We’re all experiencing the same storm, but we’re doing it in different boats. This may be the best metaphor for explaining the retail experience over the past 12 months. US retail sales in November 2020 were up 7.1% year-over-year. However, while grocery was up 11%, apparel was down 27%.
Retail clearly isn’t going back to the “normal” we knew before 2020. So what will it take for a retailer to stand out in 2021 and beyond? Will brick-and-mortar stores survive this disruption, or will customers be pushed to more digital shopping experiences? What role will frontline employees play in executing the next generation of retail strategy?
JD makes an appointment with The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs, to find out what comes next for frontline retail. Bob is the world’s foremost expert on brick-and-mortar retail. He’s an internationally recognized business strategist, customer service expert, sales coach, marketing mentor, author of three books, and motivational business speaker. Bob knows what it takes to rock in retail because he’s spent 30 years in the trenches of retail ups and downs. He’s been a corporate officer, franchisor, and entrepreneur who fought his way to the top.
Hear how leaders at O'Reilly Auto Parts and rue21 are preparing their frontline teams for what comes next in retail during Axonify's Big Ideas Session at the NRF Big Show on January 21, 2021.
The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com. If you have a frontline story you’d like us to explore on a future episode, let us know at podcast@axonify.com
Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for the updates.