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":"033e39469812d97fb9c3155219031193","s":"34dbd3995775d2d8"}
Share your thoughts. Click here