Welcome

Retail in Real-Time: How are Retailers Using Data to Transform Operations and Improve Customer Experience in a Time of Disruption

Sponsored by Couchbase
Thursday 18 March 2021, 12:30
Zoom

The unexpected disruption of coronavirus has driven retail online, shaken up consumer habits, and triggered store closures across the UK, forcing retailers to completely rethink both their digital and in-store strategies.

Tough restrictions have left many retailers struggling to stay afloat, resulting in the permanent closure of well-known brands and retail empires, while some online-only stores and e-commerce giants have seen sales boom.

On top of grappling with COVID-19, retailers also face increasing pressure to establish flawless, end-to-end omnichannel operations, and develop automated consumer journeys to ensure they’re attracting, engaging, and retaining customers. As a result, data is key to survival.

And as retailers prepare for the return to the High Street, consumer focus will shift back to the in-store experience, with AI, virtual experiences and personalisation high on the agenda.

This digital roundtable will bring together industry peers to discuss key pain points and opportunities for retailers as they harness data to address the challenges of the pandemic, changing customer behaviour, and the dramatic shift to e-commerce.

Topics for discussion:

• How has the Coronavirus pandemic changed retail operating models? And if an omnichannel model has been rolled out, what have the key challenges been?
  
  
• What impact has the shift to online and digital channels had upon data management strategies? Have back-end systems and dataflows kept pace with changes to customer interfaces and applications?
  
  
• What are the key demand and supply challenges faced by retailers during the pandemic, and how are they using data and technology to scale?
  
  
• How has omnichannel changed the in-store experience for customers and staff?
  
  
• How are retailers using customer data and AI to deliver more personalised experiences while meeting data privacy expectations?
  
  
• As retailers prepare to re-open, how important will technology such as AR be in the reinvention of brick-and-mortar stores?
  
  
• How advanced are retailers in their adoption of cloud technologies and applications?
  
  
• What role can data and new technologies play in changing the delivery and returns process including drone delivery and smart labelling?
  
  
• What are likely to be the key retail technology trends of 2021?
  
  

Timings:
12:30 – 12:40 Editor’s Welcome
12:40 – 14:00 Topic Discussion

Brought to you by Retail Systems