Can 'digital associates' create a personal experience online?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

In my last blog, we discussed a major difference between e-commerce and retail stores. Online retail is very effective and efficient IF you know WHAT you want…

Marketing faux pas

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

Eric Spitznagel, in his SFGate article Memorable marketing flip-flops, highlights the errors of some well-known, well-respected brands.

Retail's new industrial revolution

Cashiers aren't going to become executives ... because soon, there won't be any cashiers.

How one three-letter word can create a personal buying experience

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Much has been written and continues to be written about the battle between online e-commerce and retail stores. If it is only about lowest price, game over.

This is the most popular customer service question ever

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

“How should I compensate a customer for a service or product failure?”

Five ways to raise your retail associates' conversion rate

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

Brick and mortar retail stores face the daunting challenge of getting their retail associates to convert customers who are lookers into ones who are buyers.

Make love not war: Tips on how to embrace showrooming

by Christopher Hall — writer, self

A customer experience expert discussed his showrooming strategy at DSE13. 

How to apologize to customers without alienating employees

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

In customer service, the key to an effective apology is to convey to the customer at the outset that you’re willing to take his side and share his viewpoint. 

The low costs and high returns of 'fresh customer service'

Fresh customer service demystifies the process of attracting loyal, happy customers who return again and again.

Bank of America's CEO: Brave or naive?

by Colin Shaw — Founder & CEO, Beyond Philosophy

I have seen so many proclamations like the one Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America sent to his 270,000 employees recently stating they needed to improve…

Stage, actors, script: Great theater and retail

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

One only needs to peruse the retail headlines to see the wide ranging discussion on the importance of customer experience in retail. In IMS Retail University…

Giving shoppers what they don't know they want

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

The National Grocers Association and Supermarket Guru released some teaser facts from their Consumer Panel Survey that will be released at the annual…

An amazing customer experience from TSA?

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

Last Friday I was in line for security at Logan airport. I noticed that there was only one agent checking IDs, so I figured this was going to be a long and…

HMV sacks employees, forgets to change the Twitter password

January 31, 2013

HMV's Twitter feed got a lot of attention today, but not for any reason that the company can be happy about: Angry employees that were being let go in a "mass…

New Amazon fulfillment center brings hundreds of jobs to Cali town

January 23, 2013

Amazon announced yesterday plans to open a new 1 million-square-foot, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Tracy, Calif., creating hundreds of full-time jobs…

NRF: Walmart CEO's three-part plan for change

Local sourcing and a guarantee of jobs for veterans are at the core of the retail giant's 2013 strategy.

Walmart CEO: We will hire any honorably discharged veteran

January 15, 2013

NEW YORK — At this morning's keynote at the NRF show, Walmart CEO Bill Simon announced that beginning Memorial Day, Walmart will offer a job to any honorably…

When retail associates hold their head up

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

During a panel discussion this morning at the NRF 102nd Annual Convention & EXPO, the conversation turned to hiring and keeping employees that are willing…

Natural Insight intros retail task management platform

January 9, 2013

Retail technology company Natural Insight announced its iPad-based in-store task management platform was successfully deployed at dELiA*s' more than 100 store…

Ten ways Zappos.com creates happy employees

Getting a job at Zappos.com today is more than a dream for many; it is a one in a 100-person opportunity.