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":"b1394f4c13137b4e46512f094006cbb0","s":"8c49fc5f109fd487"}
Share your thoughts. Click here