Retail Services 2024 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 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 HSC content 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(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand the term 'chain of command' using terms such as hierarchy, responsibility and accountability and the role of a manager to resolve disputes or customer complaints
• relate to hierarchy within a department store with clear delegation of duties.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the relevant key concepts
• answering each element of the question.

Question 16(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• answer positive feedback components of the question , for example, ‘thank you’, using the feedback to train other staff members and negative feedback components such as reflect and attend training or having a mentor
• provide relevant retail workplace terminology and apply an employee's perspective.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the difference between the employer and employee
• addressing both parts of the question,  positive and negative feedback.

Question 17(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand the key concept of 'takings' and demonstrate a clear link to retail workplaces
• support the response with a clear cause and effect, for example,  why following store procedures when recording takings is  important
• provide relevant retail workplace examples such as tracking stock, ordering of stock or stock management applied to monitoring of takings.

Areas for students to improve include:

• being aware of the retail concept of ‘takings’
• understanding the importance of following procedures when recording takings.

Question 17(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of the impact of leaving the back dock in a community pharmacy/retail workplace unguarded and link to the security risk
• Include examples such as theft of stock by employees, customers or vendors.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly focusing on 'security' and engage with the question.

Question 17(c)

In better responses, students were able to:

• recommend relevant improvements to the procedure provided
• interpret and make direct reference to the point-of-sale equipment security procedure stimulus material and apply to the question
• include examples such as passwords needing to be changed frequently to maintain security, employees logging out of the system once their shift is complete to maintain security and avoid hacking, mandatory training of staff to ensure all staff are clear with the expectations, including staff not sharing login details.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the need to provide multiple improvements to the procedure
• clearly focusing on 'security' and engage with the question.

Question 18(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate clear understanding of the term collegial relationships and how this can improve customer service
• incorporate relevant retail workplace examples to support the response such as a loyal and repeat customer potentially seeing a cohesive team dealing with customer enquiries and/or complaints.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing an example as specified in the question
• linking the response to customer service rather than providing a generic response.

Question 18(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• respond with sources of information a sales assistant could access relevant to handling a customer enquiry about getting a refund
• provide relevant examples a sales assistant could access to handle a customer enquiry about refunds such as referring to store/company refund policies and procedures, consulting with a manager or a supervisor and referring to the Australian Consumer Law website.

Areas for students to improve include:

• knowing the relevant source of information to assist with handling a customer refund
• providing the features, rather than only stating the source.

Question 18(c)

In better responses, students were able to:

• state and provide features of task management techniques for both quiet and busy periods
• demonstrate a clear interpretation and application of the stimulus provided
• provide relevant techniques with a clear explanation of how they can be used effectively
• provide examples such as developing a roster, scheduling of tasks for each of the periods.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding plural questions, provide at least two task management techniques
• effectively applying the stimulus rather than a general technique
• incorporating relevant industry examples to support the explanation.

Question 19(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly justify features and characteristics of a selling technique a retail assistant could use to sell a mobile phone to a customer
• provide a reason why the selling technique would work
• provide an example such as cross selling, selling features and benefits of a mobile phone
• provide reasons for using the technique such as enticing the customer to purchase the items or improving customer rapport.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing supporting reasons why the selling technique would work
• incorporating the mobile phone into the response.

Question 19(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide an explanation of multiple benefits to a retailer of maintaining accurate records of stolen items to support the response
• provide examples such as tracking stock to see areas susceptible to theft and using the records to determine areas where security equipment is required.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing evidence to support response
• providing an explanation rather than an outline
• including terminology relevant to maintaining records.

Question 20(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide communication technologies and link to coordinating visual displays in a chain of retail stores. Examples include computers, laptops, software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, PA system, phones and phone apps
• provide clear features and characteristics of the technologies.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly identifying the relevant communication technologies that may be used in reference to visual displays
• connecting the technologies to visual displays in a chain of retail stores.

Question 20(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the multiple elements of the question
• provide clear and relevant industry workplace examples to support strategies a community pharmacy/retail workplace could use to ensure industry standards are met when serving customers
• provide examples for standards such as safety in the workplace, housekeeping, staff professionalism and product knowledge
• provide examples of the strategies such as training of staff, mentoring of staff and well-developed policies and procedures.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing relevant industry examples to illustrate cause and effect
• identifying and provide clear and relevant industry standards
• providing a clear link between standards and strategies relevant to customer service.

Question 21(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand and explain the possible impacts of merchandising by reviewing the products and services of their competitors
• provide workplace examples to demonstrate an understanding of the impacts to the business when retailers review their competitor's products and services
• incorporate products and services that are related to possible trends and customer demands
• include ‘add on’' services such as warranties and other possible selling points
• consider the pricing of products and the effects on profits
• identify gaps in the market which could allow a business to innovate and foster brand loyalty.

Areas for students to improve include:

• relating the answer to reviews of competitors and not customer reviews
• mentioning the impacts to the business when considering the need to review a competitor's products and services
• incorporating technical language into their response.

Question 21(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide relevant industry and workplace examples
• justify the importance of placement and careful handling of merchandise to avoid risk of damage
• provide retail terminology in merchandising and placement strategies such as providing logical solutions such as safe cabinetry, protective materials
• provide a description and justification of the impacts effective merchandising and placement strategies can have on reducing the risk of damage to merchandise, with work related examples such as training
• reduce the risk-based work health and safety in terms of products, manual handling and placement issues.

Areas for students to improve include:

• adding workplace examples and not content such as a focus on principles of display
• placing equal importance in covering both merchandising and placement.

Question 22(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• define critical control points (CCP) and the need for business to stay compliant to food safety requirements
• understand cause and effect for a clear explanation in terms of CCPs in food preparation and handling and food merchandising
• relate the cause and effect to a business' reputation and profitability
• explain how to lower prices to reduce wastage while also considering profits.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understand cause and effect so the explanation is clear when linking CCPs and food merchandising
• relating the question to workplace examples to support the response
• using workplace explanations in a consistent manner to help identify how effective food merchandising and placement reduces the risk of food spoilage.

Question 22(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• use workplace examples to demonstrate an understanding of effective food merchandising and placement strategies to reduce the risk of spoilage
• differentiate between food merchandising and placement strategies to justify why they are important in reducing the risk of spoilage such as wastage and loss of profit.

Areas for students to improve include:

• supporting the justification of merchandising and placement strategies with workplace examples
• using technical language relating to food spoilage, placement and merchandising, for example, LED lighting, temperature control, packaging requirements.

Question 23(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide an explanation  of how an employee can meet the needs of a customer presenting with symptom-based requests in a pharmacy environment, using cause and effect of the symptoms and the treatment
• provide clear examples to demonstrate  a customer is communicating their symptoms and the employee is providing an effective solution.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a reason behind how the employer can meet the needs of a customer when asking about symptoms
• explaining rather than 'storytelling' or generalising.

Question 23(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• justify effective strategies that can be applied to limit contamination and prevent transmission of infection in a community pharmacy workplace with relevant industry examples throughout
• provide clear evidence of strategies to limit contamination and prevent transmission of infection
• provide specific terminology such as PPE and/or pharmacy housekeeping practices.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using relevant language and related industry examples  to justify strategies.

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate the level of work health and safety (WHS) responsibilities for different stakeholders within a community pharmacy/retail workplace, for example, the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) through to customers
• use clear workplace examples to demonstrate shared responsibilities, for example, hierarchy of control, PCBU, WHS committee, consultation and participation
• use relevant and current industry legislative requirements for example, Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017
• correctly identify and use industry terminology in a logical and cohesive manner.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using explicit industry terminology for example, employer PCBU, safety checks, audits, safety clothing PPE and uniform
• strengthen understanding of the directive, 'to what extent', to ensure a value-based judgement is made.