
The Retail Doctor Blog
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The blog posts will provide you with retail sales training tips to attract, sell and grow customers. Also covers topics such as retail training, merchandising and personality. Bob Phibbs is The Retail Doctor who is an internationally recognized business strategist, customer service expert, sales coach, marketing mentor, author of three books, and motivational business speaker helping make..
The Retail Doctor Blog
5d ago
I shared a story last month about a visit to Saks where associates were too engrossed in their smartphones to look up at shoppers. A friend commented they had the same experience and when they asked the manager, they were told, “Oh, they’re clienteling ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
1w ago
While I was at NRF's Big Show, I was able to chat about one the one least sexy technologies with James Hughes, who runs retail strategy globally for Verizon Business. No matter what your store size, you should pay attention.  ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
2w ago
Retailers spend countless hours and resources training frontline teams to handle difficult customers.
But who's addressing the increasingly common phenomenon of employees who've become emotionally armored against customers altogether ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
2M ago
My parents divorced when I was 11. For a long time, I felt there was something I could have done to prevent it. I thought I had some magical power to change the circumstances, which I guess is common in children of divorce.
The feeling that the past could somehow have been different ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
2M ago
A recent webinar, "From Grumpy to Great: Because Happy Employees Don't Spit In Your Coffee," brought together Paul Landry (Lightspeed Commerce), Andrew Duffy (SparkPlug), and me to discuss strategies for transforming retail workplaces. You can watch the full version below ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
3M ago
Today, we're discussing a topic close to my heart and crucial for your bottom line: employee sales training, especially for high-revenue stores.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking. "Bob, my store is pulling in over a million in gross revenue. We're doing just fine with our promotions and discounts. Why fix what isn't broken?"
I will show you why that mindset could cost you more than you realize.
The Training Stigma: Breaking Down the Barriers
Let's address the elephant in the room: the stigma around training. I've heard all the excuses:
"My experienced associates already know what th ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
3M ago
What does it take to be a successful independent retailer? I visited Kidstop's owner, Kate Tanner, to get her insights. As a two-time winner of the "Best of Phoenix" award, Tanner’s retail management experience holds valuable lessons for aspiring and established retail store owners. You can watch the full interview below ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
3M ago
A silent revolution is taking place. It's not about the latest technology or the newest product trends. Instead, it's about something more fundamental: how we interact — or don't interact — with each other in retail stores.
I've witnessed the power of effective communication in driving sales and creating memorable customer experiences. But today, we're facing a unique challenge that threatens to undermine the foundation of retail success: the age of audio isolation ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
3M ago
Local businesses face many challenges, so the roles of downtown associations, chambers of commerce, and business alliances have never been more important.
Yet over and over, I hear of low participation with finger-pointing about who is not doing what.
How can these organizations, created to unite people, better serve their members and communities? I asked business owners to share their thoughts on improving local business associations. Their illuminating responses revealed common frustrations and innovative ideas for positive change ..read more
The Retail Doctor Blog
4M ago
As an experienced sales trainer, I've seen my share of role-playing sessions go wrong, with people expected to soar failing. This is not a good situation for anyone, so many people avoid getting into it in the first place ..read more