Retail
February 5, 2019
Sales associates need to take a more nuanced approach to customer service. Image credit: Printemps
By Sarah Jones
NEW YORK – The way in which consumers interact with sales associates is evolving, calling for more relationship building to maintain the relevance of the crucial frontline store staff.
{"ct":"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","iv":"78299c18947a80fb4ed2821c03aac0e2","s":"d0b07b4b26098898"}
Share your thoughts. Click here