Big Picture - May 2020 - 18

KFO This is a really interesting question. For existing clients,

I don't think much has changed for us in terms of communication methods. We're engaging with our clients with more
online meetings, but almost all our work is with remote
clients and consultants, so that's not particularly foreign for
us. But our business development efforts are taking a hit.
Trying to contact prospective new clients is rather stagnant.
The critical thing for both current clients and prospective
ones is what value I bring them, at this moment, with the
current conditions. Do I have ideas that could help them
solve new problems they didn't have yesterday? I would say
the same is true for PSPs.

HOW IMPORTANT IS SUSTAINABILITY IN THE RETAIL
INDUSTRY ?
CS Sustainability should be considered an ongoing and
evergreen retail priority. PSPs should take a proactive
approach to sustainability rather than waiting for mandates.
In general, next-stage sustainability is about reaching further
down the supply chain. This is another area where no two
retailers or brands will take the same approach or have the
same standards. It's important to stay on top of overarching
retail industry sustainability innovations and to balance that
with knowledge of individual customer initiatives.
KFO Sustainability was important before COVID-19, and I

think it will increase after. I hope it brings into sharper focus
the interconnectedness of all things. We don't operate in a
vacuum. Causality is absolute. I would hope that one possible
upside is greater awareness of how our decisions have great
impact on the world.

solutions to stand out. Customer-centric storytelling,
cinematic customer experiences, and integrated environments are the strategies we use to accomplish that, and
printing can play a vital role.

IF YOU COULD GUESS (TAKE OUT THAT CRYSTAL
BALL) HOW DO YOU SEE THE PANDEMIC AFFECTING
RETAIL IN THE NEXT YEAR, FIVE YEARS?
CS The pandemic will forever change retail and, in many
ways, for the better. But some retailers that are on the brink
will not make it through, particularly ones that specialize in
discretionary categories like apparel, home, jewelry, and
high-end products. Retailers have been obsessed with
productivity for a while, whether that means wringing out
greater supply chain efficiencies, launching smaller formats,
or focusing on comp store sales. The post-pandemic world
will take productivity to the next level as some retailers find
themselves rebuilding from the ground up. Others will
launch new concepts with the pandemic experience indelible
in their minds. The general rule will be fewer, more productive stores run by fewer, more productive people. The rush to
digital that caught retailers off guard as the pandemic took
hold will ease a bit, as shoppers will be anxious to get out
and about, however new consumer habits will also be
engrained. The digital-forward movement will have permanently accelerated. In addition to productivity, diversification
will be critical. This is true for retailers, brands, and solution
providers. In general, the retailers that are faring the best
right now are those that are diversified in terms of categories, business models, and channels. Brands that operate
multiple models (wholesale, owned retail, digital direct-to-consumer, etc.) can shift strategies as market
dynamics change.
KFO I suspect there will be substantial changes. Because most

WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING IN A PSP? WHAT TYPES OF
PRINT APPLICATIONS ARE YOU SEEING THAT EXCITE
YOU? WHAT ARE RETAILERS ASKING FOR, IN ORDER
TO STAND OUT?

BIG PICTURE

May 2020

KFO We do work with printers directly, but it's infrequent.

More often we work with a fabricator responsible for
signage and graphics in a retail store, and they source
printing services directly, typically through existing
relationships. For us, we're usually looking to print on
unusual substrates, so an open mind and eagerness to
experiment is something we look for. In our work, we try to
blur the line between architecture and communication
graphics. Ideally, the customer should not know where one
ends and the other begins. To do that, we're often looking
at how architectural materials or finishes become part of an
in-store communication strategy. That way, printing is an
integral part of the architecture, not something applied
separately. Our clients are not asking for specific printing

of our work is grocery, I'll touch on a few items we're already
seeing. Online shopping, delivery, and pick-up were already
growing and becoming unavoidable issues for our clients, but
now it's absolute. The primary hurdle for customers was
unfamiliarity with alternate food purchasing scenarios. But that
hurdle evaporated overnight. I recently read an article about a
study showing that in crisis, customers abandon brand loyalty.
Shortages and empty shelves will force customers to consider
both brands and products they never would have before. When
conditions return to something that's closer to normal, some of
those shifts are likely to hold. Because most of us are eating at
home, even after restaurants reopen, in the short term we'll be
less likely to eagerly eat out. It's going to take a little time. Many
of our clients are already considering changes in their offering
that might be driven by either customer demand or regulations.
For example, on one project, the client is considering eliminating open hot and cold food bars, or any self-service food cases,
unless the product is packaged. For non-food retail, the changes
will perhaps be less substantial.

Big Picture - May 2020

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