While holiday sales are the driving focus for retailers as the year comes to a close, the end of the year is also a great time to examine your business and make sure it’s on the right track. Ask yourself …
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Chaos or Compliance: Protecting Your Business from Identity Theft
It is no secret that identity theft continues to plague our personal and professional lives. It leads the list of consumer privacy concerns and has ranked as the No. 1 consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission for the past …
Read More »TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS: ESPN and HMOs—Saving Money Might Be a Phone Call Away
Once a year at the Tratensek household, which is run like a well-oiled Fortune 500 company, I sit down with our Chief Financial Officer (read, my wife) and we take a look at all of our expenses to determine if …
Read More »The Secret Behind Customer Service
Want to know a secret about amazing your customers? Here it is: Don’t start by focusing on the customers. To consistently deliver high-quality customer service that will give your business a competitive edge and keep customers coming back, you must …
Read More »From Ranger to Rooster: Statues Make Customers Take Notice
Looking for a way to make your store stand out to customers? Think big! Whether it’s a hobby-turned-community project or an outside-the-box way to draw in customers, a couple of retailers found large statues in their stores created talking points …
Read More »Five Things to Look For When Checking for Bad Bills
With the holiday rush approaching and a new $100 bill in circulation, it’s imperative for retailers to support their sales associates with tools to identify phony bills before hundreds of dollars of merchandise walks out their doors for free. Use …
Read More »Make Plans to Give Back this Holiday Season
The holiday season is fast approaching, and for many people, this time is all about giving to others. Donating time and materials to a local charity or hosting a fundraiser in your store shows your customers you support the community …
Read More »2013 Trends in Builders’ Hardware
When it comes to being successful selling builders’ hardware, it is important your employees understand and embrace the category’s somewhat split personality. On one hand, builders’ hardware is one of the most dynamic, fashion-forward categories found in home improvement stores, …
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