Custom Exam Helps Strengthen Retail Sales for Tesco in the UK

-- New customized training program developed by Examplify validates skills of tech support employees, helps strengthen Tesco brand.

DOWNERS GROVE, Illinois, July 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Examplify, in partnership with Tesco Stores Ltd., the United Kingdom's largest retailer, announced today the successful results of its new tech support training program. 

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To improve the skills of Tesco technical support team advisors who work in the electronics departments of nearly 250 of their stores, Tesco worked with Examplify to develop a customized certification program using CompTIA's proven exam development process.

Examplify worked with Tesco to conduct a job task analysis of its tech support specialist role, establish exam objectives, develop exam questions and create a better understanding of the science behind exam development and scoring. 

The exam scope was wide but specific to Tesco's needs. Examplify and Tesco customized the exam to validate an employee's knowledge of a wide range of electronics products, as well as the Tesco customer service process, its sales approach for payment plans, protection plans, installation and Tesco's standards for department operations and electronics returns.  

"By writing our own exam, we were able to tailor it exactly the way we wanted it," said Mike Barrow, Tesco Technical Support Training Manager.

As of early 2013, approximately 60 percent of Tesco's 1,100 Tesco Tech Support advisors had taken and passed the exam. Aggregated exam results illuminated areas in which staff needs additional training.

"You can't rely on your perceptions of how well your team performs," said Training Manager Geoff Williams. "The exam gives you real-world information, puts the information out there in black and white."  

The U.K. electronics retail market is "extremely tough," reports John Wallbank, Tesco Tech Support's Operations Manager. "Hence the importance of strong training structures such as the Examplify exam which has inspired our teams, made them feel proud to work for Tesco and increased their knowledge—all of which will help us give better service to our customers."

In the U.K.'s highly competitive electronics market, the Tesco Tech Support Certified Specialist program developed by Examplify, is building consumer confidence in the Tesco Tech Support brand and helping to differentiate Tesco from its competitors.

About Tesco

Founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen as a market stall, Tesco is now the UK's largest retailer and private sector employer, with more than 3,000 stores and 300,000 colleagues.   Our business strives to offer a great shopping experience, and a great place to work, by understanding what matters to our customers, our colleagues and our communities, and making it better. 

About Examplify

As a subsidiary of CompTIA, the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry, Examplify answers the global demand for custom certifications within organizations. Beyond developing custom exams, Examplify offers managed exam services, test development consulting, and exam quality control maintenance. Examplify leverages the proven exam expertise and processes of CompTIA, which has been developing industry-standard, vendor-neutral IT certifications for two decades. The services provided by Examplify are rooted in a validity-centered approach to exam development and the process follows the best practices outlined by the professional testing community. For more information on its services and partners, visit http://www.examplify.com.

Contact:
Mark Plunkett
CompTIA
mplunkett@comptia.org
+44 (0) 2073306065