Retail Services 2021 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• use the first page of the answer booklet for an extended response to develop a plan to assist in the logical sequencing of information
• engage with what the question is asking rather than presenting a pre-prepared response
• relate to the question throughout the response rather than just at the beginning
• ensure each extended response answer is completed in a separate writing booklet
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the examinable units of competency from the syllabus
• communicate ideas and information using relevant workplace examples and industry terminology
• be prepared to address a range of industry issues
• demonstrate knowledge of employability skills relevant to various situations
• include relevant annotations when including a diagram
• present a logical and cohesive response that answers the question
• review their response to ensure that it addresses the question requirements.

Question 16

In better responses, students were able to:

• show an understanding of the concept of ‘work/life balance’
• provide relevant reasons about how the strategy supports ‘work-life balance’, for example, flexible work hours, being able to work around the family commitments, religious reasons, having flexible rosters or rosters in advance, gym membership, yoga classes and using feedback form to access employee wellbeing
• show a clear understanding of the concept of ‘work-life balance’
• provide at least two strategies.

Areas for students to improve include:

• responding from the employer’s perspective rather than the perspective of the employee
• provide reasons in favour of their provided strategies, relating the relevant policy or approach to its intention, showing how it could achieve its goal
• making a clear reference to ‘work-life balance’ rather than workplace culture.

Question 17

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide clear and relevant steps to directly address the leaking fridge
• explain the whole process of risk management by ensuring there is clear cause and effect in their response
• use appropriate language, for example, hierarchy of risk control
• provide a logical and cohesive sequence of risk management
• include all relevant and appropriate processes for risk management, for example, reviewing and monitoring.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the steps of risk management processes
• explaining each step rather than only providing an outline
• effectively using the scenario provided and integrating the leaking fridge into their response rather than just providing a general outline.

Question 18

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly show calculations and relevant steps to calculate profit, including steps for all sections, providing cost price, recommended retail price and sales total less total cost
• show detail in their working out of the correct answer.

Areas for students to improve include:

• showing clear working out
• completing calculations.

Question 19

In better responses, some students were able to:

• provide the features and characteristics of the skill, for example, in communication skills, active listening refers to the nodding of the head to allow you to manage complaint
• identify two skills, for example, active listening, problem solving, critical thinking, negotiation, patience, manners, showing interest, offering solutions, questioning
• use relevant skills that may be required to handle customer complaints
• show how a customer complaint could impact quality customer service with a cause and effect linking the relationship between them
• show the process of a complaint, how it was resolved, and its impact on customer service within the context of an industry example, for example, in response to the McDonalds breakfast menu finishing time, many customers provided formal feedback to McDonalds, and as a result, McDonalds updated their breakfast menu to be available all day. This resulted in positive feedback from customers
• demonstrate how applying product knowledge and the upskilling/training of employees could benefit current and future customers.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring acronyms are written full form, for example, AQUA - Ask, Question, Understand, Answer, and elaborate on them
• providing relevant detail for the features of both skills
• knowing which relevant and specific skills to use for the corresponding customer complaint, for example, active listening and negotiation skills to assist in managing a customer complaint about a faulty product
• referencing the skills to a customer complaint, for example active listening and negotiation skills to assist managing a customer complaint about a faulty product
• providing examples that demonstrate how the complaint helps to establish quality customer service
• using appropriate and relevant retail terminology
• providing a specific and relevant link to customer service via an industry example.

Question 20

In better responses, students were able to:

• name and explain the non-adherence issue to a work standard, for example, Work Health and Safety, hygiene, cross contamination, policies and procedures, knowledge of products and link to future sales
• explain the effect on future sales, for example, if the pharmacy or retail employee is rude and disrespectful to customers, negative word of mouth could result for the business. This could mean that future customers may shop elsewhere, and the business will lose profit.
• use relevant examples such as personal appearance, visibility, clean bathroom, and housekeeping.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using specific workplace examples that are relevant, ensuring they support their answer
• showing a clear link between non-adherence to work standards to future sales, for example, if the pharmacy or retail employee did not complete relevant cleaning of the workplace duties as instructed a customer may subsequently complain about the unclean state of the workplace. This could result in lost business as the customer could decide to shop in a cleaner retail outlet elsewhere.

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify and explain at least two relevant current issues and trends affecting the retail industry, for example, the impacts of COVID 19 resulting in an increase in online shopping
• provide the implications of the issues and trends on retail workplaces, employees and the industry, for example, a retail business is successful with their online sales although they are struggling to get customers to their retail outlet to make purchases. The business decides to build a cafe as part of the retail outlet to make this a more unique experience for the customer. The cafe attracts customers and an increase in purchases via the retail outlet is experienced due to higher patronage of the business
• provide specific retail workplace examples to support the issues and implications and their impact on the retail industry
• show a clear link between the issues and trends mentioned and the implications of these for a community pharmacy or retail workspace
• use relevant work placement examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• knowing ‘current’ issues and relevant trends
• using relevant industry and work placement examples to support their response
• using retail industry relevant terminology.

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• state a theme used in a display and identify a promotional area for a display, for example, an Easter theme in the shop window of a retail outlet
• describe the planning and preparation needed to display merchandise, for example for the Easter theme in the shop window of a retail outlet, where can the current products and props in the shop window be stored? What Easter themed stock and decorations do you currently have? Do you need to order more Easter themed stock and decorations? What tools and equipment will you need to set up and display the Easter theme in the shop window? What is the most appropriate time of day to set up the Easter theme in the shop window? How far in advance of Easter should the display be set up? When should the display be removed?
• Demonstrate an understanding of workplace pricing structures, for example, discounts, sales and placement and show a link to how to display this merchandise
• use relevant examples to support their answer.

Areas for students to improve include:

• naming a specific theme and promotional area and address planning and preparation as separate concepts
• demonstrating an understanding of the preparation required to display merchandise
• showing the difference between workplace pricing structures and labelling and ticketing (c)
• using relevant retail terminology and concepts throughout the response
• answering the correct option based on which stream they have studied.

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of workplace pricing structures and the display of food merchandise, for example, discounts, sales and placement and show a clear link to how to display food merchandise (c)
• use relevant and specific examples throughout the response to support their answer
• provide specific and relevant food examples, for example, fruit and vegetables, hot food, and seafood.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing specific food examples rather than general examples
• showing a link between the pricing structure and the display of food merchandise
• using relevant retail terminology and concepts
• answering the correct option based on which stream they have studied.

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline the role and responsibilities of a team members in a pharmacy
• demonstrate an understanding of the safe and sustainable work practices needed in pharmacy
• explain how legal and ethical issues influence workplace policies and procedures.

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing role and responsibility (a), safe and sustainable (b) and, legal and ethical (c) as separate concepts
• naming a relevant and specific team member, for example, pharmacy assistant, retail pharmacy supervisor
• applying the relevant knowledge and understanding of the safe and sustainable work practices that could be used in a community pharmacy
• using and integrating more than one relevant workplace example throughout their response
• showing, in detail, the influence of the legal and ethical issues on workplace policies and procedures in a community pharmacy workplace (c).