News Releases

Inkling CEO Mike Parks to Participate in Future Stores Conference Panel, "Rethinking Associate Functions for the New Role of the Brick & Mortar Store"

Parks Will Be Joined by Representatives of The Northface and Yoobic to Address How the Role of Store Associates Has Evolved, and Why Training and Reskilling Is Critical to Achieve Success in Today's New Brick & Mortar Environment

SAN FRANCISCO, July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inkling, a global leader in digital learning solutions, announced today that Mike Parks, CEO of Inkling, will participate in a panel session titled "Rethinking Associate Functions for the New Role of the Brick & Mortar Store" at the Future Stores conference this week in Seattle. Parks will be joined by leaders in the retail industry represented by Mark Cardinale, Director, Retail Store Operations for The Northface, a VF Company, and Gary Dietz, Product Marketing Manager for Yoobic.

As the brick-and-mortar store evolves, so does the role of the store associate. How are retail executives thinking about the best way to train and staff their floors? The panelists will discuss:

  • Redefining associate roles to carry out the new hybrid functions stores are serving
  • Reskilling associates to meet customer needs as in-person shopping transforms
  • Equipping associates with the tools to provide the elevated customer service shoppers are now looking for

"While the pandemic changed the landscape for brick and mortar retail stores, the in-person customer experience is back in full swing, but not necessarily the same as before," said Parks. "Virtual shopping changed what they've come to expect in both the digital and in-person environments. I look forward to participating in our panel at the Future Stores conference and discussing how the role of store associates has evolved and why training and reskilling is required to achieve success in today's new brick and mortar setting."

The panel will take place on Friday, July 15, 1:50-2:50pm. Inkling will also showcase its digital learning platform in booth #115 at the conference exhibit hall. The Future Stores event will be held July 13-15, 2022 at the Sheraton Seattle.

Future Stores gathers senior retail executives in operations, design, digital, and technology. Attendees will learn how leading retailers are integrating a hybrid approach to their in-store experience by balancing high tech with high touch. Actionable strategies will be offered for using store technology effectively, educating front line associates, and creating the next generation store experience.

About Inkling

Inkling is a global leader in digital learning solutions, designed for today's learners and today's work. The company delivers your most critical knowledge to your people in the flow of work, anytime, anywhere, and on any device. With easy content authoring, simplified learning paths, a modern learning experience, and meaningful insights, Inkling's operational learning platform delivers learning flawlessly and with simplicity. Leading brands trust Inkling to help them efficiently onboard employees, ensure continued performance enablement, and successfully execute corporate initiatives while providing new levels of visibility into critical operating metrics. Inkling has earned numerous industry accolades including the Aragon Research Innovation Award for Learning two consecutive years, and a total of 20 Brandon Hall Group awards last year spanning the Human Capital Management (HCM) and Technology categories. Founded in 2009, the company is based in San Francisco.

For more information about Inkling, visit www.inkling.com.

SOURCE Inkling

For further information: Erin Bocherer, for Inkling, 678-294-2258, erin@cogentacom.com