Canadian Retailer - Fall 2016 - 21

RETAIL TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

Surmesur: An augmented shopping experience

Fashion design software helping Surmesur enhance the shopping experience.

TODAY'S teched-out retail stores deliver new and ex-

citing ways of shopping for Canadian consumers. But
what about tomorrow's stores and the technology that's
already emerging? How might they change the shopping experience and how can retailers take advantage
of the possibilities offered by new and soon-to-arrive
technology? This article surveys technology leading retailers already use, technology on the cusp of wider use,
and a little bit of prophesy concerning the ways retailers might exploit technology in the future to improve
employee performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

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If the suit fits, wear it, but don't expect to find the suit
on the rack at Surmesur-the Quebec apparel company
that's cutting up the Canadian clothing scene.
Surmesur's customer experience is unlike the experience at other shops. When a customer enters one of the
store's six locations, he will find a store filled with inspiration-lots of fabric swatches-giant screens, computers,
and attentive fashion consultants who will take his measurements for a new suit. He will not find racks of suits. Instead, he learns about The Studio, Surmesur's fashion design software-a bespoke software program that allows
customers to choose elements of their dream garment
and see a rendering of the finished product. In the future,
rather than visiting the store, the customer can create
clothing from the comfort of his home. If the customer
needs inspiration, they can scroll through the library of
thousands of images Surmesur has cultivated.
Taken together, the technology and customer service
creates what Michael Bourguignon, Communications
and PR manager at Surmesur, calls "an augmented shopping experience" that marries the age old traditions of
tailoring with innovation. The store still uses tape measures to size a client, but rather than presenting customers with a half-stitched suit marked up with chalk, the
store can visualize the customer's clothing on a screen.
"We show customers what they're going to buy, not
what they think they're going to buy," says Bourguignon.
Surmesur has incorporated advanced technology into
its store experience from the first day. The store's founders-brothers Vincent and François Thériault-wanted
a way to build relationships with customers and reach
clients where they are. The result was The Studio and
Surmesur's idiosyncratic approach to service.
As for the future, Bourguignon says the store will continue to leverage new technologies to serve customers for
as long as customers carry "the world in their pockets."
"We are a clothing store without clothing," says Bourguignon, and "we're always looking to introduce new
technology. It's going to get more exciting, how we use
technology in stores."
How retailers throughout the industry, representing
all product categories, sizes and formats, use technology will be interesting going forward. And, for some,
it will be critical to their success. What follows are just
some of the technological advances that may play a big
role in the retail evolution over the years to come.
The right fit with 3D scanners

Consider a scenario: An apparel store sees hundreds of
customers a week. Many of the customers know the size
they wish they had, not their actual size. And who can tell
the difference between U.S. sizes and European sizes?
Body scanners may give retailers a faster way of sizing

FALL 2016 | CANADIAN RETAILER

| 21

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Retailer - Fall 2016