The most common mistake made during a customer experience change, and how to overcome it

by Colin Shaw — Founder & CEO, Beyond Philosophy

I was once called into see a new client who had a problem they wanted to discuss: "We undertook research about 18 months ago on how we could improve our…

Putting romance back into retail

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Retailing has changed more in the last 3 years than in the past 3 decades. Actually, it is the consumers who have changed. They are shopping 24/7/365 anywhere…

Total Wine & More: A toast to their success

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Total Wine & More is truly "America's Wine Superstore." Currently operating 80 superstores across 13 states, Total Wine is driven to maintain its…

JCPenney: Not a pricing failure

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

There's a lot of talk about JCP's failed pricing strategy, but is it really the pricing that's off?

The missing link in retail customer experience

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

As I make my rounds teaching Retail University around the world, one of the most asked questions is "how do we transform customer experience in retail stores?…

The Hippocratic Oath of customer experience

For thousands of years, physicians have been taking the Hippocratic Oath to "first do no harm." This philosophy is also excellent advice for anyone dealing…

Why don't the old customer service ways work anymore?

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

"Why don't the old ways work with customers anymore?" I hear this question frequently when I'm speaking at a business event or starting a new customer service…

Meet your new gift registry: Pinterest

I'm planning a party for my younger sister. Usually, I flip through magazines or ask friends for ideas. However, this time I went straight to Pinterest.

There's no room for revolutionaries on Wall Street

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Several months ago, JC Penney CEO Ron Johnson and his newly formed executive team made some significant changes to the pricing and promotional structure for…

What would happen if all the store signs were removed?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Ever look around a store and notice all the signs? At least in technology stores you can't miss them. There seems to be a plethora of signs touting the latest…

Is your customer experience smashable?

When was the last time your loss prevention team became an Internet sensation because of excellent customer service? Well, that's what happened when Joshie…

Get the easy stuff right

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

A perfect product or service won't take you far if you serve it up cold. Lack of caring delivery will sink most any perfect product or service.

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…

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…

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…