It's great that they are trying to meet the current day needs and expectations of their customers. Of course it will only work if the technology and process operates smoothly, and the customer experience is good and the product retains consistency. Like any new process, it's the basics that really count.

Creating loyalty is good, as long as it's done without diminishing the service to non-club members. If done well it will get talked about and attract more members as they start to see the benefits. Nothing wrong with looking after your loyal customers extra-specially well and creating an experience that is valued.

I think this will work -- the culture of meeting for tea/coffee for more relaxed business meetings and social get-togethers in quirky places is growing and on-trend. However it will only work if the service and quality of the whole experience is at a level expected by the Tiffany brand. Very careful attention needs to be paid to this -- there is a high height to fall from if not. As for attracting Millennials -- yes, possibly. Even if they haven't seen or heard of the movie they tend to be attracted by a more diverse selection of music, movies, clothing, etc. from previous eras than previous generations. Time will tell but I hope it's a success.

Collaboration is only a great idea if it increases productivity. Perhaps we have now moved into an era in which accountability is more important, and creating an environment and culture of trust and respect and empowering individuals to get things done and follow through is a better business mantra. This in itself could encourage more collaboration -- if indeed it means working together more effectively to achieve results.

While I'm all for innovative ways to improve customer experience by giving employees added confidence in these areas, I'm not convinced that the majority of employees will be engaged by this or that there is enough practical application of the techniques learned for individuals to be able to implement the learning in their every day roles. In which case the large investment could fall short of achieving the goal. If however the training provides confidence skills that are practically aligned to their roles, then great idea! I hope it works.

I think the name change is a big mistake for two key reasons: Coach has a great reputation and brand and the success of the newly-merged companies will largely rest on this; the name Tapestry is not appealing, creating visions of dated, heavy, clumsy fabric -- not what Coach or the other two brands are known for. Also why not keep all three brand names as they are? Why mess with something that works?

I agree that retailers confuse the two, but also that they often do not give the whole customer experience element anywhere near adequate attention. The experience the customer has with your company and how they feel as a result IS your brand today, and it gets talked about more than any other element. I call it Personality of the Brand.

It makes perfect sense for retailers to expand into a level of healthcare. For years, pharmacists in stores have often been the trusted go-to experts for minor ailments and medications, and now blood testing units are being set up very effectively in grocery stores for convenience. There may be a sensible limit to the healthcare available in this way, however a good move for retailers I would say.

Why not just stick to what you are really good at? If I want coffee and perhaps a snack, and the location is good, I'll go to Starbucks. I can't see this changing for most people if they offer lunch. Without full kitchens, they are in danger of diluting the brand and what they are good at with food that will probably not be as good as many other options for lunch around. They will open themselves up to a new area of competition and quite probably not be up to it.

This is important research and all retailers should take close note of it. While technology is important in the lives of Millennials, they still value the human interaction. I see so much focus on technology solutions in retail today and a decreasing level of attention to basic customer experience skills. Maybe it's time to re-focus on training and bringing human personality into the brand experience.

An excellent move by Levi's! It may not always provide the perfect pair of jeans but it will sure serve to engage customers with the brand, increase chances of good fit and possibly attract new customers. Buying jeans can be an unpleasant experience for some people and body shapes and this might just help to ease the process!

A very smart move I would say. If Adidas has seen a very real threat from Hender Scheme and identified that their product is popular and likely to remain so, then why not bring them on the inside and work with them instead of taking a law suit against them? Given the amount of time and money it takes to take action against a company, why not put in the same -- but positive -- effort and make it an asset of the company? It won't always work but in this case it does.

I'm not sure that much needs to be changed to cater to more men shopping than in previous years. Couples tend to share household chores more and both men and women will shop from lists. However with men perhaps being more likely to want to dash in and grab something for tonight's dinner without really knowing what, examples like Trader Joe's display for Tricolore Salad (with all the necessary ingredients beautifully arranged in one place and perhaps an additional recipe sheet provided) could be a helpful attraction. Offering help with a quick solution to an immediate challenge might be a good move.

What a great move for Sephora! They have the advantage of their products being of such appeal personally to their customers that creating an even easier way to get up close and provide individual advice is a sure way to drive more product sales and loyalty. We know that the best sale is an emotional one from which we feel a connection to the product, company and the people, so this is set to be a huge success.

Facial recognition is taking the customer experience challenge just too far. OK I can see its merits if staff reductions are to be made in a significant way and for shoplifting prevention. However if staff are still in stores and trained well they have the best opportunity to address the challenge of customer loyalty and satisfaction. Being given the skills to detect if a customer is unhappy, dissatisfied or needing assistance and reacting accordingly is a far better way to create the desired service levels. As for the link between biometric data and transaction data; sorry, I can't see the benefits or possible advantages.