Canadian Retailer - Fall 2016 - 15

TECHNOLOGY ROUNDTABLE

Simpson: You always have to start with your customer. You need to under-

stand them and how they're interacting with your brand, in-store and online,
and then figure out how you can play a role in the key touchpoints along the
customer journey. Figuring this out enables us to be responsive when we
need to be, deliver digitally when we need to, and create something special
in our stores that meets customers' need to connect physically with the
brand and products. Understanding your customer has to continue to drive
how you embrace technology and innovation. If you can continue to understand the customer and connect with them in ways that
WARNER: Looking ahead fifteen years
resonate, you'll be able to continue meeting
into the future, technology will be much
and, ideally, exceeding their expectations.
more advanced and integrated into our
environment than it currently is today. ConsideDawson: The customer will have even more
ring this, how as retailers will you develop your
control of the experience 15 years from
strategies to ensure that your brand and retail
now. The millennial customer will be 15
experiences are complimentary and enhanced?
years older. They are a segment which is
motivated largely by experience. So we'll
need to build our relationship with this
group by delivering impressive experiences across every channel, regardless
of the point the customer is at in their
product knowledge journey. Ultimately we
think that we can offer ease, convenience
and better access to a broader assortment
through our e-commerce experience. And
in-store, through our knowledgeable staff,
expert advice and tastings, we bring the
retail experience to life and provide our
customers with an exceptional experience.

Connell: We're always trying to develop an
emotional connection with our customers
and realize to do so we need to determine
where the KPIs are beyond a transaction.
With an adjusted traWe have a huge opportunity to build our
jectory, Cognizant's
brand equity with every consumer interacFuture of Retail
Survey, 2016, sugtion and play both a short and long game when
gests that online and
it comes to revenue generation. By connecting
web-influenced sales
with customers, in ways that speak to them, and
could be 90% of total
reducing some of the friction that currently exists
sales by 2025.
by integrating preferences, purchase and browse
history, stored payment, layering physical location through mobile, and other
information (of course with permission), retailers will be able to build revenue
and positive experiences for their customers. It is about winning their affinity.
Nelson: The rate of change in retail technology is significant and con-

stant. It makes it very difficult to look too far into the future with respect
to innovation and application. But, I do see a lot of power in our physical
network that compliments the virtual. The role of omnichannel is to blur
the line between online and offline and ensure the customer experience
is seamless and fast. Future proofing our technology decisions by being
lean and agile will enable us to grow in the years to come.

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