Dear Corporate... Love Stores | Engaging Retail Employees
The podcast retail executives need to hear but rarely do. Hosted by CATO Creative's retail consultant Bekki Cait, and veteran store leader Matt Copeland, each episode brings you the unfiltered truth about what's really happening in your stores. Through candid conversations, they bridge the growing disconnect between corporate offices and frontlines—revealing why your best initiatives fail, what your teams actually need, and how to transform frustration into results. This is your unvarnished window into the realities that engagement surveys and sanitized store visits never show you.
Episodes
This is part one of two episodes that explore the true essence of employee engagement within retail environments, challenging the traditional focus on KPIs. It delves into the 'engage' stage—one of the seven critical stages of the employee lifecycle.
The discussion emphasizes the importance of day-to-day experiences and interactions that contribute to job satisfaction.
Key points include the need for a balance between:
- good pay,...
Effective Retail Onboarding: Corporate's Role in Supporting New Store EmployeesWe explore the nuances of onboarding new hires in the retail sector, emphasizing the pivotal role corporate must play in supporting a seamless transition.
Discussions revolve around creating a welcoming and well-prepared environment for new employees, highlighting the importance of relevant and updated training modules that resonate with today's workforc...
Revamping the Retail Hiring ProcessIn this episode, the hosts explore major issues in the retail hiring process and challenge current practices.
They emphasize that the inefficiencies introduced by technology and lengthy bureaucratic procedures are deterring potential candidates and undermining corporate strategies.
The discussion includes the comparison between hiring for the company as it exists versus the company it aspires to b...
I mean... would you apply? In this episode, Bekki and Matt Copeland discuss the disconnect between how retail jobs are advertised versus the actual experience of working in retail.
They explore why vague and recycled job descriptions often attract poor-fit candidates, leading to high turnover and frustration for both employers and potential employees.
Bekki and Matt delve into the anatomy of ineffective job ads, dissect common red ...
Unpacking Trust and Mistrust in Retail: Challenges, Solutions, and Reflections
In this episode, Matt and Bekki dive deep into the complexities of trust within the retail sector. They explore how structural and operational practices can erode trust between corporate leaders and store teams, leading to a culture of mistrust and compliance over empowerment.
The conversation touches on micromanagement, loss prevention policies, and the ...
In this episode, the focus is on the critical gap between traditional retail metrics and what truly matters for sustainable business growth and customer satisfaction.
The discussion delves into how metrics, while essential, often drive unintended behaviours and misalign with long-term goals. Key points include the need for more meaningful performance measurement that integrates metrics like employee turnover and engagement, and the...
Finally, a real conversations about the Corporate-Store Disconnect in Retail in 2025.In this episode, Bekki Cait, a retail consultant, and Matt Copeland, a seasoned store manager, dive deep into the stark divide between corporate and store teams in the retail industry of 2025.
Despite advances in AI and technology, failed initiatives and mounting frustrations highlight a fundamental disconnect that costs retailers millions.
Join us...
Store assuming it's an awareness issue...
In this eye-opening episode, Bekki Cait and veteran store leader Matt Copeland unpack why despite substantial investments in communication tools, store teams often feel more disconnected than ever.
Bekki and Matt explore the challenges store leaders face in balancing corporate directives with their core mission of running great stores.
They uncover why reactive communication campaigns freque...
In this episode of Dear Corporate... Love Stores, hosts Bekki Cait and Matt Copeland delve into the pressing issue of disempowerment in the retail industry.
They discuss how the current obsession with standardization, efficiency, and brand protection is damaging employee engagement, increasing turnover, and ultimately hurting business performance.
Using real-life examples from their experiences in retail, they highlight the importa...
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