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":"G5PNDrUx0yPNfHy0onGCcv75sJr557AEzs\/XOpG2047In8FOwZGXMsbHPn6vD3XHWF6SF1SiAsgjrKF1bNQVNqZjoy59WvOl1\/6HmXnN1qDI+kxAWEjviC2Xm7QYtPkwZBmNhyy+1bQ0mYB7dG8gCNq1IDIMhYdpRmu+9zPgo0FWiI7BCEaQF2Acek0qUHvJSTOZVg6XlI\/WtgievTTTPpNAsULQpEbot70wUKVxEsCHc4LhpskpgxBZ\/mdEYcs8oelRM1PxWs6WHk4fOElWn9JKfO438c\/KomVqPeb8qlvPUot2VJEJkCdM6yxw7BoHIeGUolJG22qNNiONMsptuSy0xFsZX0Il9SglJtk1QSisIKcASBsmx9SxednobFb\/aga4E96gGuKoAUNHSYjJy1nzdciWNMoHpuJYYs8tFCyPOsQetOn\/E3GzZSlwbO6v0i78nLQTmGr53yh4C3QzAje8Cttg+Wj13PYA3JKK2Lb9AsfFl3uA+xh2Q2Hm46BQF4kUilGFcj0XZ0yPD\/znYdh1c8TYEf9HFH8Q3eqXQN+SrKMX0pfzk+8xKS8Ef3CFXzcrxMatojnldbcudajOtCCo7LFZnL8ZUcby+wlxlkgjAbZ8ZoBLhBdi3tDZOxCYcD2rSWOAW21908FmC7pvEoKLuO3qwl2GGUtMk7AE4dN5Dfh58V85Ulk94bamqbYZ+pWvclO+k13Ox9eGuvly3IvrHPHVMJrpBQoaU2QQPFdSZQpmKpGj2n33OulIP4o1Ea0KH1gP7TwLG1Lq2OEg6xu8yFIZD1unkVkq6zrbtQHrFrHBPizXzR21vYH9XsttRxH23+NmnrGuuf7SN\/h+Z6d3iuYA2NZawml+cBPsahPzLcl7\/slVXKa7tA6sov6\/9Jjjhge7gIdV1CfnRen7+BvtSPfCb2iuWlqJFY07J9OhKOIW0FDF\/kAf45XdWfyfpcZDT7+tt5keIWy5eSOevYcwiBVrScLobduswhh+LBMVk5GdHopnG8+ohWpocd6gAulzlBJiDpqj6Vf8dF+LNFTksSbI0DxADfZqBqDGms09iQn8Fw+7i3yW\/J5jXE3AzB1VdpgZkF5euQqpPB4QDnhOExjhUzLXcLmZO67enRbDK7YnFn67Xr9vxw8w5KP8bpa0GFrLaHWfBMs6atMduNfz7egjQFqaAccynvDWWiDvRw\/dUQ5hPKNPXOezrgTfcXQM2Oa6YfF1G7OppiaRZMMYtSf\/fUd\/hP4BevZhRNoPc2wZiNopQmklC0zjttk8yjaYB+rr0Iu5d9KdFiQoVp0a39W9SY74PxF33y9ZoDf0V+vLqYu90+oktXU5UT6zcYZGG9H+W\/dKmtF3AEBKqaknRe+QbwScD5vXaZIaMyd8pk4AW8wNisPZ8K8bCSq+RHbCm3n0VUPTYyb++k5Av3U\/k0qj5aIEmqBQH+4Rj1Gi2WrFVDSGEI89qcGxt1SvENtft5fc0O9niMIWr57l+xZtTyFA94pgMyfPKsLCbmRkJw+XE576IAPEESletjsPPXlnJQzyxxelPss2ayJHPnbsdNdJPZEcsqAMIKExG7TU\/XP\/dm2bFRaeyrW+e3fICH6FuBBpyTLzW6VdVqw5xf0DWH+Br778KIEP6qKQjjlTRr+k34YkxFBUHbHPFq3s84QvrYXNc6Gpojrwp3wLjoqN47Vjjg4XnPPQ7gF4gYXWQs181kp+ODJFMknthopsKFHxZrdzg8XHs8g14Q\/fkUt5+MNEAoBdNqwl7ehAnAOJhfNqC5S84br7WC1nYS6KRC9jnfVPMS\/eHm7K3eHRH7JNUMpaj4zXwAzQGNs5R0lgPTgEtD1N91Nz5a0vG8dNKebw6oYiWh7YVnf5VEyr4BdiViSP+4UyvLi6imyXou5ehPB\/YB2ozojWynHiHELmVDwdBEw9CLVq8XCzNMzvHRoQnvQRnxFOMcdFwVNqCIo5Krud1NZMMJwTSZxEK8zEhZf3ee9Ph5zDEcsNt79HiN1w3g+W1f9gysFXW4iVJfhhU89w9OWXf8rWmlQIAkjIZ9h8xLmLHnBFvlx\/W9ASwYPbh95XTeS08jBt60Xy\/TDxIdVr4D4f2108HHD+KxvJfe\/wnNWrisWkhXYSYEAomnBGs+jDHOW5ALB1Zcd7olC4iwlm009HbdPUooIuWomlX11d4eOxiWrck6GozwSyeLZ0ShFcKkAgPXSgrkuljHGWgZbE9eAiP5coEbJF\/lu2nngjYkylepqt\/uKySnzPWmma9nLRcEOhgEiH525TmrBCkb0MyJ8bbIWM2ox7\/\/e2UTbuySdkGAhyPr8PHH+gpap6+qp64aWbyl\/HL5wniHJT\/cH7XpBmBWEKm24pfwZuKx7uczmZNi2KZ\/rLwzvjV13rmb3CIuF5h9\/wu4xBqWowCBIJ\/jzxQ5SGK58ySxUhyRFpLgsoMIHbKXsbYO8qtWyhBPDj9ufMMEFLi9fxyU5xRlQZk1M6Ltsl3hyZDpvBC84gXpo4MlYR0J\/9moP7XceW30vsX\/2+cSwsde33qxK1L5RLk+hZHZl1H+TMwsj2N3On0GzC\/24fBhyzQMMTGkxWj8MoJ+6omv6weWoyDZG\/fhxjQ\/pcOi7gOVoXrSN4QZDk5UHdE2LlTVUhvLJhDIZjvWc9jMGCtgOzOgbuRgXkxXLIEFYQxpRkrSsGYeYWfeW8r534sWtUp+9NxYXr6\/mEJNNt2jgQHmeBpxIZqVsJtShgAEsRkKaaseQ7nX0AL87vuEKHzep5dv7VpORugvgUlKb1U2TGyoQwxEllLXSSG8b3jgi9uN+ddDKnJ4MpmAy3syePNUnQ\/mOuZxxLVo8B3k+ry1ussEmCTEj8GeNMNGpRMM9P3wYf+iCQRCYH+XSxErV19n+CpVomR3hkctiaCC05U+qcyTwqr3f5fvLdJkof5WVA2il\/L4iSJKNAYnOfQ5A08N\/cpDqcZFJz0AVv9+WNzuCj64YHfodEDRGUfFHicqi4jLJgGik7lOqGuGCq+v2tt2z92+5Vh3vOGTeVFUxTa\/6qe5U65HPnlAC8T7bphU5yRtn7laSUfzlYsCkciUq+RezNfUFQybawaVmX\/tZWKqIHz1CujEI3kOIYEbAYFpF7l2PjJ9OwEcvOuGTAK7iqJ9CPZ26s7hix5qocvYiZUnX8\/evwaGxvh6Yo0VmYOcwFa29EakHIQCY0VC13y6Te+OqLkvrzOuXv\/TgYbxUfYc552rB7Bq3WzKHK7sGh3lU\/yKETJCRdijWF78DIt4TrbtMC2T87is4y1CKIapQezFLr4bT2ZoXWNf5aWBXiTtWVD\/j00I7LG+YIlruikwv8hJZziLdpDUIs2EmMU9wQmQ+CsLc5jM61WTczIz4lBI\/qeU1fdSPmhp4widyLKoNjb\/C0YaAL0I\/ZBMg1XYT8ZhQbp4ubqYaZXVFsbMyva0d8KHUBrS\/82wZvrLNzgrFwXsX0yFn5Sr\/djRGznnELsVScbFu+KmhIr9h\/iT+8V2hbVY+aBEKBY0irutvGSAlLsCcrtq\/ljHkPqtcPpXKyU8aiCj\/3yVcy\/s5svfLJTVjV4fqvFUtgL9RHHblLka3ziYeiXXZItGEV5uv6\/q+lq9k4JTaHXytmMdimrdbby73ctGcVQB2OMYLo+ZKvwPq5GFt0UX+s70IYoVVDcRBwYLj1tQ6hzt934nX2Ngse7oTcXCQee8U6AAg+oYYU4CjnP05IOe+gLZFEa7z\/RAA1GtmpR8\/QHTAB3LEDn3iY00vh5apPKyNPNrmmKm+\/tUNItBF2zwfUI4Os3aZ\/kaNX+FH9FzXRyvwozpg3HK2XhuSbT2MPyAiUjKE6kzPBAYoVXbgUjO6ZpHCTJJcD6FNqqIRANAaON16wAzThbUgqelOyLwTmA8\/8Ly5XH5Tk7NpsvIoRy1FC9KC+JxKoEQtGH0nQtMTK\/Ossl3Es91A3b\/NxOAicElo3e\/dO\/FivNP11T0fAaeoTWKE3eDPAdk4dOYIUfiT8CAm\/nW058wMcdiMqYbZmo7GN6EuTIgrzk4KCfMjOSCzunV03p5JQNkmsglf+mMKrcJgQ1opcVNFE2D60qwt+mn1+37xofXcqB0gef23uhoqIhs7wzYR6wTOk5DgQcV6vowzQM7OBMxsSBBD6yjY90Zrj90lynfEF5qbkZUSbYlKK6+5IaOS3hm0tP4LPzjBQIpMd4d\/6H1\/r\/L+n3tnyGoQEUJF4JoYSFuedrqRXIt3LCNfdIpdlcBYGeme6KAlQsMHqyJ2RJ4howlVJyshR7CsJSdTRzhCv58tBfdZ6QOO+ygHIKxgQYq95HGcaaopzxWASHErPALxLC1M7Gjz363sSfCVsbhipm\/u8ihk6wrM25IA1lJGnFw3Cbn317ihHBRUeZ8H2OyiN6c\/bALi+kRd+5+OarmWxGEUHXwdYKm+tdU9DwEjI+RoHDZFxdhSvVay1xbH3gPHPhjQxKX\/qAp35KueQtj0fjF1pzUQxlaYeCDQm7cHYCdyRlBQOQYCZyWj+1jgIARqkpjtIk24uwlbbiN4QmMwz7oJXQRVkEwN68fTXEcMICVSTs+rosOhCj9\/H3qDTVX5hHWFxGe6nkZiJ\/WALaGaNCFHJxHVTzFrSyEi0RS+1Hh5qema3meZcV35jAuYsCwakItKjRYyLqQimai2OxxRBjWhl4AF2JIEUCv8Yf8x+9YKOxRd8DdYuWSCq5BT7KZjuGi4Hs3B1XA5ACd3kQ+gyFQo8WExsWf2I+77jDOPHm6vKrYZXSfLcmnNG0uyroXxF+iB0ZsZf7QH8k960XumJKdiKVVSiFW\/jsDPrv6c6ht\/bOSkj9SEi4QsqdYiP5RvgPr\/pOAEpRMS70SzfD2+zQRt7Ue+36np49vcjhnwYBi7U8nx\/Ud+J+ohsd9FMmhaDeq026qyKG+T8YsCebBz2O8OmDl8D0Pka8XKrIw2WwTNU4V2Q\/9fktWOMRcC+Kg4boYkg4NwadDN8XnQ408lTfYt29tPMOLAMOvLDO\/QNu9WH4z8KSWiO5ILtJWuFifJfIppQn7zC4nl0s6DmDmGQ0vLswT+tTeWOkbZcx2CGu0mZp03PdErgHSyVO81+4rbIrbKq7oQXy3kG68SksSCB4aZBhxcB3OGJavBzfVIp+mSnTdYf5VkhxH86C2uA9R7QGrmaUyeaovv63CNVTuyLlXrpsRiZBRDDTGQewJXAkLVxNrElIaOMnC3BGvsd+theM83vbt3du2i1P7SO8KT+jre5UYUoTImc3WaiK5\/3QS1TAUXtV5JobsFNuTmOv3z+ERyJpoN2ot87ew6qhvCpxWqrqA\/G47jAafD2HsqHB+FJ5lc6hSPHEu3CkRAHJAzuw\/Wz0LjH+9dHL2U3Z8umbw\/d0rwv9OZvtBr5l5giSK2Ff4N6hXroU1YIe9QeP\/n7AwpmHSgfRT9wQRWUGqpXKOiDUjmOf0997mdxrEDJBFe0Uy5WMXwBn++zR01UdJUC6beMdGSlFO2TKtnK4PaH\/+9D8YVrZQ\/2T2EBZc06YY8ErtRwi0Ylmal5BIXGDU9jIeLNuO+\/F0vgWHiVgd6tiLJoTXdYlxwI\/zZRljpbBlOc5CVPl16IhkDTGAPXIK4MFToAl+P86DZZWO35LCB0JDmBPkyV+deY\/nJrNfMQMLX+S9beWRRlhKVOTLpOwKsmj+lN148GQ5Ov7cooTgjooSarFgWh2+6OIcBTt0BpmL4s9pbarz1QkyZmF03P7AaqZbiWM\/sJLnsrG\/L8uKiI9YqQEWS0GRkvmivzXQaeO7typuQl4BvTlqL51CUd7qdfBQpOeWcSZWfUnGAoxjMB4gGhzOm2UZ6uj+uV7Tigg82pWDbJRICemealA7iAxeeAeNBWXoFbNfyChSlHqleZFMLEeyLov+XuKlpxh51eWFRkaKpW25jiFdiSSmkxGftA5Jj9VI9eMMLSgS9RWRpjqOfrcdsPdAXmakmRoAdSdvwXxNX+0CIuB6KzyDghMmGCN6fumtff8O9UZtZfRvEMjqtiNYZOqH\/ZLiVjzB\/mNE1Q+FbhMCMTbAqBM\/hSGHmhjAliNn+dVMfcyOCPM4oRw7zdQUmdMElO+ivS67bcY4vHcMrVO29ZOvv4J5RLnt9Yuc9Ib1cVkNIdjEfxuSqIiHXC5EY3TQclMLS\/KyZsoypNeRgj6txmwQ+2zrd\/NiJ55XjOjFLhcMp7StLf2Gb\/j\/TBdZC1yrMd13AogdxAom+2j3WvloHM2g20UVV3cyJ6jaOLIWVkuQMt5mgYTPIKZXho\/ky59G8mDch\/uKrvsrQEo0sBIBmZEnP6+x+RNh2CSlzeZ30rm767e1k1sjwsUSFZUU+xHQdOyeSpo0fPBgYXPDT3P2pbDesH\/s60E4ugRp70Ptfv74wVcTemDIhO48KlK1YDszDxhk800GzJFRzTRh5miiumNMcu7EGhj1zh1cGgsfUI23ElN0zsj3CRRHRWFhT6TVB6x8CVBpQb8wMUYDNcs27zCWwxqNlKiwgDvbho6dhDdyuiFfk9EzAlsoumiiWGqtFRrRloFRpUQncpwD8bidohwKdFcUveKD8FdWLvAzuzFOZQvReMQoNa214SXSXVYlrt4P9y2vTCS7rQPbOcOwbA8l2rCw47a10oAM\/btN6FnmYXcqP3OD17HMX5xsnZ7FY\/sJytRi8q298+cCWkeP2Tsbze9fDp+X34BL7Vu2MEXw+Iau9cxueyH6Jbn8mBAGWkkBDAiy6qoyYG3DpIk+bfGNyqwWpuQMCdcBPUP\/Cl86HAVE9O7h73QwDRgDo4ef8QHNrAInxLEW88DCHymcKEOM4DcUPxyuUX1Y6ZlkcIi+rGRbll14QGPZmgzzmXD7XeF4jj4x5mbfzmZjCmuJUM6qHS4AFCw5eP5hupnYZB4hy4RjmFZfU+1Ke1RHnp1uLqcE6kQWkMmMAEZbzqaeNEMZT++MRflAXAp5iHLvl05uSzYYktPtvEs22X5WEcptJHUU\/UUfXULB7cF2b0cfrinuHp26lxSQ0r+iJwZULaGACv+3ob3hPDqWCqbsoiel2sP1+EQWVYLW1X0aDPB+pp49\/L2JIcNGqW3aRBny0SwyktfoxY8q85cKEbiZoj453Fkh51Ukrnx8NegOBNeuU\/T7xxlkfSw+HRZ5VMBap3APpOplzQr7XMr5H8jRzzgkGjwonZc3RJwMnrV2NtTxT+vx0\/mP7OwQbdQ5zV7tN9dn7F63FU+o9Yfyp\/ObKXVdZI7N4oyVsQFaUbc\/tBltOCrH4nfNgB8E0SlnBBp7br7RmXWJ19Za61+bpblxp9AkW8EyaKRHyjRuKsw9mOfMlRjrRIRPSECE\/Opk4ry8lT6+e10mYb5f8orD\/vUTkuFv8Y4gPFwPjy7cOr8uulmXZwDGcQoTg9JqNPU3KqZjyW0U48lqoG5liQMwxlBQ5Jo7vRYL6ZCK1DncuV7DCLTsC8Z\/1bGZBgnUzObKwdGcfps9l3epjD5WQV6izx3kAnhRdS+gZaYnDtuq8m73MkvcwECW5j3FBh4buTBVb24zHWsoPe5yaJ9Q5w7tt1GIC4R1jbYmI1Jr6owbnlj8lYbAXlJmOH0qF4fGsQW3NcAnoD5Oit7C7+SKpI9ufcmCiasqsvtfUmiC0c0XZKpc\/h8IafmpzvZ4IOexZ8mh5hcSCGn2WTO+C04h3bsct1NydwkiXlDzB\/rtlpnUnP8GRx\/IbnBNqR6IFPbLu\/+jr6QH+W0XIDLL7fa2F\/cvV9BYVtGLkrC7W1gnaYvslnhJBsdw9w\/e7qOqjcUIdAuTuwcWoyVhKfmqzQCxn8Z2zQbMaVp7FTXKj0Kr8XycunuBiLuiXCYTc9Zj7+wiMTq5iLVZWFgzZzc\/nSuU5QolSvq7WDbU2N5nIq6OZHa8JnNpsNkv\/bs+t6DX99N5zbKkK0CYzQXMhxqH+jzRwa1HtvAQyn0ULwJSfjUaa3X4IhZkdyiyZI2WENLYCOTdH7wQksKaFzvqmuixlnX5xczpdix5ZpJtK8XNxZjZLjEztBCBOSUnWQ62IpXV0pts5keGxyL4i6aKgfpkqZc3OqezPvvo+WJUa6S0wvap0\/fLATBRCYw\/+suGilCX34kThqywSuTdDXK5QSKxuP3mBgBsIm0FW73XMZc0kXZ60wsxEg7RjXw2Xw8xJ5187UMy4bRMJTNIufBlnS69b0UD+uF8ilJkt4caJBPxEg9K7+s46SfcuEoQqcJEFHl+o573HC7kRaB0vtBNRY+EjTISJdcmWW7zexLCSMFjMqvA==","iv":"24bbb4cfcb65344d2ee7b0af828f6080","s":"9b536d8a4c9ffb14"}
Share your thoughts. Click here