In a digital world, tech-savvy customers are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to shop. Retailers need to implement the latest in-store technologies if they’re to keep up with the rapidly changing retail landscape. Fortunately, reading this webinar recap will keep your brand out of the dark ages.
Last week, Qudini co-founder and CEO Imogen Wethered participated in PSFK’s insightful Retail Innovation Week webinar about the AI revolution in retail.
Other panelists included:
- Phillip Raub – CEO, Model No.
- Trevor Sumner – CEO, Perch
- Eric Mogil – Chief Growth Officer, Radar
- Valerie Vacante – Director of Strategy – Product Experience & Innovation at Merkle
- Scott Lachut – Partner, President Research & Strategy at PSFK
- Lauren Lyons – Senior Strategist at PSFK
- Piers Fawkes – President, PSFK
Here, we’ll recap the main topics and exciting new trends the webinar covered.
1. Physical retail isn’t going anywhere
The pandemic may have brought the world to a grinding halt for a time, but it hasn’t culled physical retail. In fact, demand for in-store services has remained consistently high.
Yet, what customers expect from retailers is changing. As state-of-the-art in-store technology becomes the norm, it’s the retailers with the most efficient, customizable, and personalized services that will see customers return again and again.
“Even though there’s a pandemic, physical retail still plays a huge role for retailers.”
Eric Mogill, Radar
2. Omnipresence is key
The panel also discussed the benefits of omnipresent branding. E-commerce businesses often miss out on an important revenue stream if they don’t have physical stores that shoppers can go to for a more personalized experience. After all, employees on the shop floor are one of the greatest resources retailers have to convert leads and guarantee customer satisfaction.
Likewise, retailers who only have physical stores aren’t catering to online shoppers who prefer the convenience of ordering goods from the comfort of their homes. By comparison, retailers with unified online and in-store services are likely to surpass their competitors, dramatically increase sales and drive brand value.
3. Automatization frees up store teams to establish customer relationships
Imogen pointed out that retail automation creates a new opportunity for retailers to redistribute their teams and devote more time to establishing long-term customer relationships. Generally, retailers can free up their employees to spend more time with customers by automating tasks from inventory management to checkout, and ultimately offer a better service that boosts return rates.
“I think we might see other retailers reutilizing their colleagues in a more interesting way that builds brand value.”
Imogen Wethered, Qudini
4. Virtual appointment scheduling is here to stay
Virtual appointment scheduling services presented the perfect solution for many customers with about shopping in physical stores during the pandemic. However, the skyrocketing demand for virtual appointments—particularly among Millennials and GenZ shoppers—shows that it will become a permanent feature of the new retail landscape in the post-Covid world.
For more on this, check out our recent infographic on why customers want to book appointments.
To summarize
Physical retail stores aren’t disappearing anytime soon but how we shop is evolving. As retailers increasingly adopt an omnichannel approach, businesses that fail to automate the shopping experience risk losing their competitive edge.
By introducing retail choreography technologies, brands can combat safety concerns during the pandemic, gain precious insights into how their customers shop, and ultimately improve their service.
If you would like to learn more about how our innovative software is boosting sales for major brands around the world, contact us at info@qudini.com
