Learning for Business: Retail

In the age of everything digital, retail is undergoing a global revolution. Digital technology has put power back into the hands of the consumer. Brick and mortar stores are closing, while pure players on the Internet are growing at lightning speed. Consumers around the world are using the Web to stay informed, share with their peers, post on social networks, and comparison shop. The Internet allows them to hunt for good deals, verify a vendor’s reputation, and search for advice.

Increasing competition and an ever-changing landscape forces businesses to continually work to earn new business and retain the loyalty of demanding and fickle customers. To respond to competition and consumer indifference, brands and stores are investing significantly in training, and developing in-house training programs. They understand the importance of focusing on their employees and managers, in order to provide the best service possible to their customers. How do they do this? By training employees to continually improve their mastery of the products and services being sold, to adopt customer-oriented sales and management techniques, to master the tools of digital culture, and support the brand’s values.