Life seems to have paused. Connors Group, like many small businesses across the country, has all but eliminated travel. We are fortunate enough to be able to do much of our client work remotely. But strategic consulting is ultimately at its best when conducted face-to-face. We are sitting in front of our computers, hosting remote […]
Overtime is tricky…To prove that an employee is exempt from overtime, companies must prove several thresholds. In an article released in the Wall Street Journal on December 28 titled “More Workers Eligible for Overtime Pay in 2020”, Sarah Chaney and Eric Morath correctly point out that one of the tests that apply to overtime eligibility […]
CNBC.com recently published an article titled “Online Shopping officially overtakes brick-and-mortar for the first time ever.” By Kate Rooney. Obviously, I was intrigued enough to read the article which quoted data from the Department of Commerce and analysis from Bespoke investment Group. They looked at the penetration of sales to determine that for the first […]
On February 24-27, 2019 The Retail industry Leaders Association (RILA) held their annual conference in Orlando, Florida. As a first-time attendee, I found that the conference delivered on its promise of engaging topics. There are a couple of themes and three specific sessions that I found particularly impactful. In terms of themes, the one topic […]
A week from today, we will be inundated with stories, images and videos of long lines and frantic masses grappling over the latest tech gadgets and door busters. There is no doubt that big box retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy still rely on this “tradition” to drive traffic, interest and excitement with the […]
The New Reality of retail has dramatic implications on the operating model for brick-and-mortar locations. As industry differentiators of convenience and selection become irrelevant, stores must be repurposed to support the omnichannel experience. This means that the role of the store and the associates must change, and the management techniques, including metrics and incentives, must […]
Over the past several years, the Retail industry has undergone significant disruption. The retail industry cannot continue to operate as if it has separate channels. Customers no longer find value in shopping that way and will avoid retailers who persist in forcing them to shop “the way it’s always been done.” The integration of online […]
A Reexamination of The Customer Buying Cycle in the Omni-Channel World Over the course of the last several years, one of the most-discussed topics in the economic world has been that of the “Retail Apocalypse.” The theory goes that the Amazon Effect has diluted brick-and-mortar retail sales to the point where many retailers cannot maintain […]
The Wall Street Journal recently published an article by Suzanne Kapner that highlighted a significant problem in retail today… Too few Clerks. As stores continue to cut labor costs, it appears many retailers have gone too far. Ms. Kapner does a good job of illustrating the symptoms of the situation and offers some different alternatives […]
Traffic is the ultimate measure of long-term success for any retailer. It’s simple, are people coming to the store or not? No amount of cost-cutting, productivity increases, or margin plays can compensate for a long-term decline in traffic to the store.