Budtender Training: 5 Tips For Better Budtenders

Budtenders are the heart of a dispensary and their service can make or break a business. In this article, we’re going to look at 5 budtender training tips to help you (or your budtenders) offer the best possible service to your patients and customers.

 

What Makes A Good Budtender?

 

A good budtender can make or break a dispensary. In fact, bad service from a budtender is one of the main reasons customers or patients stop buying from a particular store.

 

At the same time, great service from a budtender is a huge selling point for a dispensary. A budtender that is friendly, knowledgeable, and takes the time to get to know his/her patients/customers and help them find the right product, can help a dispensary build a strong, loyal base of customers.

 

In general, a good budtender will:

 

- Be friendly and professional, both in manners and appearance.

- Have a strong knowledge of his/her inventory and cannabis in general.

- Give customers/patients the time they need to decide on the right product.

- Understand the difference between medical and recreational cannabis use.

 

Hence, if you own a dispensary, it is absolutely vital you offer proper budtender training for your staff. If you are a budtender, on the other hand, it is important you take your job seriously and constantly look for ways to improve your service.

 

So, here are 5 budtender training tips to help you do just that.

 

1. Distinguish Between Medical Patients And Rec Users

As a budtender, you’re going to be dealing with 2 very different customers; medical patients and recreational users. The reasons why either uses cannabis are very different, so it’s really important you approach these customers differently, too.

 

Ideally, you’ll want to attend patients in a separate part of your dispensary. Medical conditions are sensitive, and you’ll want to create a comfortable, private atmosphere where patients can open up about the symptoms they're trying to treat with cannabis.

 

When it comes to rec customers, remember that the age of the stereotypical “stoner” is over. Hence, gauge your rec customers and make sure you treat each of them appropriately while listening to their needs and understanding the effects they're looking for.

 

2. Know Your Products

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This is absolutely vital; you cannot expect to be a good budtender without having a solid knowledge of your products. This means knowing your store’s inventory, as well as which products serve what purposes.

 

By knowing your products, you’ll be able to offer your customers and patients a faster, more tailored service. At the same time, try to keep an open mind about what customers want, and don’t try to push them to try products that you believe may be beneficial for them. Always let your customers make up their own minds.

 

3. Follow Basic Hygiene Practices

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One thing many customers and patients complain about when it comes to budtender service is hygiene. Hence, as a budtender, it is super important you have a clean appearance and go about your job in a professional manner.

 

This is especially important when attending medical patients. Remember, cannabis is a real medicine for many people, and it should be treated as such. Here are some basic hygiene tips to remember as a budtender:

 

- Regularly wash your hands.

- Tie back long hair.

- Dress professionally.

- Use gloves when handling products.

 

4. Offer Great Customer Service

Customer service is huge and forms a major part of proper budtender training. After all, poor customer service is one of the biggest reasons patients and customers turn their back on a dispensary.

 

As a budtender, make sure you offer each and every one of your customers/patients the best possible service. Take your time to get to know each customer, learn about their situation, and use your product knowledge to offer them a range of products to choose from. Most importantly, don’t rush your customers and let them take the time they need to choose what’s best for them.

 

5. Stay Up-To-Date

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Our final tip for proper budtender training is this; always stay up-to-date. The cannabis world is constantly changing, and new technology is forever changing the way we use cannabis both as a medicine or recreational substance.

 

Make sure to follow respected news sources for updates on everything cannabis-related, and make it your mission to constantly learn how the industry is changing and work that knowledge into your service.

 

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