If anyone has the finger on the pulse of the retail industry, Clare Bailey is the one. She joined Mobaro Retail in 2015 to help reshape retail operations. Here she gives her views on the major retail challenges in 2017 along with where chains can make a difference in their organisations.
It’s my opinion that in recent years’ retail technology has been far too focused on the consumer – mobile marketing, location based marketing, proximity marketing, apps, mobile commerce, social media, channel development – all very exciting, but the store, which still services the vast majority of sales, has become somewhat overlooked in the frenzy to “go digital”.
Of course technology that engages and inspires the customer is great, but retailers also need tech that supports efficient and effective operations, increasing profitability and enhancing the customer experience.
Read more about how retailers may enhance the customer experience.
I believe that savvy retailers now need to be looking at how to leverage technology to better support their network of stores. Utilising systems that improve the communication flow between stores and head office, retailers can get far greater insights into the issues and barriers to operational excellence. With real-time dashboards giving a snapshot view of the state of the chain, and reporting that analyses the root causes of reoccurring issues, retailers can more effectively support their stores, quickly eliminating the problems that constantly tie up managers and staff.
For the past year I’ve been working with Mobaro, a technology company who help 1000s of stores to be better connected to their respective head office support teams. I have seen first-hand how much more motivated and empowered store teams feel when they have the ability to communicate concerns and see actions being put in place to take problems away once and for all.
Read more about how Mobaro Retail can transform your retail management.
So, what should retailers do to stay competitive? They should remember the frontline staff – the people delivering the brand experience, day in, day out. By utilising technology to better appreciate what’s really happening out in stores, retailers can protect and improve that all important customer experience, which in a challenging market is the cornerstone to long-term customer loyalty.
See the video below, where Clare Bailey elaborates her take on retail threats and opportunities.
