In an interview with the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch, Rolf Schmalz, Head of School at Weiterbildung WBA, provides tips and information on the difference between the Retail Specialist and Sales Specialist courses.
There are two specialist qualifications on the Swiss market: one for sales and one for retail. Despite this specific separation, some people from the retail trade are interested in the sales certificate.
I would recommend that people from the retail trade first complete the retail trade certificate. This is because they still have the option of becoming a sales manager afterwards.
Yes, there is a big difference between the two courses, retail trade specialists and sales specialists, in the federal examination. What many people don't know is that the written examination for retail specialists can be taken at the training institute. There is only an oral federal examination. Sales specialists, on the other hand, take a written and oral federal examination.
The sales specialist course with a federal certificate is very focused on the subject of sales. In addition to sales and marketing, the retail specialist course also covers entrepreneurial strategic management, purchasing, logistics and personnel management.