Self-Service: Enhancing Customer Experience

By Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK Software USA

It’s no secret that the pandemic was a catalyst for technology adoption and omnichannel integration. Retailers are aware of this, and many have done an exceptional job transforming their business for a “new normal.” If the last two years are any indication, convenience will continue to be a top priority for retailers, so the solutions that improve convenience will stick around.

With this in mind, one retail practice that’s expected to continue into 2022 is click-and-collect. Solutions, like BOPIS and curbside pickup, gained popularity because they were easy to implement without advanced fulfillment options and gave customers a safer way to visit stores. Now, click-and-collect innovations are becoming more sophisticated as retailers are adding integrations and features over time, making management of the solutions easier as a business grows and evolves.

Similarly, mobile order ahead options will carry into 2022 as consumers become more comfortable with mobile shopping. Retailers, quick-service restaurants and convenience stores are implementing mobile order ahead to keep customers safe and save their valuable time. This solution encouraged app downloads in 2021, so retailers will be provided more opportunities to personalize the mobile experience for the growing audience next year.

The New Retail Model: Real-time Decision-Making

By Helena Holmgren, President and CEO, Pricer

The well-publicized increased adoption of e-commerce emphasizes the need for real-time data and actionable insights for the retailers. To keep pace with consumers who are shopping seamlessly across physical and digital channels, retailers need to be increasingly focused on using technology that narrows the gap between offline and online.

Many of the largest Tier 1 retail organizations around the world have embarked on digital journeys – with explicit targets for what they want to achieve during the coming years. The key driver is up-to-date data, anaytics and information that is used to drive improvements in both the efficiency of operations and shopper engagement.

Shoppers now have more flexibility and can chose different formats for both shopping and fulfilment. Some shoppers tend to go online in search of information, and then actually conclude the transaction in a physical store. Others might go to a store or a showroom to do research, and then they go online to make their purchase. Retailers today have to understand and enable this flexibility and seamless movement across channels.

Increases in store efficiency are key to increasing on-shelf availability, staff loyalty and promotional effectiveness all of which in turn result in higher customer and staff satisfaction as well as improving the organization’s bottom line.

All stores today need an effective, flexible and real-time shelf edge platform. Operating as a key integrated part of the overall retail business infrastructure, this enables better and faster decision-making, more effective and timely inventory management and waste management.

In the past, electronic shelf labels (ESL) were all about replacing paper price labels with basically the digital version of the same thing. The reality today is very different. By supporting the managers with data, they get important real-time insights to enable more proactive decisions and task management. They enable the management team to do instant price updates, in a single store or in a whole chain with hundreds of stores, to counter competitors campaigns, or to lower price on food approaching the expiry date to minimize food waste. They also enable staff to track inventory or ensure planogram compliance.