy accessibility: In a fast moving technological world, where almost each and
everything is readily accessible (Presbitero, 2016). Therefore, getting online support,
online interaction, training videos and more, give accessibility to working staff to reduce
their weakness and enhance abilities more appropriately.
Impact of Face-to-Face training:
 Distraction: Face-to-face training enables a firm in providine clear information to its
workers about company’s goals and in what manner they have to perform. In this
training, employees become able to completely focus their attention on what have been
taught to them. This would enable in giving out efficient performance to business for
achievement of its goals (Stein and Ramaseshan, 2016). Along with this, communicating
as well as developing relationships can also be possible through personal interaction. This
is considered as one of the key reasons for providing face-to-face learning by Boots Plc
to drive productivity in its workers.
 Practice: On the job training also allows workers to enhance their skills by practice more
while working (Jones, Comfort and Hillier, 2016). They do not need to spend extra time
for taking such type of training and make them familiar with working environment, to
give out efficient performance.
 Adaptability: This training also increase adaptability skills of workers and reduce their
resistivity to work in changing business environment. This would aid Boots Plc to gain
their efforts in incorporating changes for giving out best customer services at its stores.
4.0 Research Methodology
4.1 Research Design, Research approach and Research Type
Research Design:- It refers to combination of method as well as procedure which is used
by a research in order to collecting and evaluating various measures of variables which are
specified in problem research. Research design includes several type of study in it such as
descriptive, correlation, semi- experimental, experimental, review and many more. Along with
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this there is various sub type of this such as case study, research problem, experimental design,
independent variable and so on. Moreover, it considers as a framework or guideline which is
develops to find out answers of any problems or issue according to situation. To write
appropriate research design a research needs to conduct analysis and identify appropriate
learning outcome and develop questions for research accordingly.
Research approach:- It refers to a process or plan which include various steps on the
basis of broad assumptions in order to develop detailed study of data collection, analysis and
interpretation. It is mainly based on nature that related to research problems and an issue which
is going too addressed. It is mainly divided into two categories i.e. approach related to data
collection and approach of data analysis or reasoning. There are mainly two research approaches
which are use for data analysis i.e. inductive approach and deductive approach. Along with this
there are also two research approaches for data collection which are qualitative approach as well
as quantitative approaches.
Research type:- Research is defined as a systematic and scientific process which is used
by a researcher in order to collect data or information, compilation, analysis, interpretation and in
last implication of it to a particular business process. There are various type of research which is
conducted by a researcher according to their aim, objective and problem. Such as applied, basic,
correlation, descriptive, ethnographic research, experimental, exploratory, grounded theory
research. If it be classified on the basis of broader concept it is divided into two major group i.e.
qualitative research as well as quantitative research. By all these type of research researcher able
to solve their problems or attain goal and objective in effective manner.
4.2 Rationale
For conducting an investigation, it is essential for a researchers to properly design the
research and make analysis in what manner, investigation has to be done. In context with present
study, to analyse the concept of different types of training programs for boosting productivity of
workers, Boots Plc has been taken. The main reason behind providing such type of training is to
improve its customer service and trade products in vast manner (Zhang and et. al., 2016). In this
regard, for analysing this concept secondary resources has been taken. Under this process, some
articles are extracted from authenticate websites to collect adequate amount of data. Through this
process, it has been analysed that for improving sales performance it is essential for Boots Plc to
conern on providing effective customer service at its stores.
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As per perception of Presbitero (2016), it has been evaluated that by provding efficient
training like online and face-to-face, give advantage to bring productivity at workplace. It
provides various benefits to both employers and employees of Boots Plc in following manner:
 Improved employee performance: Workers who receives the necessary training are
considered as more efficient in giving outstanding performance. Both online and face-to-
face training will give opportunity to employee to a greater understanding of their roles
and responsibilities within workplace, that results in building their morale also. It will
build up confidence as well as enhance their overall performance for giving out best
customer services. All these process give advantage to Boots Plc in increasing and
exceeding satisfaction of customers that ultimately lead to increase sales performance
also.
 Increase job satisfaction among workers: Creating investment in organising training
program aid workers of Boots Plc that are equally valuable for business. The training
programs give a supportive workplace to them and opportunity for career development a
well. Workers may also earn access to training in a particular field and getting
appreciation from employers, boost their morale also for giving out best performance.
 Develop consistency: A robust training and development program at Boots Plc also
ensures that workers have a consistent and efficient experience for giving effective
customer service. This kind of consistency is particularly relevant for respective
company because it deals in pharmacy business that requires appropriate knowledge of
products. This may help in giving appropriate services to its loyal customers.
 Enhance company’s reputation and sales performance: Organising a strong and
successful training strategy give advantage to Boots Plc in developing its strong brand
image. Training also makes respective company in attractiing potential customers and
get their engagement with its products and services for longer period of time.
4.3 Access to data and research ethics
Ethics related to access, use and sharing the data that conducted through primary
techniques of a particular group of population should be applied in a research. This would help
researchers that questionnaire framed by them meet the current ethical and regulatory
frameworks. Research ethics states that all investigations should be conducted to greatest levels
of integrity, which include appropriate research design as well as frameworks (Nikas and et. al.,
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2017). This would help in ensuring that findings and secondary data are robust and defensible. It
is also essential for project makers to adhere the highest level of research ethics, by meeting
criteria of entire requirements set out by domestic and international government, professional
and regulatory research guidance.
4.4 Limitations
When a researcher is conducting a research they have to go through various problems and
issues which influences their outcomes as well as objective. These limitations are generally
normal and it occurs in every research method. Some major limitation of research is mentioned
below-
 Formulation of research aim and objectives: It refers to limitation in which researcher
not able to identify or formulate appropriate research aim and objective according to
situation or issues.
 Identification and implementation of data collection method: According to this an
individual who is conducting research not able to identify proper method of collecting
data or information.
 Sample size: In this researcher is facing problems in selecting sample size for conducting
research or data collection method in order to collect information or data.
 Improper response of respondents: According to this limitation there are many
respondents who didn’t respond appropriately on researcher question due to which
method of data collection get affected.
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REFERENCES
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Routledge.
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Online
Pattern of Trade. 2019. [Online] Available
Through:<https://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Global_economics/The_pattern_of_trade.
html>.
Walgreens admits Boots “faced a challenging year” amid further sales drop. 2019. [Online]
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