Webinar to explore hiring, employee theft

February 11, 2014

On Thursday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. ET, Retail Customer Experience will host a live webinar, "Worth the Risk? How Hiring Assessments Can Catch Rising Employee Theft…

Five requirements for improving employee performance for store growth

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

From the headlines coming out of last month's NRF Big Show, it was difficult to tell if retail stores were "running scared" of e-commerce, or very optimistic…

The future of retail: Death of a salesman

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Like most people, at least a half-dozen times a day I consult Google for answers. Some of what I search for is trivial, "bet-settling" sort of stuff but there…

Using customer feedback as an advantage

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

Customers have always had a voice, but today it is louder than ever. Great companies want to hear from their customers. They want their feedback, opinions and…

More than a lost sale

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

During a store visit I got a chance to talk with a young woman I consider an excellent sales person. She delivered very engaging experiences and seemed focused…

Five customer service tactics to increase sales

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

As you read this, you may think this article could fall under the heading of sales tactics. I respectfully disagree. This is all about customer service, as it…

Your staff inventory and 2014 development goals

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

Hello again and Happy New Year!

Three ways to improve local customer experiences during the post-holiday rush

For many retailers, the post-holiday rush can be just as challenging as the holiday shopping season.

5 ways to a customer-centric contact center

Your contact center is often the first introduction - or the last straw - a customer has with your company.

Retailers commit to 'Customer Bill of Rights'

December 10, 2013

On Monday, a number of large retailers met with the Rev. Al Sharpton, and agreed to publish and abide by a Customer Bill of Rights. The meeting, and the…

How to win with holiday shoppers, in-store and online

by Gary Edwards — Chief Customer Officer, Emathica

Fourth-quarter retail sales can make or break a brand, since anywhere from one-third to seventy percent of annual retail sales occur between Thanksgiving and…

Is there a strategy for customer loyalty?

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

We often think of customer loyalty as something that the customer does or is responsible for to the business. But, real loyalty begins when the business is…

The one word you need to know when it comes to holiday returns

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

What’s the right way to handle holiday returns? Cheerfully.

Three tips to improve local retail customer experiences during the holidays

by Gary Edwards — Chief Customer Officer, Emathica

It's that time of year again. The holiday retail shopping season is upon us and scores of consumers are headed to your brick-and-mortar stores in search of…

BBC report: Working at Amazon could cause 'physical and mental illness'

November 25, 2013

BBC reporter Adam Littler recently went undercover as a warehouse "picker" at online retailer Amazon. He brought with him a hidden camera, and set about…

Why customer loyalty isn't a 10-step process

Many have tried, but you can't develop a simple 10-step list for building loyalty. 

How to survive your first holiday season as a retail manager

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

When I was in college, I worked nights and weekends in a department store. I was there for the the guys shopping on Christmas Eve and for the after-holiday…

OSHA reminds retailers about crowd safety issues during holidays

November 18, 2013

In advance of the holiday season, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is encouraging retail employers to take…

Make sure your associates are not practicing survey coercion

by Jim Joseph — President, Lippe Taylor

Last week in my class at NYU we discussed consumer surveys as a market research technique. They are a tried and true approach to getting feedback or getting to…

President Obama reportedly supports $10.10 minimum wage

November 11, 2013

Reports surfaced last week that President Obama supports an increase in the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, from the current $7.25 an hour. This…