Microsoft's new technology could be a mood lifter

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

If there is one thing I have learned during my years in marketing, it is that it's a lot easier to engage a happy person than an angry one.

Five steps to successful time off

by Doug Fleener — President and Managing Partner, Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC

We all need time away from work to clear our mind, recharge our batteries, and dedicate precious time to our family and friends. That's easier said than done…

Riding the Marrakesh Express to the roots of retail

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Practice customer experience management by focusing on the employee experience

by Kimberly Nasief — President, Measure Consumer Perspectives

Customer experience management can be directly linked to how the employees understand and view their workplace. It's easy to understand that if the employees…

The high price of uncertainty

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

Is uncertainty really stymieing growth? The leaders of Fortune 500 companies are sitting on trillions in cash awaiting clear indicators of where the economy is…

Customer Experience Councils: A tool for overcoming organizational silos

by Colin Shaw — Founder & CEO, Beyond Philosophy

We all know a lack of coordination between an organization's departments can be one of the key factors in causing a poor customer experience. As an end-to-end…

Eight mistakes that kill your retail sales training

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

You've only got one shot at training new hires. One. You can't go back...

Why tablets are so compelling to kids ... of all species

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

The twins absolutely love their iPad. They can't get enough time on it. In this Miami family, the teenagers also exhibit a high preference for consumer…

Feds charge a suspected major cyber thief

by Brad Cyprus — Chief of Security and Compliance, Vendor Safe Technologies

Everyone in retail can breathe a little easier today knowing that federal authorities have charged David Benjamin Schrooten, or as he is known in cyber space…

Will consumers opt-in for the 'store of the future?'

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Motorola Solutions recently launched a variety of solutions to help retailers deliver what it calls the "store of the future." Many of the company's solutions…

Understanding retail's 'third shelf'

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

There have always been two "shelves" in retail. The first can be found in the retail store and is where the product is most often evaluated and ultimately…

Fifty shades of frustration: Why do women hate Best Buy?

It is the Saturday before Father's Day and I'm out shopping. I start to notice women rushing into other stores, but avoiding Best Buy. It is as if there is…

Price addiction: Why retailers are hooked on discounting

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

It never ceases to amaze me how addicted people get to low prices. You probably think I'm talking about buyers, don't you? Well I'm not.

Social relevance as more than a pet project

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Today, when merchants consider social media, many think of a few key terms: Listen! Word of mouth! Viral marketing! But the most important consideration to…

How customer service builds brand loyalty

by Peggy Carlaw — VP, Impact Learning Systems

Karen Freeman, Patrick Spenner, and Anna Bird bring up Three Myths About What Customers Want in the HBR Blog Network. These myths are based on information from…

If you don't have a destination, you'll never get there

by Harvey Mackay — Author, Mackay Mitchell

Setting goals is simply the long-term version of keeping track of your time. Actually, a three-step process is involved:

To beat showrooming, change the showroom

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Almost every other retail headline is about the growing tide of online sales and the rise of mobile shopping. CEA just forecasted that more shoppers will shop…

Lessons learned from the Transit of Venus

by James Tenser — Principal, VSN Strategies

Recently I attended an event that will never be repeated in your or my lifetime. It was a viewing of the transit of the planet Venus across the face of the…

How stress impacts buyer behavior

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

Behavioralists tell us that if you want to know the true nature of a person, observe them in stressful situations. How can we tell when buyers are stressed?

The seven reasons independent retailers go broke

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

When I was first starting my retail consultancy business back in the 90?s, independent retailers dreaded the arrival of retail super chains like Walmart in…