Contact: Kaie Pohi Latterner

Phone: 715-247-5054

Email:  TEC@TECconsultants.com

New Retail 101^® Workshop Teaches

Retailing Basics to Varied Audiences

April 23, 2001 (Minneapolis, Minn.) — TEC, Inc., a Twin Cities-based company, is introducing Retail 101^®, a customized and interactive workshop for retailers and other companies looking to enhance essential merchandising skills among their employees. It's a unique and efficient training tool that organizations can use to strengthen their competitive position in today's ever-changing retail environment.

TEC, Inc. -- Technical Education Consultants, Inc. -- is a leading provider of customized, user-based training programs and workshops, manuals, job aids and handbooks, and skills and management development services for organizations across the United States and Canada.

Retail 101^® is a face-to-face, hands-on learning program that teaches retail fundamentals to employees at all levels. Created by TEC for organizations needing to gain a competitive advantage in retailing, it is designed to significantly improve each participant's knowledge of key retail activities in order to:

            • improve productivity,

            • eliminate costly mistakes,

            • raise customer service levels, and

            • build allegiance to the client's company.

"The retail climate is getting tougher all the time," says Kaie Pohi Latterner, president, TEC, Inc. "It's hard for merchandisers to find and hire people with retail experience who can help strengthen their companies for the future. This workshop offers a thorough look at all the key elements of retailing in order to educate new employees or enhance the skills of people already in retail positions."

Among many new skills, Retail 101^® participants learn:

            • The six components of the SKU Life Cycle: Understand, Plan, Buy, Move, Sell and Pay;

            • Why their jobs are vital to the company;

            • How to identify technological solutions that create efficiencies; and

            • The value of outstanding customer service.

Latterner says this unique workshop can be delivered as a stand-alone course or as a supplement to employee orientation programs. "It can be customized to include the client company's own terminology, roles and responsibilities and unique qualities," she says. "It can run a full week or be condensed to a potent few days."

Retail 101^® was developed by Lara M. Pederson, a project manager, change management coordinator, and business analyst with TEC since 2000. Pederson's extensive retail experience includes business analyst duties with ShopKo Stores and Target Stores.  Other TEC consultants contributing to the development of Retail 101 include: JeAnn Jensen, Margarot McGrath, Anna Anderson, Cathy Golden, and Kelly Vanderkolk.

TEC, Inc., was established in 1984 to provide technical training and skill enhancement services to clients acquiring new computer technologies. From offices in Somerset, Wis., and near Tampa, Fla., TEC has expanded to provide customized training, system design and documentation, group productivity, leadership development, communication and related services to companies in the service, retail, manufacturing and engineering fields.

Clients include: American Dental Association; Brooks Brothers; Eckerd Corp.; Family Dollar Stores, Inc.; Fingerhut; Government of Alberta, Canada; Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P); Ingram Micro; Payless Cashways, Inc.; National Convenience Stores; Tennant Co.; and Trans World Music Corp., among others.

For more information, please contact TEC or visit the company's website at: www.TECconsultants.com.

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