Within the cannabis industry, there can, from time to time, be an unfortunate stigma that it is a less formal or disciplined industry. On the contrary, the cannabis industry thrives on organization, attention to detail, vigilance, and professionalism. Newer industries face frequent changes, and in the case of cannabis, this is even more the case. Because of the frequency of change in this young industry, employees need to be on the ball and ready to deal with unexpected challenges. The laid-back perception that sometimes exists of the field wouldn’t be able to satisfy this need.
It’s important for workers in the cannabis industry to maintain professionalism—read on to learn how you can do this in your career!
Education and Specialization Add Legitimacy to an Ontario Dispensary Licence
Any team working in the cannabis space can exhibit professionalism by hiring and fostering expertise. When you graduate from a cannabis program, you’re achieving just that—expertise in the world you’d like to work in. This makes you more attractive to employers, as well as better prepared to perform well in your career.
Your education can set you apart with specialized knowledge
Proper training can equip you, your colleagues, and your employees with expertise in, among other things:
- Sanitation
- Regulatory compliance
- Quality assurance
- Safety
- Seed-to-sale software
A cannabis dispensary licence helps to create a well-equipped team prepared to handle anything. Official training programs will also ensure that employees have proper product knowledge, helping them speak confidently and authoritatively.
Build Customer Service Skills for Career Success
Customer service skills will also help you to portray professionalism. Helping customers feel well taken care of is important. In fact, giving the proper amount of attention to each customer and serving them in a timely fashion is another marker of professionalism. Dispensaries that are organized and allow staff members to devote enough time to each person can seem more put-together and higher quality, in a manner similar to other retail industries where well-organized stores can produce happier customer experiences.
Positive customer experiences come from each person getting the attention they require in a timely way
Think Critically as a Cannabis Professional
As Conor Purdon, Cannabis Retail Program Developer of AAPS says, “Cannabis is one of those unique industries where, because it is relatively new, there’s a lot of good information online, but there’s a lot of bad information online as well”. Thinking critically about the information available to you will preserve your authority and professional air.
Differentiating between legitimate and incorrect information on the internet
Things to remember:
- In cannabis retail with an Ontario dispensary licence, employees are dealing with recreational cannabis users and are not permitted to give medical advice or to suggest any medicinal benefits of using cannabis.
- Giving away false or potentially false information can put people at risk.
- While the availability of online information is a good thing, there are unreliable sources in the space that carry false claims.
Thinking critically about what you read and hear with regards to cannabis, as well as following important regulations, will make you a trustworthy professional who customers can count on and feel comfortable with. This will allow you to carry on through your career with integrity and a high quality of work.
Are you interested in cannabis retail consulting or other careers?
Contact AAPS to learn more.