The U.S. Department of Labor defined the duties of professional retail sales associates in 1994. They include the following:

• Providing personalized customer service, including initiating customer contact and building customer relations.

• Selling and promoting products, determining customer needs, building and closing the sale.

• Monitoring inventory, including taking and transferring inventory.

• Maintaining the appearance of a department or store, including maintenance of the stock, sales, and customer service areas and maintaining the product presentation and displays.

• Protecting company assets, including identifying and preventing losses and following safety procedures.

• Working as part of a department or store team, including supporting co-workers and creating competitive advantages.

• Detailed explanations of these tasks can be found on the National Skills Standards Board Web site at www.nssb.org/projects/retail.