NRFF Executive Director, Kathy Mance, and Director of Retail Learning Solutions, Sarah Conrad, traveled to Alexandria, Egypt to present at a conference of 1,000 members of the Chamber of Commerce.  As part of the opening ceremony, Kathy officially signed an agreement with Chamber Chairman Ahmed El Wakil to develop and localize a Retail Training and Certification program, witnessed by H. E. Engineer Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Minister of Trade and Industry of the Arab Republic of Egypt.  The program will be available to Egyptian institutions of higher learning later this summer.

Kathy Mance featured in a local Alexandria newspaper signs an agreement to develop and localize a Retail Training and Certification program with leaders from the Chamber of Commerce.

H.E. Minister Rachid’s keynote address spoke to the need for modernizing the industry through city planning for allocation of commercial activities and licensing businesses, including retailers, so that commerce is no longer able to take place in basements, garages or on the pavement, as has been the custom.  This, Minister Rachid noted, will provide every honest trader an environment in which he can succeed as he is able to protect and serve customers.   He explained that “man is the backbone of development – any development” and encouraged Chamber members to work with his department to change policies.

After hearing from government officials, educators and retailers, it became clear that NRFF will have an important role in helping to shape Egypt’s retail economy by working with the Alexandria Chamber to deliver training and certification in customer service, sales and selling skills and retail management.

During their visit, Kathy and Sarah were able to witness firsthand a unique view of Egyptian retailing as they made their way through Egypt’s legendary Khan-el-Khalili market, a labyrinth of streets lined with shops selling goods of every description.  They enjoyed the bustling energy and familial atmosphere in the Egyptian marketplace and quickly understood the diversity in business practice among these retailers, whose shops have been passed down through families for generations.  In addition they visited more familiar mall stores and talked with some “traders,” as retailers are known in the area.

As part of their travels, Kathy and Sarah take time to tour Cairo by camel, visit Egypt’s legendary Khan-el-Khalili market, and talk with some “traders.”

As part of the government’s aggressive plan to improve their retail economy, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is supporting the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s partnership with NRFF to develop curriculum and certifications to bring industry standards and best practices to Egypt to advance Egyptian retailers’ ability to better understand and serve customers.  Later this summer, the Chamber plans to offer three levels of training: Customer Service, Sales and Retail Management. Certification exams in Customer Service and Retail Management will be the capstone to the blended learning programs delivered through the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport.

“The academicians and retailers of Alexandria look to NRFF to gain a better understanding of the skills and knowledge most critical to retail work, as well as a training strategy for promoting career advancement to provide a better experience for the customer.  Our plan was enthusiastically received and it validated our work to date and made us very excited to continue and complete the work ahead,” said Sarah.

Kathy agreed, “The highlight of my trip was gaining an understanding of the government’s aggressive plan to work to achieve an educated, honest, and systematic approach to retail.  Real change is in the air and I’ll be very interested to watch these efforts bear fruit and pleased to know that NRF, through the NRF Foundation, is playing an important role in this transformation.”

The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce plans to send a delegation to NRF’s BIG Show next January to learn from practitioners across the world and to continue discussions that began at last week’s inaugural conference.  Kathy and Sarah look forward to welcoming these new partners to NRF’s 100^th Birthday Celebration in New York City, NY.

After interviewing Jerry O’Brien, we decided to get the student’s perspective on Kohl’s Department Stores Center for Retailing Excellence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s spring break trip to China. We talked to Sarah Ackerman, president of the Student Retail Association and asked her to share her experience on international retailing in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

UW-Madison has a long lasting relationship with China. Over 1,200 current students are from China – more than from any other country. There are over 1,600 alumni currently live in China.  Tell us about the presentation delivered by your alumni, Mr. and Mrs. Fang. What did you learn about retail brand management?

Mr. and Mrs. Fang gave an awesome presentation on the retailing industry in China and what needs to be considered by companies trying to enter the market. A large part of launching and expanding a brand in China relies on the background and cultural issues of the country. For example, the ratio of males to females continues to grow. With the past history of the “one child policy,” there are many more boys/men than girls/women. This is important to keep in mind when merchandising and determining a product assortment. The Fangs also focused on the geographical differences within the country of China. Almost all major cities are located along the coast, specifically the Eastern coast.

Jeffrey and Christine Fang, UW alumni, deliver a presentation about retailing in China

Retailers need to consider this when choosing a location to launch in. Moving further inland is likely to hurt their chances of gaining market share and establishing a stable brand reputation with the Chinese consumer. The luxury market and its domination is something the Fangs mentioned. China’s social statuses are very divided from poor to affluent.

What did you learn about retail operations in China that differs from the U.S.?

I really noticed that many sales associates at clothing retailers wear uniforms. There is also a lack of visual merchandising as compared to in the United States. The level of customer service was also very different and de-emphasized. The language barrier might have been what lead to this, but when I would observe associates interacting with Chinese consumers, there wasn’t that much of a difference.

Tell us about opportunities you became aware of for/about retailers in China that you did not know about before?

The middle class is somewhere that I think retailers can attempt to expand on. We learned that that the luxury market in China is extremely successful, yet when you look at the breakdown of social statuses, there are really only polar opposites-poor vs. affluent. However, many presenters throughout our trip emphasized the growing middle class.  This may be an area for retailers to capitalize on.

After this trip, can you picture yourself living and working in retail in Hong Kong or Shanghai?

Personally, I cannot see myself working in Hong Kong or Shanghai, but I definitely see myself working with companies and partners in the East.  This trip has made me realize how global the retailing industry has become, and I value the importance of keeping relationships in countries, like China.

What’s your most memorable experience from the trip?

My most memorable moment of the trip was the last night in Shanghai.  Our group was invited to join UW’s Chancellor Biddy Martin for an alumni reception. Chancellor Martin was in China connecting with universities and spreading the “Wisconsin Idea.” I thought it was a great event, as it really wrapped up the entire trip. At the reception, there were alumni that live in China, parents of current and future students, faculty, and students. The event emphasized the role UW can, and does, have on a global scale.  I realized that being a student of the University of Wisconsin I am capable of many things beyond our state and nation.

University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of NRF Foundation’s college partners.

It’s an exciting time at the Kohl’s Department Stores Center for Retailing Excellence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Thirty students just returned from spending spring break in Hong Kong and Shanghai, completing a one credit course on international retailing.  We asked Jerry O’Brien, the center’s director and Sarah Ackerman, president of the Student Retail Association to tell us about their trip and share what they learned about retailing in China.

UW-Madison has more than 1,200 students from China, more than from any other country, and its 70 Chinese faculty are believed to be the most at a single institution in the U.S.  The university also boasts more than 25 projects, programs and partnerships involving UW-Madison and China.  Tell us more about this relationship.  What can be said about the importance of studying China as it relates to the future of the retail industry?

Yes, China and the UW have had a long standing relationship.  As a matter of fact while we were there, the UW Madison Chancellor, Biddy Martin was traveling with a group to further develop the relationship.

As the country, where a majority of goods for U.S. retailers are sourced, it is critical that our students have an understanding of China in order to understand U.S retail.  And the trip allowed our students to really develop a global view of the retailing industry.

The students’ enthusiasm for Chinese culture was evident as they detailed their experiences on the SOHE blog.  They visited the Tian Tan Buddha statue, Victoria Harbor, and sampled the food from Hong Kong’s most popular restaurants.  What can be said about your students’ eagerness for adventure?  How does it relate to their future retail career?

Our students continually demonstrate an enthusiasm for new experiences and learnings.  They really are fearless, rather than see obstacles they see opportunities.  They are so open to gathering other view points and to rethinking paradigms they’ve lived with all their lives.  This attitude will be a great advantage to them in their careers in retail.  They see the global community as a huge opportunity not something to be feared and they are willing to look for new ways to do things.

What was significant about visiting Li & Fung Corporate Headquarters?  How did learning about their retail operations contribute to the students’ curriculum?

Li and Fung is the premiere sourcing company in the world.  They have a developed an operational model that is truly unique and really is global.  The opportunity to visit their headquarters and hear from their leaders was invaluable.  The discussions were so broadening.  You could actually see the students thinking differently.

UW Students gather in the Li & Fung showrooms

What’s your most memorable experience from the trip?

I was actually thrilled to see the students grow.  We spend a lot of time in class discussing globalization, and emerging markets.  This trip brought all this to reality.  It was amazing to see the students and how prepared they were to absorb the experience.

On a personal level, the history in China is amazing.  We visited a 1,200 year old Buddhist temple that is still serving worshipers.  That kind of history is mind boggling for those of us in the U.S.

The students climbed hundreds of steps to visit the Buddhist temple.

What role did Kohl’s Department Stores and your other corporate partners play in making this trip possible?

The Center would not exist with out all of our Corporate Partners.  Kohl’s is amazingly generous in their support of our students.  Kohl’s suggested we look into the trip.  They funded the trip and helped us coordinate with Li and Fung.

Kohl’s simply provided a life changing opportunity for the students.  We could not be more grateful.  And all of our partners benefit from students who were afforded the opportunity to go on the trip.

Will you be returning to China with a new group of students in Spring 2011?

It’s too early to say for sure but it is certainly something we need to explore.  The trip was amazingly valuable.

What’s next for the Kohl’s Department Stores Center for Retailing Excellence?  Were you able to attend the NARMS Annual Conference last month?

We did in fact attend the NARMS conference.  And our students were exposed to an aspect of the industry that get’s very little attention on our curriculum.  NARMS was so generous in funding the trip for 12 of our students and allowing them to attend all of the educational and networking events.   As is always our goal it proved to be a great way to expand our definition of retail and to open new opportunities for our students.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Our center is so fortunate to have a great list of partners providing educational and career opportunities for our students.  We get to visit corporate headquarters, tour stores, and bring top leadership from each partner to campus to share their perspectives.  Our partners should be proud of their contribution to the education of the next generation.

There is no more important endeavor than education.

Learn more about the Kohl’s Center for Retailing Excellence, and follow them on Twitter.

DECA, a student organization with programs in Buying & Merchandising, Fashion Merchandising, Retail Marketing, Retail Merchandising, and more, is a great partner of NRF Foundation — and retail. Last fall, I had the opportunity to speak on a panel about how the organization prepares students for the workforce. With over 185,000 high school members, DECA helps students develop skills for successful business careers, build self–esteem, experience leadership and practice community service.

When I heard that DECA was competing in the Pepsi Refresh Project, I reached out to Mike Marchetti for more details. Mike is the current chairman of DECA’s National Advisory Board, and also Executive Vice President of Store Operations for Finish Line. He has always been an enthusiastic supporter of DECA — not just because he personally believes in their mission, but also because of how the relationship impacts Finish Line’s bottom line.

Mike Marchetti, chairman of DECA’s National Advisory Board, and Executive
VP of Store Operations for Finish Line, with two DECA members.

You’ve worked in the retail industry for 30 years. Can you tell me about some of the previous positions you’ve held in retail? How did you get where you are today?

I started as a shoe salesman while working my way through college. After a few years in the Navy and completing my education, I decided to make retail a career. I was a natural salesman and so it was a good fit. I started my management career by managing stores for Kinney Shoes in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. From there I was promoted to District Manager in Houston, Texas, and then to Regional Vice President in Chicago.

Kinney acquired Champs Sports and Robby’s Sports. Both were based in Florida, with stores in the southeast. Having a passion for sports, I inquired about opportunities with the new company. When they started expanding to the Midwest, I joined as District Manager in Chicago, opening up stores across the Midwest. About a year later, I was promoted to Regional Vice President responsible for everything from Puerto Rico to Seattle, as well as all the Going to Game stores across the country.

In 1995, I met Larry Sablosky, one of the Finish Line founders. In talking to Larry, I found an opportunity of a lifetime. That’s when I joined Finish Line. And I have never looked back.

What are the two most important skills you’ve learned and used on your climb up the career ladder?

Being in management, I think the #1 skill you have to have is being able to coach a team. I have always compared it to being a good parent. As a parent, you want the best for your kids. It’s the same in being a good coach.

And I guess #2 would be hard work. Nothing replaces hard work. I think you can get anything you want in life if you are willing to work hard enough for it.

Finish Line has had a long partnership with DECA. Your company sponsors an Employment Partnership Program and the Sports & Entertainment Marketing Competitive Event. Finish Line also provides a number of scholarships, and you serve as Chairman of the National Advisory Board. Tell me more how the relationship started and the benefits of partnering with a student organization like DECA. Do you have a favorite DECA/Finish Line activity?

I was first introduced to DECA when I worked for Kinney Shoes. They’d had a long partnership with DECA and I knew that it was valuable to Kinney’s. I took that information with me when I went to Finish Line. When we were ready, I reached out to DECA to get our partnership started.

The Finish Line/DECA Partnership has many benefits – on both sides of the ball – but we are specifically focused on hiring DECA students in our stores. Their schools are a good overlay to our stores and the tie to the classroom provides a reliable source of semi-trained, career-focused employees.

As an Ops guy, my favorite part of the partnership, of course, is the bottom line. DECA students make up about 10% of our overall workforce and consistently outperform all other hiring sources for our company. We also gain valuable market information through our working relationship with DECA classes because the students are our core customer group.

That said, probably the most rewarding part of our partnership, for me is, our scholarship program and participating in DECA’s Executive Mentor Program. The thrill I get from encouraging and interacting with these young people is just incredible.

Your company holds an annual DECA Day with store managers. Why does Finish Line want to hire DECA members for its stores?

As I mentioned, DECA students represent 10% of our store employees – and we want more. DECA students are already trained in marketing, sales and service – and it shows. They routinely outperform our other hiring sources in every measurable category.

What advice can you share with students and young professionals on how to advance in the industry?

Retail is an incredibly dynamic industry. It also allows you to work just about anywhere you want to live. Those are VERY big benefits to consider when thinking about a career. As far as advancing, retail is very similar to other industries. You need to find the sector of the industry that inspires you to excel, work hard – and you will.

Finish this sentence, I love working in retail today because….

I am a very competitive person and I think retail is a very competitive industry. Change is a constant. It requires you to lead versus follow, to be successful.

NRF Foundation encourages you to vote for DECA in the Pepsi Refresh Project every day until April 30. The Pepsi Refresh Grant will help DECA expand on the development and delivery of their Competitive Events Program, of which a number are retail-focused.

NRF Foundation’s Executive Director, Kathy Mance, traveled to Beijing, China earlier this month to follow up on a training program first delivered in December.  While there, Kathy watched a retail training program in action (and delivered in Chinese!), tasted new cuisine and climbed the Great Wall of China. But what excited her most was learning about the retail opportunities in China through the growth of NRFF’s retail curriculum. We interviewed her to find out more about her trip.

What was the main purpose of your trip to China?

NRFF initiated a program to prepare candidates as managers of retail operations in Beijing last December when Sarah Conrad, NRFF’s Director of Learning Operations, delivered a Train-The-Trainer session. I visited Beijing to meet personally with all those interested in the success of this program in China. This included NRFF partners: Castle Worldwide (CWW), China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), and Global Business Solutions (GBS), and other Chinese retail trade associations, retailers and educators.  NRF, through NRF Foundation, was specifically sought as a key partner in this endeavor because of NRF’s brand and the level of confidence and prestige it enjoys around the world.  My goal was to support the in-country program and to witness it firsthand.

NRFF with partners Castle Worldwide, China Chamber of International Commerce
and Global Business Solutions

Tell us about the curriculum that NRFF has helped put in place in Beijing.

NRFF created the training, Retail Operations and Management Curriculum, with help from a team of retail experts from Saks, The Home Depot and other retail companies, and has been used in the U.S. for several years. Working with Castle Worldwide, we engaged Subject Matter Experts in both the U.S. and China to review, validate and localize the training to ensure that it has the same relevance and success in effectively communicating the skills and knowledge that it currently does in the U.S.  This is critical as China’s retail industry continues to expand and require prepared and experienced managers for Chinese retailers and those entering this exciting retail space from around the world.

What was the best part of your visit?

I had the opportunity to watch a class of about 20 young people being trained – the first time I’d seen this done in a language I could not understand.  It was beyond exciting and even moving to see the work NRFF and its U.S. retail partners have done for more than a decade to develop standards-based training and certification validating and impacting young people starting their careers on the other side of the world.  While I didn’t understand the words, I clearly got the level of excitement and interest the management trainees displayed for this new way to approach managing a department or even a store.  I was dazzled as I watched them work together eagerly to solve problems and manage scenarios that they will soon encounter as new managers.  Hands in the air! Big smiles! I’ve got the answer to that one! You’re on our team!  I stood there watching these kids’ opinions of their futures change and felt so lucky to be there for so many who have done the work to make this possible.

What is your expectation for the curriculum offered in Beijing 5 years from now?

We met with officials from the Beijing Technical and Business University (BTBU) and, with members of their faculty, discussed for an audience of retail Human Resource managers how this training can provide benefit for their companies.  The University committed to add this training to its offerings, which was very exciting, as we understand that this will create the impetus for our partners CCOIC and GBS to engage other institutions of higher education to quickly adopt this curriculum or be left behind.  We already have strong interest in other provinces and our partners in China are enthusiastically spreading the message.  Our success in providing a generation of trained Chinese retailers will, of course, depend on many variables outside anyone’s control, but the signs are good and NRFF and CWW are well into development of the second level of education, Advanced Retail Operations and Management, and will deliver that training in Beijing in July.  We’ll then work on the third area of interest, Customer Service and Sales and Selling Skills. It’s easy to see that the opportunity is huge as more affluent consumers up the ante for retailers. Fortunately, there are so many people eager to build relevant skills sets that can help them get jobs in industries with a future that the stars seem to be aligning.

What is the opinion of careers in retail in China?

We visited a number of malls and some shops while in Beijing and, of course, had the opportunity to speak with Chinese retailers from many provinces who had gathered for the convention of the China Department Store Summit, sponsored with the China Commerce Association for General Merchandise. My colleague Denise Brasse, SVP Industry Relations at NRF, and Kimberly Grabel, SVP Marketing at Saks Fifth Avenue, joined me in speaking at this conference.  It’s clear from our conversations that luxury is the name of the retail game in China, and careers in retailing around an esteemed or aspirational brand are viewed quite positively.  My honest opinion is that retailing, in some ways, is new ground.  Chinese agencies are investing in retail as their economy grows, to fulfill the needs and wants of their growing middle class.

There’s a great opportunity for China’s retailers to match the level of esteem for retail careers with that being given to the new lifestyle and choices retailers deliver to their customers.  We’ll continue to work with our partners in China to offer the best lessons learned by retailers in the U.S. and elsewhere in how to invest in optimizing their workers’ skills and performance, not only to grow sales, but to wow the customer – a sure way to engage the associate and raise the customer’s opinion of the role that associate plays.

What else did you do on your trip?

I shopped, of course! I’m a big fan of pearls and was given the “secret location” of the best place to get great pearls in Beijing.  Let’s just say that I was not disappointed and even got a bit of holiday shopping done in advance this year.

I ate!  Our Chinese hosts were so gracious and kind, offering us the best of everything and I thanked them with my chopsticks.  If I wanted to know more about a certain dish (and I did) the chef was brought from the kitchen to discuss – again, thanks to our very accomplished hosts, who translated for me.  Great fun!  We were accompanied by our hosts to climb the Great Wall, an overwhelming and humbling experience, to tour the Forbidden City, which defies description, and to visit the former Olympic Village and Tian’anmen Square.  History and time have new meaning since this trip and I’m looking forward to moving some things around on my reading list to try to keep these new memories alive.