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":"1b9270b4314c7ff81c3cebe29c273588","s":"52b553a529f88a17"}
Share your thoughts. Click here