7 keys to customer experience in 2010

True dedication to the voice of the customer will be pivotal for retailers looking to improve their customer experience in the coming year.

The 5 biggest retail customer experience stories of 2009

Faced with a tough economy and shaky consumer confidence, retailers innovated when it came to customer experience this year.

How consumers killed customer service

Demand for low prices has driven down the value of customer service. Here's how retailers can drive it back up.

Survey: Retail employees not giving good customer service, despite tough job market

December 7, 2009

Despite working in a sector that has suffered job losses averaging roughly 50,000 per month since the start of the recession, retail employees are not…

The changing face of Black Friday

The weekend after Thanksgiving remains the biggest shopping event of the year, but the reasons customers pack the stores are changing.

Shifting retailers respond to new 'season of discontent'

Smart retailers are combating the tough times with an organizational shift to a customer-centric focus.

Training for unit-level success for holiday 2009

Products may be set, but people can improve. Here are four practical ways retailers can leverage front-line employees this holiday season.

First look: Inside the Microsoft retail store

A visit to the first Microsoft store reveals that comparisons to Apple are like apples and oranges.

NRF announces top ten retailers for customer service

November 15, 2009

The NRF Foundation, the research and education arm of the National Retail Federation, has announced the top 10 finalists selected by shoppers in the annual…

Five things any retailer can learn from Apple

While most retailers can't lean on Steve Jobs for help with reinvention, there are lessons that all can learn from the Apple/Disney partnership.

ResponseTek CEM upgrade adds SMS surveys, new reports

November 5, 2009

ResponseTek, a provider of on-demand customer experience management (CEM) software, has announced the Fall 2009 release of its ResponseTek:CEM solution.

Customers are buying down, and opportunities are rising, part 3

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

Customer-centric experience design is explored in this final installment of "Where's the Opportunity?"

Borders announces in-stock guarantee for the holidays

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

November 2, 2009

Borders today announced its new "In-Stock Guarantee," which promises that if a customer's desired item cannot be found in-store, the company will ship it from…

Survey: Returns fraud will cost retailers $9.6 billion in 2009

October 28, 2009

Though return fraud continues to plague the retail industry, changes in policies have helped companies see improvements in some areas. According to NRF's…

Best Buy CEO: Low prices are 'table stakes' for retailers

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

October 25, 2009

Customers care about low prices, but they want a lot more from their retailers than just the best deal.

Customers are buying down, and opportunities are rising, part 2

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

Empowering front-line employees is looked at in part two of a three-part series called "Where's the Opportunity?"  

Opinion: The difference between clerking and selling

The Retail Doc explains why in-store staff should be moved beyond low-hanging fruit and into real selling.

Great customer service: Remembering the little things

Tough times mean retailers need to squeeze all the value they can out of their assets, and that includes the small touches that can make a big difference.

Walmart's 'Project Impact' shoots for cleaner stores, better customer service

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 8, 2009

Time is reporting on the real-world impact of Walmart's "Project Impact," a makeover initiative that sees the retailer focusing on cleaner store environments…

Grass-roots marketing: Retailer mails hand-written thank you notes to shoppers

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 7, 2009

In Palm Springs, Calif., one retailer is going back-to-basics for customer service, reviving the art of the hand-written thank you note.