Budtenders are the frontline ambassadors of the cannabis industry.
A great budtender guides customers through product selections, offers insights on consumption methods, and facilitates a positive retail experience.
At any given time, a budtender must possess a colossal amount of knowledge to provide customers with accurate information and personalized recommendations while keeping revenue in mind.
This is a critical part of shaping a magnetic consumer experience that creates a sustainable, recurring stream of happy and eager customers. If served well, these customers can increase your revenue month over month and position you as a competitive cannabis dispensary—both to consumers and top industry talent.
Are untrained budtenders hurting your dispensary?
Despite their importance, many budtenders are not receiving high-quality training. Just because someone has smoked a lot of weed, that doesn’t automatically mean they have in-depth cannabis knowledge and can recommend and sell cannabis products to a diverse group of people.
This lack of budtender education results in:
- poor product recommendations
- bad customer service
- an inability to answer sophisticated product questions
- customers who don't trust you
- damage to your dispensary reputation
Many dispensaries don’t realize it, but strong budtenders are your most effective secret weapon for remaining at the top of our hyper-competitive industry. They are the first people your customers meet, and oftentimes, the budtender is the only source of cannabis education for the customer.
Budtenders are often considered entry-level roles, but in our unique industry, they are the line between the consumer and the dispensary and the driving factor for a memorable customer experience.
Think of a top-performing car salesman or real estate agent. Your budtenders hold the same power over your cannabis sales, but only if they have the knowledge and tools to perform.
What kind of budtender training is best?
A good budtender training program doesn't just focus on cannabis plant products and basic customer service skills. High-quality training should be comprehensive and provide a holistic guide to budtenders in several areas.
Budtenders need to learn more than just about state laws, cannabis products, or consumption methods. They must also learn how to communicate, make customers feel welcome in your store, and identify opportunities to upsell.
There are many dispensary training programs on the market today. Some are online courses, some are in-person, some are free, and some cost money. Like any educational experience, you will typically get more from paid curriculums than free programs.
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How to Become a Better Budtender: Advice from 4 Dispensary Pros
Cannabis industry education is still up and coming, and unlike a traditional college program, there isn’t a singular way to determine the reliability of a cannabis training course. Ensure you thoroughly research the program’s details and talk to prior students about their experience before choosing a budtender certification course.
It’s also important to consider who is behind the course.
- Do they have experience in the cannabis industry?
- What makes them qualified to train budtenders in this area?
- How many happy students do they have to back up their claims?
Use good judgment before making a final decision. In general, a reputable budtender training program will cover the following elements:
Cannabis Product Knowledge
Budtenders need a deep understanding of each type of cannabis product, their unique effect profiles, and quality indicators. This includes knowledge about cannabinoids (especially THC content), terpenes, input materials, and how different products can produce varying effects. They should be familiar with the characteristics that define high-quality cannabis, such as aroma, appearance, and flavor. This foundational knowledge allows budtenders to make tailored recommendations to meet the diverse needs of consumers, from first-time users to seasoned enthusiasts.
Consumption Methods
Budtenders must be adept at explaining different consumption methods, like smoking, vaping, edibles, tinctures, and topicals. They should understand the onset times, duration of effects, and potential risks associated with each method. This expertise helps customers choose the most appropriate consumption method based on their preferences and needs, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.
Cannabis Assessment Knowledge
It's crucial to train cannabis professionals on how to assess the quality of cannabis products properly. Ganjier has developed the Systematic Assessment Protocol (SAP app), a 100-point scale for evaluating the quality of flower and concentrates. This assessment knowledge ensures that budtenders can provide accurate and reliable product information, enhancing customer safety, satisfaction, and trust.
Quality Preservation Techniques
Cannabis is a delicate plant that can rapidly degrade in quality. Budtenders should know about proper storage, handling, and temperature requirements. Knowledge of preservation techniques guarantees customers receive the highest quality products, maintaining the integrity of the cannabis and promoting a superior consumer experience.
Effective Communication
Good cannabis budtender service is about listening to customers and matching the ideal products to their needs. Many budtenders rely on recommending brands they like or what's popular. However, a well-trained budtender uses active listening to accurately match customers' exact needs with the products that will serve them best, leading to consumer-centric cannabis sales.
A reputable budtender training and certification program will prioritize education around cannabis product knowledge, consumption methods, cannabis assessment knowledge, quality preservation techniques, and effective communication.
The ROI of budtender training
It’s hard for cannabis businesses to justify additional expenses on top of their spending, but investing in budtender training generates significant returns, sometimes immediately.
Through Ganjier, we’ve seen time and time again that cannabis businesses with well-trained budtenders see:
- higher sales
- better customer reviews
- stronger brand reputation
Educated budtenders can upsell products more effectively and provide a higher level of service.
Well-educated budtenders also mean a safer and more informed cannabis community and lead to higher retention rates for budtender jobs.
How to start training budtenders
Budtender education is a cornerstone of a successful cannabis retail operation.
While you can create a budtender training and education program in house, there are well-known and reputable programs already available. Ganjier is a rigorous, multi-tiered, cannabis trade certification, created and taught by the most respected names in the field with over 600 years of collective cannabis knowledge.
You can become a certified Ganjier through two programs:
- Level 1: 100% online cannabis product and connoisseurship training that takes 10 hours to complete
- Level 2: The premier cannabis sommelier certification, akin to the wine sommelier or master chocolatier program which includes an online curriculum, live in-person training, and live exams
By equipping budtenders with comprehensive knowledge and effective communication skills, dispensaries can ensure higher customer satisfaction, increased sales, and a more powerful brand reputation.
There’s no better time to invest in budtender education and prioritize employee retention, sales growth, and the customer experience. Learn more about Ganjier and see how the sommelier program can help your dispensary.
