Traders offered customer care training

Customer care and selling skills will be high on the agenda.

It's one of the initiatives designed to breathe new life into the town centre as set out on the Observer's front page today.

Businesses have been 'mystery-shopped' in a bid to identify strengths and weaknesses.

The results of the exercise will be revealed next month.

Funding for the training has been secured by Sussex Enterprise from the European Social Fund with co-financing by the Learning and Skills Council.Although chiefly aimed at the retail sector, the scheme also caters for cafes, restaurants, guest houses and some service industries such as hairdressing.

Training can be offered in customer care, legal obligations of the retailer, selling skills, effective merchandising, creative displays and recruitment.

Security is also included.

Chamber of commerce communications officer Sue Spice said: "This is great news for Bexhill town centre traders.

"Last year we organised the free computer training for businesses, now we have the funding to help with customer care and other retail training.

"There is very little financial help for businesses in Bexhill but at last we are being allowed to tap into some European social funding."

Sue, partner with Brian Storkey in Bexhill Promotions Group, said: "The training will definitely help the town's businesses.

"Nationally, town centres are finding trading difficult and businesses will have to adapt and learn to be able to survive in what is now an extremely competitive environment.

"Over the next few weeks either myself or Brian Storkey will be visiting traders in the town centre to tell them about the training and to find out if they have any particular training needs."

Any trader (whether or not a Chamber member) can get more information by contacting the chamber on 842892 or email [email protected]

Also selected for the retail initiative are Eastbourne, Horsham, Brighton, Worthing and Chichester.