Customer Case Study

How Starboard Scaled Consistent Sales Coaching Across 2,000+ Associates Worldwide with Allego AI Role Play

Starboard Group logo featuring a gold abstract star design above the words STARBOARD GROUP in black uppercase letters.
Industry: Retail
Company Size: 1,000-5,000 employees
Location: Miami, FL

Starboard is a leading retailer at sea, operating onboard retail experiences across 15 cruise lines. With more than 2,000 sales associates representing 81 nationalities across 90 ships worldwide, Starboard delivers shopping experiences ranging from everyday products to luxury goods

Four professionals in business attire have a discussion in a modern office. Two are seated, holding notebooks, while two stand; one holds a tablet. All appear engaged and focused in conversation.

Challenge:

• Needed to deliver consistent sales coaching and messaging across a globally distributed workforce.
• Had limited visibility into coaching effectiveness and sales execution across ships worldwide.
• Required a scalable way to reinforce sales behaviors and provide practice opportunities for associates selling thousands of different products.
• Sought to create a unified customer experience despite varying cultures, languages, and selling environments.

“You can have a salesperson selling Pringles one day and fine fashion jewelry the next. Whether you’re going from Pringles to Prada, it’s scalable enough to coach each individual where they are at.”

Stephanie Rice | Senior Director, Learning & Organizational Development, Starboard

Solution:

• Implemented AI Role Play to provide scalable, on-demand sales coaching across the fleet.
• Created a single AI coach, “Emily,” capable of supporting conversations across thousands of products and selling scenarios.
• Built AI coaching around Starboard’s established selling methodology to reinforce consistent sales behaviors.
• Embedded AI Role Play into certifications, new product launches, targeted practice, gap analysis, and final assessments.

Results:

• Delivered a consistent sales coaching experience across 90 ships, 15 cruise lines, and 2,000+ sales associates worldwide.
• Scaled best-practice coaching across a workforce representing 81 nationalities.
• Provided associates with immediate feedback and personalized practice tailored to their selling environment.
• Improved consistency by reinforcing a single selling methodology across all products and customer interactions.
• Elevated AI coaching to a strategic differentiator, incorporating Allego into Starboard’s RFP process to showcase its investment in employee development and sales excellence.