Posts by Mary Beth Garcia
Making Sure Retail Training Delivers Sustained Business Impact
When your retail leaders and team members complete training, whether it’s on-the-job, e-learning, classroom-based, or a blend, there’s a sense of accomplishment. They’ve checked the box and completed the event. However, that doesn’t necessarily tell you what they now know. Do they have the knowledge they need to be successful on the job? Will they…
Read MoreLoyal Employees, Loyal Customers: Elevate the Shopping Experience by Investing in Retail Talent
Blame it on the Great Resignation, the pandemic, and other factors: It has become undisputedly more challenging to recruit and retain talent in the retail industry. Unfortunately, the frontline, sales, and service associates, who are the face of your brand to your customers, are the populations most affected. And that means the customer experience you’re…
Read MoreThe Impact of Intentional Leadership in Retail: Learning to Flex with Style
Changing your personality is difficult. Changing your choices in how you communicate is not. It simply requires attention and intention when interacting with people, and not being so quick to make assumptions based on how you perceive a situation. Because sometimes your lens—your perception—is distorted, and that means it doesn’t always reflect reality. Your communication…
Read MoreHow Retailers Can Overcome Supply Chain Chaos
Resolve to Make this the Year of the Retail Merchant “Within the last three years, retailers had to adapt to the most volatile circumstances of the last 30 years, dealing with pandemics, war, inflation, and energy crisis.” – Retail Trends 2023 These past three years have turned the retail merchant’s world upside down with supply…
Read MoreRetail Trends: Reflecting on 2022, Looking Ahead to 2023
Greetings! As we close out 2022, it’s a time of reflection. Looking back on my first year as owner and CEO of MOHR Retail, my immediate thought is, boy, did it fly by! For those of us in the business of retail, this year has been both challenging and rewarding. It began with supply chain issues…
Read MoreTo Succeed in an Unpredictable Holiday Season, Refocus on the Human Factors
It’s hard to believe that October is here already. For retailers, back-to-school has quickly transitioned into the fall and winter holiday seasons. During this all-important time of the year, you want to maximize each and every customer interaction. Even before the pandemic pushed practices like BOPIS (buy online/pick up in store) into the spotlight, retailers were…
Read MoreHow Effective Retail Leaders Prevent Burnout and Keep Great Talent
“Executive leaders need to recognize that burnout’s real and that no one is going to approach you saying they’re burned out. They may feel it’s a sign of weakness and keep it to themselves. Leaders need to ask about it proactively. Dig in to what’s happening and how people feel.” – Joe Jeffries, CEO, Westlake Ace…
Read MoreHiring in Retail: Finding and Selecting the Right Candidate
The retail industry is no stranger to constant change, intense pressure, and high turnover, but the last few years have tested even the most battle-hardened among us. Today, a shortage of qualified talent — and the competition for it — is creating a serious employment crisis, and it’s heating up just as retailers are staffing up…
Read MoreFrom Burnout to Skill Deficits, A Retail Leadership Check-Up as the Pandemic Enters a New Phase
From the retail store floor to the corporate office, leaders, managers, team leads, and supervisors are adapting their strategies and focusing on enhancing their retail leadership skills as the pandemic wears on. We recently reconvened our virtual Retail & Service Leadership Exchange Forum (RSLEF) to check in with some of the top retailers in North…
Read MoreBrick-and-Mortar Retailers Share Covid-19 Lessons, Insights
Retailers are used to upheaval and constant change. Over the past decade alone, the “retail apocalypse” has dominated the news as traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have scrambled to adapt to the competitive threat of digital disruptors and changing consumer preferences. By the end of 2019, savvy retail businesses were gaining traction in their strategies with a…
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