VR training has saved Crossroads more than 230,000 man-hours and increased sales

2021: Implementing Employee Training with VR Technology

The Crossroads Trading Network (X5 Group) has introduced an updated standard for training employees using VR technology. This was announced by X5 Group on October 21, 2021. In January, virtual reality glasses appeared in each of the 960 stores, and there were more than 20 VR trainings in the course portfolio. In the first six months of the introduction of VR, more than 10 thousand people took part in the training program for cashiers and sales consultants. As of October 2021, more than 80% of employees have completed all the trainings assigned to them.

References to VR experiments of Russian, European and American networks have never been accompanied by the publication of training results. Even at the pilot stage, stores that fully trained more than 60% of employees showed a sales result 7% higher than stores with a classic approach to training.

Saving a temporary resource also speaks in favor of VR training. Immersion in the educational situation allows you to absorb the material faster: a 20-minute VR course replaces 2-3 hours of group work with a trainer. Thanks to this, Crossroads has already saved more than 230,000 man-hours, which is almost 30,000 full working days a year.

Often, linear retail employees perceive training as an additional burden. Now, instead of many hours of training, they are assigned 20-minute courses using virtual reality glasses, which can be taken in their store right at the workplace. And after training, immediately apply knowledge in practice.

The training itself has become more like a game where each level passed gives a feeling of victory, "said Alexei Krylov, head of the digital training area.

Crossroads employees have courses that prepare for work behind the counter of meat, fish, sausage, cheese and other departments, that is, in the area providing for customer consultation. There is also a course for Empathy cashiers, which shows employees the situation at the box office through the eyes of the buyer, which allows you to better feel and understand the client.

The training program is constantly supplemented and updated. New VR courses are released monthly. Even such a factor as seasonality is taken into account, for example, in May a course was launched at the suggestion of kebabs, which positively affected sales in this category.

In the survey, 91% of employees rated the courses 4 or 5 points, where 5 is the maximum score, meaning "courses are useful to me, I use knowledge in practice." Employees have the opportunity to leave their offers and wishes. According to the developers, all ideas are considered, and the most valuable of them will be reflected in future VR courses.

Behind each new VR course is a large methodological work that Perekrestok carries out with the expert support of Modum Lab, a VR technology training provider. Specialists observe how sellers interact with real buyers, record at what points communication difficulties arise, add these elements to the simulation to work out the skill. After testing, the updated VR course becomes available in any network store, anywhere on the map: from Sochi to Murmansk.