5 soft skills that make or break a grocery retail team
Nikki Murran outlines the top soft skills that shape how we interact with others in a retail environment that can in turn make or break a store’s reputation
Print23 April 2025
I’ve spent years hiring for grocery retailers, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: you can teach someone how to scan a barcode, but you can’t teach them how to care about a customer—at least, not easily.
Soft skills, those non-technical abilities that shape how we interact with others, are the secret ingredient to a successful grocery retail team. They’re the difference between a customer walking out happy or heading straight to Google to leave a scathing one-star review about how “the lad at the checkout was as cheerful as a grim reaper.”
From both my time in retail and recruitment, I’ve seen how the right soft skills can make or break a store’s reputation. And yet, they’re often overlooked in hiring. So, let’s talk about the most crucial soft skills in grocery retail, why they matter, and how to spot them before you bring someone onto your team.
- The art of customer service skills
Back when I worked in retail, I remember training a new team member—let’s call him John. John was efficient, quick on the till, and got through customers like a machine. The problem? He also had the warmth of a self-checkout kiosk with a malfunctioning card reader.
John was great at the technical side of the job but completely lacked customer service skills. And that’s where retailers get caught out. You can train someone on how to use a till or restock shelves, but if they don’t know how to engage with customers, the store’s atmosphere suffers.
- How to spot it in an interview: Ask candidates about a time they dealt with a difficult customer. If their response is along the lines of “I told them to take it up with management,” you might want to rethink your choice.
- The ability to stay cool under pressure
Grocery retail is not for the faint-hearted. The Christmas rush, the unexpected delivery delays, the moment when a queue stretches to the back of the store because the card machines have gone down—it takes a special kind of person to stay calm in those moments.
I once had a candidate tell me in an interview that they “don’t really like stressful situations.” I had to politely explain that grocery retail is essentially one long stressful situation with occasional breaks for lunch.
You need staff who can handle pressure without melting down. Whether it’s a late delivery or a surprise E.H.O. visit when the manager is on lunch, having people who can think on their feet and stay composed is critical.
- How to spot it: Ask about a time they had to handle a difficult situation under pressure. If they don’t have an answer, they might not be the right fit for retail.
- Teamwork – The gift of getting along
Retail is a team sport. If you’ve ever worked in a store, you’ll know that nothing is more frustrating than having a co-worker who mysteriously disappears every time the floor needs mopping or a customer needs help.
Good teamwork isn’t just about getting along with colleagues; it’s about pulling your weight and stepping up when needed.
- How to spot it: Ask about a time they helped a struggling coworker. If they can’t recall one, it might mean they never did.
- Resilience – The gift of not taking everything personally
Grocery retail can be a tough gig. You’ll deal with customers who are in bad moods, suppliers who are late, and managers who are under pressure. Sometimes, you’ll get blamed for things that aren’t your fault.
I once had a customer yell at me because we ran out of strawberries. (As if I had personally eaten them all.) If you’ve worked in retail, you’ve probably had similar experiences.
Resilience is key. The best retail employees don’t take bad customer interactions to heart. They shake it off and move on to the next person in line with a fresh smile.
- How to spot it: Ask candidates how they handle criticism or a difficult customer interaction. If they say, “I’d probably get annoyed and tell them off,” you’ve got your answer.
- Initiative – The ability to see a problem and fix it without being told
One of the best employees I ever hired was a young woman who, within her first week, started cleaning behind the tills every time there was a lull. No one had asked her to, she just saw it could do with a clean!
That kind of initiative is golden. The best staff aren’t the ones who just do what they’re told; they’re the ones who think ahead and take action without needing constant supervision.
- How to spot it: Ask what they would do if they finished their tasks early. If their answer is “Wait for someone to tell me what to do,” they might not be the proactive type.
Technical skills can be learned, but soft skills—customer service, teamwork, resilience, initiative—are what truly make a great retail employee.
When hiring, retailers need to look beyond just experience and consider the personality traits that will keep their store running smoothly. Because while customers might not remember how quickly their shopping was scanned, they will remember the employee who helped them with a smile, the one who went out of their way to assist, or the one who just made their day a little brighter.
And that’s what keeps them coming back.
Read more: Mind the gap
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