Retail
September 24, 2021
Sales associates maintained consumer relationships during the pandemic. Image credit: Hugo Boss
By Sarah Ramirez
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced brands to adapt their retail models, from operations to customer communications and talent retention.
{"ct":"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","iv":"71189db721dd406c713a9a8b1ad63993","s":"80b0a426817247b0"}
Share your thoughts. Click here