executive perspectives: Living the American Dream
We also have invested a lot in our customer facing e-commerce platform, including just-in-time wearable programs with all of the major wholesalers, print-on-demand platforms, programs that allow our customers to upload logos on merchandise on the fly and many other exciting things.
P+P: What do you expect to be some of the biggest challenges the industry will face?
JZ: One of our biggest challenges is going to be replacing our retiring sales associates' business with new business. We have grown over the past two years, but much of that has come from additions and company acquisitions. With an aging sales force, our biggest challenge is to address the erosion in our "same store sales." Over the years, we have always been a wonderful landing spot for sales associates who were educated by "the majors" but as we all know, those companies are few and far between these days. We need to be able to provide the education necessary to train new salespeople. We are working hard to find ways to help our associates looking to retire and at the same time helping to transition a new salesperson into the business.