Ready for the hook plus line and sinker in the store?

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

I needed to buy a down pillow. That’s how it started. I needed something softer than the hard, bouncy pillow I’d been sleeping on for months, so I thought…

The Aspirational Tourist

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Remember your last out-of-town getaway?  You probably wandered into a few shops at your destination to browse, buy a few mementos, or just pass the time before…

Report: Americans will pay more for excellent service

Customers want outstanding service, but two-thirds feel they aren't getting it.

Shaping customer experience a critical strategy as retail recovers

'Indistinguishable sameness' can alleviated by a cohesive experience plan.

Benefits of Bill-Payment Kiosks for Customers

With a self-service application to pay bills, a service provider can save money, boost payment rates and create a better customer experience.

Jeanne Bliss, author of "I Love You More Than My Dog," to give keynote at retail summit

June 29, 2010

An Inconvenient Truth About Bad Customer Service

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

What if you could get the least engaged staff member to actually care about your customers?  What kind of difference would that make to your business? In this…

Fifty cents could have been really special

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

One of the trickiest parts of building loyalty is making sure that your front-line employees are empowered to make customers feel special. After all, you…

Abercrombie & Fitch: Sex Obviously Doesn't Sell

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

If “sex sells” then why have they lost so many of their customers? Sure their Manhattan store sells $100 million a year to gawker tourists, but how about the…

Pricing and Policy Decisions

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

Radiant rolls out real-time retail reporting tool

June 22, 2010

Radiant Systems Inc. has announced that it has launched CounterPoint SmartAlerts, a powerful new tool within its CounterPoint retail product suite that helps…

Sears launches online platform for Blue Crew

June 15, 2010

Sears is taking its Blue Crew, "the trusted experts at Sears who help in-store customers get exactly what they need," onto the Internet.According to a press…

Excerpt: The Retail Doctor's Guide to Growing Your Business

How understanding the four types of retail employees can help you improve customer service.

The Art of Waiting

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

When Apple Computer announced the Apple Store, more than one industry pundit predicted the project’s demise. "Apple is a technology company," they said. "They…

Does Starbucks’ new free Wi-Fi offer really raise the loyalty bar?

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

No one who loves Starbucks doesn’t love the fact that they’re now offering free Wi-Fi in its over 6500 locations, right?  My question is: How much will this…

Why Your Best Managers Have To Drink

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

Driver personalities are the natural leaders.  When they are second-guessed, their motives and methods questioned and they are not allowed to shine, or made to…

Flying Blind

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

How FTD lost a customer for life

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

My heart sank yesterday morning when I went to check my Facebook feed and saw this message from a friend:

Curves: Lessons in Creating a Community

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

One summer, not too long ago, I joined a 2nd gym as I was out of town most weekends.  A charming low-frills outpost of Curves. 

The Value of Employee Experience

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

Now is the time to focus on all aspects of your employee experience.