What not to do when you lose a customer

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

A business owner's worst nightmare is learning they've lost their best customer.

NRF to host second virtual career fair

March 25, 2014

The National Retail Federation today announced it will host its second Virtual Career Fair, designed to connect students and young professionals seeking…

How to make a better wireless store experience

Expectations of wireless carriers continue to rise, not just coverage and pricing but also the in-store experience.

Retail roundtable: What could Radio Shack have done differently?

Is this once-great retailer going to go the way of Circuit City?

What retailers can learn from the hospitality industry

Transforming culture requires a shift in focus, where friendliness and helpfulness are emphasized as much as efficiency.

Three ways retailers should prepare for the 'Internet of Things'

Retailers must prepare now for the changes that are coming. Here are three ways to get a head start.

US consumers twice as likely to share a bad service experience than UK counterparts

March 14, 2014

New research from NewVoiceMedia reveals that U.S. consumers are twice as likely to share a bad customer service experience than those in the U.K., whereas…

Training retail employees: What is your ROI?

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

"What if I train my retail employees, and then they leave?"

Six questions to get actionable feedback from customers

It's important to ask questions, but it's also easy to ask questions that lead the witness.

Your data is only as good as your perspective

by Adam Toporek

Great customer experience strategies must inevitably be formed around good data. Even for smaller organizations that might not have the data quantity or…

Voice for the customer: The impact of internal customer advocates

Customers need someone inside the organization who is constantly fighting on their behalf.

Six ways retailers can increase their conversion rates

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

While many retailers ask how to attract more customers, the better question is how to increase your retail conversion rate.

How to turn customer service best practices into standard practice

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

It was just another day of travel. I was flying to Las Vegas, the night before I was to present another customer service speech. The client had arranged ground…

UK consumers less tolerant to poor service than US counterparts

February 26, 2014

New research from NewVoiceMedia reveals that U.K. consumers are less tolerant to poor customer service than those in the U.S.. Coupled with findings that they…

Five ways to rev up your retail staff

by Barbara Crowhurst — Retail Business Coach, Retail Makeover

Perhaps the biggest challenge retailers face is finding good people to staff their stores. In today's environment, it's hard to find skilled people who are…

The myth of motivation in retail and the customer experience

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

Years ago I had an incredibly talented retail associate working for me. He was smart, charming, a fast learner, and one of the best salespeople I ever met.

Lowe's to hire 25K seasonal employees

February 19, 2014

Lowe's announced today it plans to hire approximately 25,000 seasonal employees at its stores in the United States during spring, the busiest time of year in…

Why retailers need to keep a laser focus on the customer

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

I spent the first 15 years of my retail career in operations, i.e. working in and ultimately managing stores. Those years gave me invaluable first-hand…

Your price is too high!

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

These words strike fear into the hearts of CEOs and salespeople like no others. The reality is that this is the one statement we should long to hear. Why?

Five tips to make the most of your Valentine's Day retail experience

Only 54 percent of Americans are planning to celebrate Valentine's Day this year, compared to 60 percent last year.