Improving your culture by sharing your story

by Andrew Sharpe — Retail Strategist, BRANDSPANK

Over the past few years the concept of "storytelling," from a marketing and branding perspective, has gained tremendous momentum. To someone like me, I see…

NRF says jobs bounce back after slowdown

May 2, 2014

The National Retail Federation issued the statements below from President and CEO Matthew Shay and Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz in response to the April…

The two sides of customer service training

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

Understanding what it means to deliver great customer service and being the type of person who can deliver it are two very different things. Anyone can read…

Speed and quality: Must they be mutually exclusive?

by Jeannie Walters — Chief Customer Experience Investigator, 360Connext

Speed vs quality: Which is more important to your customers? And what impact does each of them have on the customer experience?

Is the Apple retail model right for your company?

by Kristen Gramigna — Chief Marketing Officer, BluePay

With more than 9,000 stores at its peak, Blockbuster enjoyed a competitive advantage that no rival could duplicate. But with the ease and convenience of online…

Retail lessons for today, learned from PBS' Mr. Selfridge

It turns out that what was true 100 years ago in retail is still true today.

Creating a differentiated experience that customers actually enjoy

Too often, unfortunately, retailers' differentiated customer experiences blend together in a sea of sameness.

What are you looking for: The cure or the story?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Seth Godin is one of the most prolific writers and users of social media on this planet. He also writes very catchy headlines, like this one that caught my…

Webinar - Cash in on Hiring Tax Credits: How to get $1,200 back for 1 out of every 5 new hires

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 Tax deadlines got you down? This tax season (or September), start getting money back instead of giving it all away.

How to create a drama-free store

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

Staff drama can have a negative impact on morale, the customer experience, and sales results. Unfortunately, retail is essentially a petri dish for drama. Lots…

Customer service goal: We don't want you to come back

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

Do you ever get the feeling that some business' customer service goal is the keep the customer from coming back?

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.

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.

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.

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…