Staying ahead of the curve is essential for retail success. This is especially important for PC sales associates, who must keep up with the constantly changing world of technology, products, and customer expectations.

Just-in-time (JIT) training has emerged as a vital tool to help address these challenges by offering timely, relevant, and easily accessible learning resources.

Posted: 7/23/24

As a retail manager, you want your sales team to be on top of their game and ready to sell. But how can you motivate them to care about training and learning new skills? One way is to understand the principle of WIIFM—What's in it for me? 

Applying WIIFM principles can transform how sales associates perceive and embrace retail training and development programs. By aligning training objectives with associates' personal and professional goals, you can foster a culture of growth and excellence.

Posted: 7/9/24

Staying ahead of technology advancements is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in retail. In a recent episode of the "Technically Speaking" podcast by Intel, experts Shailesh Chaudhry, General Manager of Consumer Industries at Intel, and Akuth Denghi, Co-founder and CEO of Radius AI, discussed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing retail.

This episode is particularly insightful for PC retail managers and offers a glimpse into the future of shopping and how AI can enhance both customer experience and operational efficiency.

Posted: 6/21/24

As a retail PC store manager, you know that new technologies and tech products are entering the marketplace at breakneck speeds.

The key to success is providing your sales associates with the right tools and training. This helps them market new PC products, peripherals, and technologies and ensures that they offer the best possible service to their valued customers.

Posted: 6/4/24

The pure taste of Ratio’s chocolate is an experience like no other, much like the blazing-fast performance of Intel® CPUs that deliver amazing end-user compute experiences.

Whether you’re savoring the richness of ethically sourced chocolate or enjoying the seamless performance of a high-tech processor, the end result is an unmatched combination of excellence and ethical manufacturing.

Posted: 5/23/24

Did you know nearly one-third of all retail workers get no training at all? This study by Axonify also reveals up to 27% of employees who do receive training stated it was ineffective because it was boring and not engaging.

Retail sales staff, who represent the face and initial contact point of a company, play a crucial role. They are the ambassadors of the brand and create critical customer experiences that can either make or break a sale.

Posted: 5/7/24

An exceptional customer experience can significantly boost a company's outcomes across many areas, including sales, loyalty, and brand advocacy. However, PwC's Future of Customer Experience report reveals an "experience disconnect" between customer expectations and what businesses deliver.

The report offers insights into bridging this gap to elevate customer satisfaction.

Posted: 4/16/24

Delivering effective training to sales associates is crucial, yet challenging. Mobile learning, or m-learning, is a powerful tool in this context, offering flexibility, accessibility, and engagement that traditional training methods struggle to match.

Mobile learning refers to the delivery of educational content via mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, allowing learners to access training materials from anywhere at any time. This approach aligns with the modern lifestyle, where mobility and time efficiency are highly valued.

Posted: 4/2/24

In recent years, the significance of evaluating the impact of retail associate training programs has only intensified. According to insights from the 2023 Training Industry Report, U.S. companies demonstrated a commitment to training, with expenditures slightly increasing to $101.8 billion in 2022-2023.

With such substantial investments, the necessity for rigorous assessment of training program effectiveness becomes paramount. The goal of these programs extends beyond imparting knowledge.

Posted: 3/19/24

Mystery shopping, initially conceived in the 1940s as a technique to evaluate employee honesty, has evolved significantly over the decades. Today, it is seen as a powerful research method companies use to understand brand perception and evaluate customer service by looking at how customers and sales associates interact.

Demystifying certain aspects of the mystery shopping process can significantly enhance sales, foster greater engagement, and lead to more effective sales behaviors.

Posted: 3/5/24