Store Associates

The retail industry is already steeped in the nonstop buzz of artificial intelligence. While hype is high, action is lagging. The time is now to accelerate or be left at the bus stop. Yet the question remains: Is there a real return on investment in AI? A recent Google study, ROI of AI, found that…

Walk into a retail store today and you’ll notice something different: a sense of connectedness, immediacy, and possibility humming beneath the surface. At the heart of this transformation is a new class of technology: artificial intelligence agents quietly reimagining how retail gets done, from the stockroom to the sales floor. AI in retail isn’t new,…

Employee safety and well-being have become essential to operational success. While enhancing the customer experience is still key, retailers are realizing that a secure, confident workforce is the foundation for great service, efficient operations, and stronger performance. With rising incidents of theft, harassment and workplace stress, retailers are rethinking how they protect their staff. Beyond…

Regulators have increased their focus on addressing workplace violence risks, including some with particular attention to risks associated with retail employers. Retailers from New York to California should monitor continued developments within state legislatures and adjust their workplace policies to account for these rules — new and old. California now requires virtually all employers in…

Are we still leaving hourly workers behind? According to recent research, workplace dissatisfaction is on the rise among the hourly workforce and, unsurprisingly, inflexible scheduling is a primary contributing factor. The same survey found that while 81 percent of salaried workers are satisfied with their flexible work options, just 67 percent of hourly employees report…

Today, delivering a positive and seamless customer experience is more critical than ever for retail success. Customer service teams are the front line of this effort, and their ability to handle complex and diverse scenarios with empathy and confidence can make or break a customer's perception of a brand. This is why training is so…

In today's fast-paced fashion retail industry, success hinges on the ability to manage inventory efficiently, empower workforces, and deliver an exceptional customer experience. Partnering with a vendor that offers an end-to-end inventory management and store execution platform can revolutionize your operations, improve visibility and productivity, and enhance customer satisfaction to meet the demands of modern…

Retailers are up against the biggest holiday season yet. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), U.S. holiday sales are projected to generate nearly $1 trillion, representing an increase of about 3 percent year-over-year. To capture this demand, retailers need a prepared, adaptable frontline workforce that can deliver exceptional customer experiences across all channels. In…

Sam’s Club will raise pay to incentivize workers to stay with the company — and not jump ship to Costco. Sam’s Club, the membership club arm of Walmart, will increase its minimum wage to $16 starting in November from $15 an hour. It will also raise wages for its nearly 100,000 employees, ranging from 3…

In the last few years, retail stores have transformed from delivering basic sales functions into much more. They're now customer engagement hubs, micro-fulfillment centers, omnichannel service centers and much more. As the lines between channels continue to blur, the variety, volume and velocity of store associate tasks has exploded. Recent research with retail executives —…