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.


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...