How UNTUCKit turned training into a sales driver

High-touch retail only works when teams know how to use the time they have. For UNTUCKit, that matters more than most.

Many stores operate with a one-to-one associate-to-customer ratio, a rare advantage in retail. But without the right skills, structure, and follow-through, that advantage is easy to waste.

At the National Retail Federation's Big Show (NRF 2026), Sandra Scibelli, Head of US Retail at UNTUCKit, joined Melissa Curtis, Senior Account Manager at YOOBIC to unpack how the brand links training directly to conversion, UPT, and clienteling performance.

Here’s how UNTUCKit built a certification-led training model that changed frontline behavior and business results.

What challenge was UNTUCKit trying to solve?

UNTUCKit’s selling model is intentionally complex. It is built around wardrobe construction, relationship-building, and asking the right questions, not quick greetings or transactional add-ons.

That complexity created a clear challenge:

• Execution varied widely from store to store
• High-touch service was not always translating into higher conversion or UPT
• Training existed, but skill application on the floor was inconsistent

With what Sandra described as a “luxury” associate-to-customer ratio, the brand needed to ensure every interaction delivered real value.

The goal was simple: move beyond task completion and directly improve the customer experience in a way that showed up in performance.

How does the clienteling certification work?

UNTUCKit built a multi-step clienteling certification program inside YOOBIC to set a clear, consistent standard for clienteling execution.

To become certified, leaders must:

• Complete virtual training sessions
• Execute practical clienteling missions
• Demonstrate real customer outreach and engagement

Certification is performance-based. Leaders are required to apply skills in real customer scenarios and show they can execute consistently on the floor.

As Sandra shared during the session, not everyone passes on the first attempt. That is intentional. The certification is designed to signal readiness, not participation.

Managers are assessed on execution quality, including:

• The substance of SMS outreach
• How customers are engaged
• Whether skills are applied correctly in live interactions

“It is not just like, ‘Oh, check the box and you’re done.’ You have to prove that you’ve built the skill.”

— Sandra Scibelli, UNTUCKit

Today, 83% of store managers are clienteling certified, giving UNTUCKit a clear benchmark for clienteling capability across the business.

Why does a fail-possible model matter?

Allowing failure protects the credibility of the certification. It turns training into a meaningful standard rather than a compliance exercise.

Over time, this shifted how the program was perceived internally:

• Certification became a milestone, not an attendance badge
• Passing the program is now a requirement for internal promotion to store manager
• The certificate carries weight because teams know it is earned

Certification now acts as a quality gate, ensuring leaders are truly ready to represent the brand in high-value customer interactions.

How did UNTUCKit scale ownership beyond store managers?

To increase impact, UNTUCKit expanded certification to assistant managers.

This shift changed how clienteling operated in stores:

• Ownership moved from a single role to shared leadership responsibility
• Assistant managers began actively driving outreach and follow-up
• Participation increased organically as responsibility spread

So far, 36% of assistant managers are certified, and clienteling is now treated as a core area of responsibility rather than a manager-only task.

This is a prime example of how retail leaders stay ahead in a rapidly shifting market: by empowering the frontline to take true ownership of the brand experience.

What business impact did the program deliver?

The link between certification and performance was clear.

• Clienteling-driven sales increased from 5% to 9% of total revenue
• 48% of certified stores saw an increase in conversion
• 46% of certified stores saw an increase in UPT

As Sandra noted, the program nearly doubled the volume of sales coming from clienteling, making it one of the most material contributors to recent performance gains.

“We’ve almost doubled the volume of sales coming from clienteling through the clienteling certification program.”

— Sandra Scibelli, UNTUCKit

What is the key lesson for retailers?

Training delivers ROI when it sets a clear bar for execution and proves it on the floor.

UNTUCKit showed that a performance-based, fail-possible certification can turn skills like clienteling into measurable revenue drivers, not just learning objectives. By validating behavior, not attendance, training became a growth lever rather than a support function.

The real shift came from connecting learning, tasking, and communication in one system. Store visits, daily missions, and career progression all reinforced the same expectations, removing silos and making execution consistent across locations. The outcome was not just stronger capability, but a measurable lift in conversion across nearly half of certified stores, powered through YOOBIC.

For more insights on this approach, check out our webinar recap on the future of frontline retail empowerment.

Dive Deeper with UNTUCKit

Want to hear more about how UNTUCKit masters the frontline?

• Listen: Catch Michael Saldana, Senior Retail Operations Manager from UNTUCKit on Frontline Fridays, where he discusses selecting locations and using KPIs to scale success.
• Watch: Stay tuned for our upcoming release of the full NRF mini theatre session on How UNTUCKit built consistency into high-touch retail execution with Michael Saldana.

FAQs

What is clienteling in retail?
Clienteling is a high-touch selling approach where associates build relationships, understand customer needs, and drive repeat purchases through personalized engagement.

What problem was UNTUCKit trying to solve with training?
Training existed, but clienteling skills were not being applied consistently on the sales floor or tied directly to performance outcomes.

How does UNTUCKit’s clienteling certification work?
Managers must complete training, execute real clienteling tasks, and demonstrate correct skill application before being certified.

Why is UNTUCKit’s certification “fail-possible”?
Not everyone passes on the first attempt. Allowing failure ensures certification reflects real readiness, not just participation.

How did the certification impact sales performance?
Clienteling-driven sales increased from 5% to 9% of total revenue, with nearly half of certified stores improving conversion and UPT.

Why did UNTUCKit expand certification to assistant managers?
Expanding certification distributed ownership of clienteling and increased engagement without adding operational complexity.