Harvey Mackay: Taking care of customers is taking care of business

Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important in running a business than stellar customer service.

A week later, we're still thinking about Steve

by Jeff Weidauer — Vice President, Marketing & Strategy, Vestcom International, Inc.

It's been a week since the world lost Steve Jobs. That sounds like a typical, dramatic and overblown statement from the media, but this is the rare case in…

President Bill Clinton to keynote National Retail Federation 101st annual convention

October 11, 2011

The National Retail Federation has announced that President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd president of the United States…

Is the age of 'more' and 'faster' replacing 'the customer is king'?

by Harry Friedman

I admit it. I am a lot older physically than I think I am mentally. As Dr. Evil said so eloquently to his newfound son in the Austin Powers movie, "I'm hip."

Report: The desire for the 'Apple Store experience' is being driven by retail CEOs

October 6, 2011

Tablets and smartphones are redefining the retail shopping experience and will be a $5 billion market per year by 2015, according to a research study released…

NRF: Steve Jobs leaves 'a legacy that will inspire retail companies for decades to come'

October 5, 2011

National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay released the following statement on news of the passing of Apple founder Steve Jobs:

Steve Jobs' lasting legacy for retail

Jobs' vision and Apple's execution have had a transformative effect on the retail industry, both in-store and on-line.

Do you need a chief customer officer?

by Jeanne Bliss — Founder, CustomerBliss

CEOs no longer need to be convinced of the importance of developing relationships with profitable customers and keeping them around. What they need now is…

How to cultivate long-term loyalty

by Peggy Carlaw — VP, Impact Learning Systems

I used to go to the same Chinese Restaurant weekly growing up. My family celebrated birthdays, graduations, and other fun celebrations at this restaurant.

Access does not equal value

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

A professional recently told me that he'd merged his firm with a larger firm. Then he went on to say that he'd sent his clients a letter stating that the fees…

Tanga puts Etsy in its sights with craft site BelleChic

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

The daily deal retailer known for its sense of humor is reaching out to handmade goods shoppers with a new online store.

A lesson in customer service

by Jim Joseph — President, Lippe Taylor

I just got a text the other day that many of us hope never happens: the guy who has cut my hair for years is leaving the salon. Oh no!

Five Benefits of NFC Deployment for Retailers

Supported by major credit card companies and retailers alike, near field communication is making its way as a top method of payment processing and advertising.

Lessons learned from Apple: Great customer experiences learn continuously

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

Any brand that becomes good does so, in part, because it knows how to learn. Any brand that becomes great has developed the ability to keep on learning. Apple…

Saying goodbye to Borders … on Facebook

An analysis of the late bookseller's social media stats provides some interesting insights.

Google+ is now open to all - what that means for retailers

Video chats will inform retailers about the emotional side of the buying experience.

Retail readies for advent of tight pockets at Christmas

by Laurel Tielis — Author and Professional Speaker, Laurel Tielis & Associates

It's not a fashion statement, but an economic one. According to a survey commissioned by the London-based global news agency Reuters, American shoppers will…

Customer satisfaction with personal computers, appliances and electronics hits a wall

September 19, 2011

Customer satisfaction across three durable goods industries stalls in 2011, with the majority of companies staying almost exactly where they were in 2010…

Netflix to split into two separate companies. Wait, what?

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

I awoke this morning to a friendly, "personal" email from Reed Hastings, the co-founder and CEO of Netflix. "I messed up. I owe you an explanation," he says…

The perils of dynamic pricing: Lessons learned from the airline industry

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

I was just introduced as a pricing guy to an airline consultant when he said "Our dynamic pricing model is working very well." What is dynamic pricing?