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":"Q38oxw26WHFgRt3pDNurLpRNMXTaHVijp0H\/thZi\/dNjsYgYm6Ee6z+OlXCxnG+zzfWq6jJ2HGk5\/mT+YGnvWeGgM1Q4hQ3O64iNf\/u6XkCcjDMul7sA4xUR7\/I4\/3fpa6DG4wPBtTuWBMtIbx1bPOOKxyvt5JEaFBsmUzVPxLBc6SPeRhTUD\/Mhstvtse0zeH0IRiQYh7\/xcBUjJhhMNRz9UfdQ1yHpOm\/8BkIVJ9CRz\/TdPO0B4+xX\/7PKCRAxluX\/vjqUvQNimSwkw0zSacAbhfRDwZXeMgNfxvF1EJh0lHCgRSuMnNb72hZOeQyFsz\/9Au0fWK1CAXpfjrXI244u05t9g1XNI4bza35ZMaYtKdjIpjBfMVVNSj\/tb4hURot8K4LbH9DHuT+7zRK6ZRq1plxM\/W1p5Wor+3NbjexGZKJ0J45mkpvw8PbCc\/zts3ynhqDNjtWQbpw6p6Pdo066Qk3B4eroKaB06cgrifVbGb6y3HQyTAsFPuAcumEubvbQ7P+RKw\/bk5FDNgtkLGk9BezCKnHBP+I6j4l\/2mUQjSBwSJmQZJAHrKblnaFbIeeoNMR2i9LItFlomhZNYh7EjRx4yiAF4e1hBfeK4OQQZcRaNgGaN\/KvgN3roF3jay+eWeFM5uy3YymGw\/PzIaWwmwJS6Ne192WfL+VG+qNC812cSJYu+E128aUa2vw2tiCXADolUQRodFf\/Cen9IUGmzuNX2XRWbgthlHy2wNWHZEJbnikKaRghDwYtVIrux1SMK4nhNzcggA3Zzfp\/dKp21JLpQGj0ZAEsdZHXEHhvzz1rlt9qSFjAQqMt85tL8f\/ALPOcQwu45mYqMiz\/S+sO3fOlvOsywwxxa7gUq6bDG3VaTjR857HMIYPif0IiB4LdrZJ6b92JFmAbfoEJlpm1uQBRj9zA8nQxaGEvaR6xYgrzUlHfbnX\/RfLbTF6udxS2aWPNnaEqAG0Lh5giz42HA9GtlIiQ9ddfZpw8U0GNZGO40U79tneD2UbeofPW3fcRvP07aKG9BPWg3a\/KzYiFiMc9pIqiu9PXll+det0kVPgswwe0kSqSDP0qIy1R4tGwjqZqj8T3yq5k7YtN0l4eI0wekWKD7EMjulx+xWWgq6sDidnufVYMQF2lovB4u8BLs1JF8reBdAzEMr5AlsFT0kWb0J\/Cd6bz+BOR4JLj\/3jg3VvtXL2gPZlUOo5mnVFOxkLtzTNmrHxPxh+Xc5hWSdYVpS8EfDfphfCYkiEquuy8fqoASJYWdXBN8V740RZLTEye+HaMwGsJrmghF51eK0M9qrmmIm7I+L26D1IHfZEq5ztyV9QynPqpnCxrnbZF\/FqMDeUOqFDUJ6aW\/60iCr1ovSoeBwa1Lj9eV9LNoKBVckc5GdGpt5LcUyPCFeMncQZY4H8t29M0dROnyhz94GBTbFBOiOn9xnVPUuxY1ZNWAoU0DIiLONuXvVFx9mUtn81hSEw5M0dfsZhx8N6MXKDwsUULCBSJh1rkd\/1lbEMsdzpHV+VFabaogUe\/r+NnhK9XbctPzjjJe9SkHS9yOxv2z6XHyr+e3v1cSEpnIrGMDHrMaax7H16aQ+FI+L9XYR7\/\/AwdmHRDUj7w4wgeul5niYIwdPc8GB7YyMw55zRRP8bXmR6ssnhNw3WT+jtiOhI1svmmygL97HS4giJVIXQkH7poJD9g9pJAP6RoTIT1Dv1riHP\/Ei4+CfulNV5gR8CnwVU0YDcd6tROiZJaWxTgEtkOH4HEzhl\/At1\/4VbOFcPqP+GBVJMuYxghArlq\/Wlj2NxvLq58u6ietviuTgnRhDnhVyXsm7o1bLvh4MdLS284VCtfeFCpZ0vor1CndQcdJal+NnuiuJKaE\/GaHYEdR9Yf1GieMt9Eb\/ESQXh2N+sTSHX8llkEdG2iwkyjtIco9aA79yCHenNw+9FXNphZOcrwWmtj4rcBaEbHrR65dXgIjV5cfMcRHtHduYgUPe1fKQUQWS01yMHMT4AwK4KsEOnBekVVpf3\/QCsUCk6L1E7ZRaKoZPbO0yCbgcZVYO1tLCmvfYTVlndRs0W7p36w2Nk\/6dComRK6LuWKna0oGNmJoMFyzi26L2XmiOrdiETiKUflLegxqDQ59QoBTPOtqbh6ejgD0DBGoKYVhplz4fCSSk2A2MB0oFJbkdTP\/FQx2DWnytHA8JV3U3MkHScdphmTljPkkcbFTZHPsx+eWM60xNnDCmkzQ9d2jZRlKv\/RqKLoI5wRWduKd7clYnZRX\/PbqC7z1tF2J0qIU6ZzStiyrwQ0I4\/x9C5gMuiQPbKM33sPkzTqsiBBEm2ahpgTpDDYMBhKAITvDkx+6b2xDwxh8fTHQIcmX5Zm+\/ny00fFKfTx5NK+ylyqBC+H91W9L90bSpyC4h9lyma9VI63iTcAacZmNaSHHt\/5kKXoP\/v+\/6SrgKEllfhQtUeA8zfr0f0s10p2JuL7IxoCYQDyas1np0mMTCFJ75RW8ZiHsWnp3qa6\/VMDdcZyzVgox\/zF1KVNoh\/MyMgUF5N0AjkxBCTn\/M6TtU2rSAPpuxryxftqCNFYmT2jjy5\/Kb2v6BFX6DVq5oUVdrwGM9jYhUf8eiTjxZeqg6MzlyCHGBvZbruwl52A+\/FvqGMhdpqj\/NLKiTQmnpiJbE3ffWvethsNvdpS5EDkyWhjFJQ\/KSshyZOxu3NjcsZTXAK7aszt\/DUU7GA\/QNjoyXe6G7cxMuTbZLrsUsjiX0XlKnu63l9QMpDbTHOUhl2+a06iy2kVq1ZJ7Gtku04XBwu9sS6FfEuuQUeN6ILi2pTqP33LwW8ULEY025gSjc17TzcCZk5KQoUNw2SeH53n7vcZlRKmSNffBZ4j1MBZk0lW7k2AnnTkIwFqUzPz1LD0SCyeihSP2YTgaHaYaKloyypiOIDfxGQTXa9p7nPSTTnSCdUwnta26XZXs++Gb5N7tOw6VQxyy0PaqQRQcy4Q4PSJFtKMCqTNOTVUglJv6t0g4IHZvtLV0wPqHHlT9fVkBaq5SvjlKz7cCR8O0rX+2uM\/0ExkBt6MSI0zMii2Te0uUv+oBughNTdlGaChN3t8fKUQpeVgNnUjUF53uxY2Qst891UDhpxRae41IDjRigg0AUBVinMT+RnrzNwVNeCEoAjHKsXdTQ5V5nXi7FsOCYeqGV\/kpr7zhAM4vsvCf4iYT+H\/V\/AzqCUigJfAlqjdz5OyNGRDlnnPIUGB0DY3jdxZNwpBI9sq56JIZArAplsDNFdfnVsRBmbeCC21E89yMRB7+l99q2L9yH4gvyZEqzt6fP0r7PvTXrP6AkrUE0L4BNud6J05WRyXWqHTMIhRXzj\/yvDzxlcc\/S3WtCsG7lxEUjWb9mjKYnXpLA1HJzOePDvYEmMyPkMYOZMyEeGvfhCT2yy8yp4T3AxlEjcWtiXmcP+excj3VkFgNUHWyY9VPXv7Lor3t2aZLwJnZqchaCdqeyU1GTxO0TtwmBXOqyBoo3nK11JioZNAu0gZ+Tu2S9y\/+2QO9BN4QVHWeOsUNRwKnHE1rg5x5gH7UZueQvBu4A5qGDa6qjhavk\/wOS6tqO+P1F2bOlZ2sgMneHStAhy3bKpEEJ4r+kPuC\/D1OHwZZMTxFy+F2YHi76Jsxz1dtdthMaqlGzpne\/EJtuNXwrJYCcxMwT\/rimnbfV3E9LD7E+QetML3MFhAdztrVd7SPYpm6YSHnIefIJ0z\/R\/47\/GsO6tNLYELLmlWU39cUDdwnki+dOE6MniQ0Na9HLr3tl4ANUymgF1exVC4MCh2xhepDRoXJgOTaGEELy9XCoHxuoQy81dCYo\/eew8N1f\/9fVBbkhwOVLTnyhjBmWfOTcGsxmkvt9EA\/AbrowCmOHU7fledZtdd9MyCOdrlKL8EbcIxG2HRMi+T\/9ZG5JQDs97wjf7vDqV0SXnXf4wq6fHhymG+7WDOaaNSZv3zptPzWmc4jP\/hDHnxvDYzsm8cGyVxrPotcbhslToxdG94B4PxWoaeJPZ0i2LnmB468GehCKljlz4Fp3nKWoxE1cC6TN6vfDA2frfNH\/K8AUWeG0NOG5dCqu1GtQBD5j\/4LC9paj0p+J6FzMDlzbdcLLmHpaP3\/rTF+8oC7\/yxWhnlIACVp1o7y1dtpMICSNfL9Nqx245tl3oNGppKBnU8yQRnK9Q28JjrvPB9oVNJaMOkeAPs6uJ8N4QtHy6XHc47UePTia2te3As+vCXQNhx93jI0QA25aDoXb4mjuDyjkA8utDpD2hmu5jAd3iI2achBp0NdpF5lJj3tWYTb5WDXPn7\/5Y9157XAWHQdsWddt3AUrX9HMRlYvGMZhjsqDVwoX8WlFJoAotsw8oug5bDmcORcdIjXwAdB9RU+P40i9q4SF9B78oUsxbx4HaSw3tbXdU4FyRjsVKWRse0Jsuuh83tFCtOQMXF5ikRnMH3h60Opw0p4quHEzIO9\/7UROv66OfDtGvm06WsPF85X2Olm+tNy6Rwai9zLiPfNKFhVdFZGEzQJclF06RSjnZI5jRpwROqzgxxhbph\/aIX3Oj5HhAMN+ln7rRp8J7nUc+qxV5uBUPkBopixDTTR3gKDHuncV5okRoRTQ9Er03HmlV+utLP3sPRwIs72RTm72ojs+Y2xrOdQSBmCTQk1yU2Cjm50VoyvwmD20xzafq3KmRjTx7WxEJADbkKsyEGO9ZXV9cokuhuXCvce4T8SQFduYGTwF+Oi+ir4GxEFwkcG68XmjO+VXeie3GZtmOGuy0t0iMjSKJsA8HR0UrFKatcMoe7BEb6AoPkhEgqxQoZGzW+EXOdDyJlMPsGQrVjwYM61HsymhCUBMrZwgef0T+zBP\/99Nw2EtguDHiMJA6yhdILcDzm01x\/+gIzhKgQZ9x7DB+FAlLOMTXDElsXlyHImPypfU3OGm\/ACzTloDxivCWbtmieW+veSJEbWwjy0eXhXRsa0cWaSY\/+mo3XbI5i4NKFEe98VbfnifHxGgo3a4lD6+ZU\/WiCvrKWdSfFEx4ccFQkD7cU+x9lh2UUtGtR\/lURsMP4Arhd8JPGssk9E0+U7FAjxNbY3Qxk9D2EuN3Y59PyjolYgIVu9nwYBd3wnfm7G2fyk8JWCaXE5tCGyMucm3NBHzZNf+nFZEVxfH5seQEAGHedgJxGqMHg0RlKP6qZNILqAGgsG+G\/FObtM1dNNSUbws9JyYc9g91OD2GgTmRRUZ\/fLcg5Zku\/rwJpQ9gov1HkUuuJlk23hYayeYXtIDPV4J1B83NS6mS+rX+HJ+tfD3QxBGNh8p1SaKFSvB01zzqb9UQjQkImp4ciiOhthGbsxdGRESguyKLgwqVa7\/B51D0rVtHl6Yn0glFaPikHPCXBlTdmNf+52l6HDdyzn53vcdaCBkwwqAOgeNgUoYC4IW9eIaUc7HvjW+2OjICjBm+Ct6xpTr\/om4oD9hU7PrK66dIaraI+ChGsi7XA6V2XnHdAqsULZ1Sk4IvVmesKMmHyClpddn1urXwOeEj1LWgg6Hf6wsMHu+9qrmYBhULESEQXrxu7ZuGwOezrjfVBhOtAwNWk\/7BH1jwyqx+NPg3pInyoKXLlbqQLJ7Wj\/H6egwKdjbJo8kOOe1oZTObXtt\/V8gOYu57c\/FvUVtJq0k1BvAi11eZPANEZmzvfryrbAMrllZbsS3uf\/sp36KWMqcKa3BKpqw0\/hnuSvAGYKMHhTwFitoq6\/Sh1pbmeKvhp3KAo5JULldiFLnI7iAbA7bk7isKUBtKuZnO+tGHx1lbVxojPr69TYH7ifjRsuvYcAt\/70Wg8jIkSCwZZ4\/Vb+VvlXdK6N8wnS65IfuVHi7JyJAtVK9J02axmrA+7TVXuHk42sExYX5cs8x3ZKRgCLngI+YdJvSLHuLDlk2ELb+zrB0seZQxoKFq6tZSxDgL\/kexiDQBYckNQR7kZwyM9FWNm2tb5VKrzFJmrSI1Igm1+2vwv98UDcpzLmhYy0tHSsyfihFeDoRHCeyE8wHfCjrPuUagfK8QZ6jfaSRNhbD0P+EpaM6o1r70zq4EpjfsO626S17RC8F9jAmaS+3xqOhDeDihv7aLx4rHlLqJn4\/h2RbCMoMeUwtQW28dskz7MUFNDJ6NgM0pydLO8jWjIMzqi\/WSggXZh97uKFM6WfeDm6STbcTedqbpqYNC120ioIeP0+FhKMOTgKd4AD\/760Lj4yXeQdteU3CRoCNU0cj5wLE6bVVHjnuAV1iJWo4sYcW1C6Sn335on3yW6DJRMhMdeykeU3FRIJwl5Cm4NNUzMcoH3BHHty15mkVqZN\/EpRF5F6lD9DIPWcBJ0towu+0ppifKHRbZJb4q9LMBd1z8PBzcE4OhFoYp3aR+jtaJKPmAuIh\/IvnDEtwdzKUpFzjhxlncRIYU3BaQ9nfDzmm57is7yptVTt\/SQoUxYS\/BfPIrAR381DHh+8yowTTsyparWOcGpbpMk1Yi49W3Gslinl5AxHV9r47NdsOQQfRtroiFZ6wozaiWlKhGvySuZsuaB9WHgIc1f9cniKXdTX2hOMdvSKkSYZbSgD3DKbve2mlOESIxALTjCAyoyzHJmG+EMrF4KI2VkvNd0+C60ZngxFj+ynMC1Aio30oeEcYVNNgLtBu60p7UDqm7qKlxa6F1l805ZjqPBWho4XAMsRr3DA7UueQWEFeV14pzhwzbD\/UVEYa1jNb1ShpVwpLvYzpPcYs5mwBBUptGBgtHSVdEE0p1PNjrGgTn+nTLkrn9rxIvaZqxJHM4HZktNCfrgdwxVhGJcggw+jmvEneMyPRPl7O5QQSW++7ThhRBInUEX+KJNmd75yvbsZMu7Qi\/0Co5BUsQljx4fww7jp6LL2ncDGujmf95Ku1JAEbcoT62hud86cjTS8yNVJ6FJHi78oufm\/n4clb0TsJOI5Fu5BBupGwbSzHcRL70ZOXZncbKQaFTr8HQVrd1qLaBC4i53qJCW6P1QUHe+eAqTNu5bTfLT6SqyuoytLfuTGp2FcrL1lVBdcg8szSndEVbcJCXSzJM36YCE93GjQSoW7ruwn9qC\/Pmu4E0wnvDYe6ZtPaaNQhGCIeAQQHDPKmRhcHbKzxsyfn6jEAyBmsr3kdnUdZzuDc8NP+gKJV4cXxeJgJHZSsGKvUxJUgd6QleYu4sa1oG747i6N8vgjj0SFgJFVds+Bf+R8NSjLn2EJei2XHepWS2ZyqB\/o96TiKhcbXQxcbZDx9SQSEaqKE5XIFtrHsWdXGNpcaC+Uy5PsvtwBR8TGXpNoG\/yGzfVom4XeHevw\/38n0vZGDNYZRA9OQpLGvYfFy6FCyKKsA6WkGONh5UYTD6ov8LRFUhuDXn0i6AT7T6WZLKa8UkeRs12gFhktCynE4JcoWOQJUacCE\/gLTXXbUUdopV++ZSvGxx2Li\/uEmnGvwiRCFsqvhi\/I+T8UUJ4D9XP25x1ZYGXx8CogOvPf3i3VqxzPiLHxGNDbUg0dowecGpXx9TFcg8\/\/cC\/qoBUi5RKKImR61ez7O3hOUrtcDjsLB63frKftVrSu4NBpBvd4omXsPv7gF3y2UYur4JqdJGpQf2RvZRO949GRjix9ld5QXM6CQOq4RESGs0TupTMsftB3ZLVboxgT6fKBEVFzKj2eYzSC2vS\/+N0YVYHurMIp86sGQgJJIgpWOZiRnhGkzlvO\/vhuVtiSbpglmDhhTOMLik\/vdbfT64VElEUFiO3BApVfkag7XkM9xL7CFPrDf0tf9N5u1YEI7cUlTubObKSig47geS88s7xPTPshtCUvFjb32sJgNpFBPU88\/v84SmC8yq0Ba6edgrd7qMsvUbzw+bWbHU7kalruO26wDLs8X1+lRNhxQ6NjJLBa3rjGnpBtv3Y8o+\/q0wblRFj0nW8Bc4Tde5sUnlk9YD6RezGi7GXyTziSzMePrL22Bsiarvx0Ty+gp8cnYYOKeubH67mJLTMMrFiakiaJEltMPFbArATWxiy1cSn3F1VjIxVwsHaYvvTO1iwe0pwFNRb8UMgs0cJcKqY45dol0FDRiNMSrD4+ZIxVLR2ZFreVSfnacqTR\/nN8bdgnxIpvhsDNCaVEnaO4RAyCUfwzHuFu5s6Ey4eSJgO7TlJYunCzGUvZfAB3jj+Qzd53L21EGmPD7GeLk6+u81eluXMxZwLmzohZQajNh1lDNGV2dj4X7kyaqmuEHkeddqCEwmmGNvgyH+44U69Kzb1++gD2JVO9G6zf\/oyHyLQov+1s\/TFLwo1E9DFLRgQ7Q53MALWK+qKd8j1Qg==","iv":"1808bf961cfdf168ebbc3fdac601ccae","s":"4a3625428516d028"}
Share your thoughts. Click here