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":"f685072ea63fc879f774f0304c995cee","s":"c4c66647ff65a34c"}
Share your thoughts. Click here