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":"898fc00e6d36b08534e0d411ec1fe496","s":"c62e6f944e7fce5a"}
Share your thoughts. Click here