Below you will find helpful and relevant articles that we carefully curate for the benefit of our B.R.A. Retail Members almost every day. Be sure to scroll through the most recent article or use the Search/Lookup feature to find topics and keywords related to articles that may help you to lower costs, increase margins or create more remarkable customer experiences.

“What It Takes to Be an Awesome Assistant Store Manager” by Bob Phibbs via Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jun 1, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Service, HR, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training, Staffing

If you’re looking for the top skills to be a good shop assistant or assistant store manager, you’ve come to the right post. One of the biggest stories I’ve not heard talked about is that retail didn’t lose so many associates or managers as shift leads and...

“”Welcome In” Isn’t a Greeting: It’s a Sales Killer” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | May 22, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Opinion, Retail Strategy

You’ve heard it walking through stores: “Welcome in.” A phrase that sounds meaningful but isn’t. It’s retail’s equivalent of a shrug – forgettable and damaging to customer experience. I first noticed it in Manhattan during...

“7 Critical Service Failures Driving Customers Away (And How Training Solves Them)” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog

by admin | Apr 28, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

The scene plays out in one of America’s most prestigious department stores: A customer looking to purchase a high-end coat walks the sales floor for 15 minutes. During that time, not a single employee acknowledges him. Some are busy with their phones; others are...

“Retail’s AI Taskmaster: Technology Turns Associates into Digital Servants” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Mar 26, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, m-commerce, Resources, Retail Strategy, Social Media

I shared a story last month about a visit to Saks where associates were too engrossed in their smartphones to look up at shoppers. A friend commented they had the same experience and when they asked the manager, they were told, “Oh, they’re clienteling.” First, I...

“50 Actions Retail Employees Can Do When They’re Not Busy” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog

by admin | Feb 16, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training, Staffing

What to do when your retail employees are standing around during those quiet store moments?Sure, you’re fine with them taking a quick breather after dealing with a demanding customer or wrapping up a task. We all need that. But there’s still that line...

“How Retailers Are Investing in Their Sales Associates” by BOF Insights, McKinsey & Company via Business of Fashion

by admin | Jan 30, 2025 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, News, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Sales staff have a valuable role to play in connecting with customers. (Shutterstock) Differentiating the in-store experience is key to reigniting demand for in-person shopping, according to the BoF-McKinsey State of Fashion 2025. Brands can achieve that by empowering...