Concurrent Workshops - Set #2

Concurrent 2-A:

Leadership Workshop: How to Build Shopper Advocacy and Trust in the Current Economic Climate

Workshop Leader: Rob Garf, Associate Partner, Global Retail Industry Strategy Leader, IBM Global Business Services

Successful retailing is not about selling products and services, or creating highly efficient business processes and systems. It is about serving customers, providing them with what they want, delighting them, and engaging them with your brand promise and value proposition. In an environment where trends shift at Internet speed and shopper expectations rise as loyalty sinks, a laser-like focus on customer engagement is mission critical. In this session, using data compiled from a 30,000-interview consumer survey, the focus will be on the trends driving change in consumer behavior, what's important to shoppers and what operational competencies retailers need to attract and retain shoppers.

Concurrent 2-B:

Leadership Workshop: Retail Workforce Management - Drive Sales and Profit While Managing Your Costs

Workshop Leader: Jason Buell, Principal, Axsium Group

With a cloud over the economy and gloomy news everywhere, retail is feeling the effects as much or more than some other industries. There seems to be a mood of 'slash and burn' where stores are being closed, merchandise is being discounted at historic levels and employees are being laid off. It is vital that during this time you manage your remaining workforce in such a way that you can still raise your level of customer service, improve your conversion rates, and maintain or even increase your average transaction and sales. This session will provide attendees different ways retailers can look at managing their workforce, including cost-savings measures utilizing workforce management solutions. Learn how your company can take advantage of advanced workforce management solutions and processes to help not only survive but move forward in these tough times.

Concurrent 2-C:

Adapting Your Sales Strategy for a Challenging Economy

Speaker: Michael A. Hess, President, Tech Global Partners

In the current economic climate, the reduction of consumer spending is having a profound impact throughout every aspect of the retail industry; an impact that is expected to last for quite some time. One result is that there has never been a more challenging time to be a technology solution provider to the retail industry. This session will discuss ways to adapt your sales strategy and approach to be more aligned with your customer's propensity and ability to buy. Highlights of this session will include shifting from solutions selling to results-based selling; aligning your solution to the customer's needs; and using a shared-risk model as part of the sales process.