LAS VEGAS—GlobeSt.com was in attendance at the NewMark Merrill Cos. party at the national ICSC conference here in Las Vegas, where we got a chance to chat with the host, president and CEO Sandy Sigal about the retail climate.  He got right to the point, explaining that not only is it hard to get labor, but it is having a big impact on customer service. "We are also seeing large issues with supply lines and the start of inflation which seems to be accelerating."

According to Sigal, all of those issues will require management and support for merchants as well as monitoring of traffic in order to staff appropriately to maximize the customer experience and set expectations for shoppers. 

Even with current staffing shortages, according to Michael Sneed, director of retail marketing at Brickell City Centre, "retailers who offer caring, meaningful service will come out on top as shoppers may have to look harder for that perfect gift this year."

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Natalie Dolce

Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com and GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.