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Headline Theatre7 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
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Theatre A7 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
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Theatre B7 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
With more business-critical systems from the point of sale and food safety to employee training, downtime can bring businesses to a halt with a big revenue hit. There are many challenges when managing connectivity - from integrating various devices and systems to ensuring seamless communication. However, there is an answer to deploying IoT solutions easily and it’s not IoT. We’ll delve into simplifying connectivity complexity through the utilisation of pre-configured solutions and how adopting pre-configured solutions, including reduced setup time, lower maintenance costs, and enhanced scalability.
We look at:
- The challenges businesses face due to downtime
- Business use cases, such as primary internet connection, new technologies, and network augmentation
- How adopting pre-configured solutions reduces setup time, lowers maintenance costs, and enhances scalability
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Headline Theatre3 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
Sponsored by:
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Theatre A3 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
Sponsored by:
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Theatre B3 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
Sponsored by:
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
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What key lessons have you learned about AI from working at Google DeepMind, Meta and SpaceX?
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Which real-life applications and business benefits does generative AI offer to a retailer?
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What does generative AI really mean for retailers from a risk, compliance and copyright perspective?
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What key steps do retailers need to take to make generative AI operational within their businesses?
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What does generative AI mean for jobs and skills in the retail sector and how can retailers achieve the right balance of people and computers?
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What will be the biggest disruptions that retailers will have to manage as a consequence of generative AI?
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How can retailers build more trust in generative AI and ensure they use it responsibly ?
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What are the biggest misunderstandings that retailers have about generative AI?
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Where do you see generative AI going over the next few years within retail and what excites you the most?
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You’ve worked closely with Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and Eric Schmidt. What key lessons did you learn about innovation and leadership from each of these experiences?
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Theatre A30 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
Gavin Williams will present on the shifting sands in Luxury, and how digital really plays out both in digital and physical retail. Gavin has worked at Harvey Nichols, Farfetch and Creed along with many others in the sector, and has witnessed Luxury’s somewhat reluctant digital journey.
Gavin will be discussing:
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Luxury’s approach to online VIP clienteling
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The challenges of board buy-in for Luxury eCommerce investment
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Margin protection and brand building in online Luxury
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Theatre B30 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- How do you approach personalisation at Look Fabulous Forever and what impact has personalisation had on your business?
- What new personalisation innovations are showing the best ROI?
- How can retailers use AI effectively for personalisation to drive sales and market share?
- What does great personalisation look like from an after-sales service perspective?
- What are the challenges in implementing personalised website experiences?
- Which retailers stand out from the crowd as having truly nailed personalisation?
- What pitfalls should retailers avoid at all costs when taking their personalisation to the next level?
- How is personalisation likely to develop in the next three years and what can retailers do today to stay ahead of the game?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Join Midcounties Co-op and WorkJam, the world’s first digital frontline workplace, to learn strategies to optimise task management, boost productivity, and automate frontline operations seamlessly. In this session hear from John Street, Head of Business Transformation – Midcounties Co-op & Mark Williams, Managing Director EMEA, WorkJam as we delve into real-world examples, highlighting how leading retailers are equipping and empowering frontline teams with the right digital tools.
- Discover the transformative potential of a super app for frontline retail, boosting operational efficiency.
- Seamlessly automate compliance and policy dissemination, ensuring frontline teams stay informed and up-to-date effortlessly.
- Empower frontline employees with the right digital tools, equipping them for increased productivity.
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
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Evaluating your omnichannel customers’ expectations around brining the best of online into the store
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Assessing the best ways to identify your customers in store in an engaging way
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Using technology innovation to join up the customer journey for seamless shopping
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Evaluating which store technology offers you maximum opportunity to engage your customers in an immersive experience
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Rethinking store colleague training to further engage your customers in a powerful, frictionless experience
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Theatre A30 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
Mobile shopping apps were all the rage a few years ago for pureplay eCommerce retailers. Now though the mantel has been grasped by true Omnichannel retail as a method of bridging the gap for customers.
James Reid will present on the strategy and execution of the All Saints customer shopping experience - covering the following challenges:
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Managing pricing complexity across Physical, online and app channels
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Creating a consistent customer experience
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The benefits and challenges of a walled garden
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Maintaining the App technology
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Theatre B30 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
- For those that don’t know Stonegate Group, can you tell us a little bit about the business?
- Can you talk me through some of the challenges facing the hospitality industry at the moment?
- How are you using retail technology to counter these challenges?
- What is MiXR Media and where are you on its roll out?
- How are you driving new user acquisition and active users within the app?
- What are the performance highlights delivered by the MiXR network to date?
- What have been the biggest challenges in realising the opportunities created by the MiXR network?
- What does the future look like on MiXR Media and MiXR app?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
The rise of self-service technologies in retail has revolutionized the shopping experience, but it has also brought about significant challenges, particularly in managing retail shrinkage. While self-checkout systems offer convenience, they also present a heightened risk of theft and fraud compared to traditional cashier-operated lanes.
In this session, we will cover:
- Insights into alarming statistics for self-checkout systems, loss and shrinkage
- Customer insights, understanding intentional or accidental theft
- AI-driven tools to curb shrinkage rates associated with self-service technologies
- Case study examples demonstrate the reduction retailers have experienced in their shrinkage while maintaining the self-checkout process's convenience.
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
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Can you give me a quick overview of what Nourished does from a retail and manufacturing perspective and how successful it has been?
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What does personalisation look like at Nourished and what advice would you give to retailers to get the most value out of personalisation?
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What key lessons have you learnt about innovation on your journey of leading the Nourished business?
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You are famously using 3D printing to manufacture your nutrient gummy stacks. How do you see this playing out in other areas of retail?
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What innovations is Nourished using within automation and what advice would you give to retailers in this area?
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AI is currently the biggest opportunity in retail. How are Nourished embracing this opportunity and how do you see AI developing within retail in the next five years?
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What is Nourished doing to make the most of its data?
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What approach in Nourished taking with sustainability and how can retailers to make an impact in this area?
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Nourished is using the subscription retail model as one of its routes to market. What are the keys to success within the subscription model?
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What do you think eCommerce will look like in three years and which innovations should retailers be paying most attention to?
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Theatre A30 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
Many retailers have experienced at least 10% annual growth in their online businesses for the last 10+yrs. As online starts to both mature and settle back post Covid, so the challenge of growing consistently comes into sharper focus
Growth executives Maya and Jake will debate the best recipes for predictable growth at a cost that maintains the right margin level for 2024’s economic climate. We will tackle:
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Which paid channels are consistently performing
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Effective analytics in a GA4 world
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Data-driven testing and the opportunities it presents
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Optimising the customer experience for greater repeat purchases
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The risk of annoying customers with 1:1 marketing
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Theatre B30 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
- Setting optimal prices through truly understanding customer needs, behaviours and preferences
- Aligning your pricing with customer value perception
- Understanding how to measure pricing performance through increased access to more granular data
- Opening the debate on geolocation pricing and specific big-city strategies
- Emphasising the need for agility and responsiveness in refining pricing strategies to achieve customer-centric pricing optimization
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Join us to discover how innovative and unique approaches to technology infrastructure are enabling one of the UK’s premier football stadiums to deliver retailing in a whole new way.
In this session, we'll cover:
- The challenges and opportunities associated with a sales window that revolves around a limited number of match days per season.
- How composable commerce is empowering Arsenal to interact with its customers in unique and innovative ways.
- Stadium conundrums, including matchday queues, maximising spending per head with finite footfall, training a transient workforce of casual staff and Arsenal's "Always Forward" approach to overcoming these challenges.
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
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What are the top three innovations retailers should be paying attention to in 2024 and why?
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Which innovations show the best ROI currently for cost reduction and efficiency gains?
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Which in-store innovations have impressed you the most in the last year?
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Which new innovations are driving the most customer engagement and loyalty in 2024?
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How can retailers create an engaging internal culture of innovation in today’s environment?
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Which current payment innovations do you think will become mainstream?
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Which supply chain innovations are having the most impact on retailers sustainability goals?
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How seriously should retailers take the metaverse in 2024 and why?
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Which start-up projects are exciting you the most currently?
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Theatre A30 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
Digital retail technology is being transformed at an incredible rate. The eCommerce tooling from just 5 yrs ago is being replaced by “Point” software solutions that knit together to vastly improved merchandising, content and service offerings to shoppers, but the journey is not straightforward
Giles Smith is a serial offender and has completed this journey once, and is doing it all over again in a global luxury retailer. In a fireside chat he will focus on:
- The measurable benefits of a solution “composed” specifically for you
- Living with the “Minimal viable Product”
- Selecting vendors without an RFP
- Focusing on the “Head” in headless
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Theatre B30 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
- What approach does your company take to customer experience and why?
- What role do your stores play in driving customer advocacy and managing lasting customer relationships?
- How is your company harnessing customer data to maximise shopper loyalty and enhance experience?
- Which personalisation tactics is your company using to maximise customer lifetime value?
- What does your technology strategy look like for achieving personalised, engaging customer experiences?
- How is Generative AI helping sales associates with personalisation?
- What are the key pitfalls retailers need to avoid within their data, personalisation and loyalty strategies?
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60 mins
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Employee engagement presents a significant challenge for organisations grappling with low morale, productivity, and workforce retention rates. According to Gallup, 77% of employees feel disengaged at work, with frontline workers facing even greater challenges. We spoke directly with frontline workers to understand why, gaining valuable insights into their unique needs and perspectives.
In this session, HR tech expert Luke Boshoff will dive into these raw frontline perspectives and extract actionable insights for you, including:
- Explore why companies consistently fail to engage frontline employees,
- What frontline employees think and want,
- Real-world success stories from well-known companies like McDonald's Germany and German retail giants REWE and EDEKA,
- How to pick engagement solutions that embrace the diversity of your frontline workforce
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
If you work in store operations or lead retail teams, you know the drill: You send out directives, cross your fingers, and hope they trickle down correctly. But despite your best efforts, stores still don’t do what you ask. Worse yet - your associates seem completely checked out. What if there was a better way? What would it mean to your bottom line if you could get the best out of your stores and the best out of your people? Before she founded Zipline, Melissa Wong worked for a major retail brand where she struggled to align, engage, and empower store teams behind a common goal. That is until she discovered the secret to creating a great customer experience. The Five Principles are a game-changer - and best of all, there’s no fancy technology required!
Key takeaways;
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The true cause of poor store execution and low employee engagement.
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The most common mistakes retail headquarters teams make while trying to drive better operations.
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Simple best practices that will unite your field teams and bring your brand’s strategies to life with consistent precision.
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5 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
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Theatre A5 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
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Theatre B5 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
- Evaluating the journey from the kitchen table to multi-million-pound success story - and the high and lows along the way!
- Understanding why I’m doing it again, twenty years later
- Assessing how the landscape has shifted when it comes to building an ecommerce platform
- Sharing the biggest lessons I know to be true when it comes to building an innovative brand
- Evaluating the future consumer and my own approach to merging data, gut instinct and emotional connection
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Theatre A25 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
Retail Brands that emerged as online businesses face a greater challenge than most in creating brand advocacy. Whilst customers enjoy the product in their homes, without touching and feeling the product any brand marketer has to be particularly focused and creative in order to really build a brand.
In this fireside chat Lauren - a Co-founder and Head of Brand at SNUG sofas will walk through the challenges and opportunities the business has faced, will debate the resourcing and focus needed to truly create a meaningful brand as an online pureplay. We will discuss:
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The role of social in brand building
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The move to physical - step by step
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Franchise partners and their brand diligence
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Amplifying the superfans
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Theatre B30 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- What does loyalty actually mean in 2024 for both retailers and customers?
- How can retailers rethink their loyalty schemes to maximise the potential of locking customers in and remaining their favourite?
- How can retailers move their loyalty initiatives from delayed to immediate gratification?
- What can retailers do to measure the success of their loyalty activities?
- How can more loyalty be achieved outside of a loyalty scheme for retailers?
- What can retailers do to ensure their loyalty strategy actually drives market share and avoids giving away too much margin?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
In this session we will cover;
- The evolution of in-store voice and finding the right communication solution for all stores
- The story between VoCoVo and Iceland partnership
- The operational benefits Iceland has seen since taking on VoCoVo’s Series 5 Pro Headset
- The connected store - what’s to come for Iceland stores with VoCoVo’s futureproof technology
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- What does digital transformation look like at Boots and what do the timescales look like for such a large retailer?
- What challenges is Boots facing with its digital transformation due to being a 175-year-old business and how are those challenges being met?
- What innovations is Boots using in its goal of revolutionizing traditional healthcare for the digital era?
- How is Boots using AI and what real benefits has the company and its customers seen?
- Boots has forged delivery partnerships with Deliveroo and Uber Eats. Why has the company chosen to go down this route and how has this benefited the customer experience?
- What approach does Boots take to data management and personalisation?
- What role does Boot’s advantage card have within its digital transformation and will this impact customer loyalty going forward?
- What pitfalls do more established retailers need to watch out for when undertaking digital transformation?
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Theatre A30 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
We chat to Guljeet Samra CRO of Percival Menswear about the benefits and pitfalls of brand collaborations as a fashion pureplay - When should you engage? How does brand relevance really work? What are the potential long term revenue benefits alongside risks of seeping customers?
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Theatre B30 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- How can retailers use generative AI to solve real problems that will help them grow?
- How should retailers approach partnerships to help them drive innovation more quickly?
- How can retailers get more creative to ensure customers get exactly what they want, when they want it?
- Which new innovations offer the best value to acquire more customers in 2024?
- How can retailers re-think what customer experience means to ensure business growth and deliver on brand promises?
- How are consumers behaving in 2024 compared to 2022 and what does that really mean for retail?
- What mistakes do retailers make with innovation that should be avoided at all costs?
- What does a world class delivery experience look like in 2024 and how can retailers achieve it?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Discover how retailers can harness data-driven insights to elevate their bottom line and transform their retail operations. Learn how leading retailers are leveraging advanced analytics to gain a competitive edge and enhance customer satisfaction. Join us as we talk about the role of artificial intelligence in navigating the complexities of inventory management, from demand forecasting and replenishment to returns positioning.
In this session we will cover:
- Optimised Retail Planning with AI: Artificial Intelligence streamlines retail planning tasks such as demand forecasting, replenishment and allocation, returns and markdowns assisting retailers in operating more efficiently.
- Data-Driven Insights for Retail Success: Retailers can enhance profits and operations by effectively using data-driven insights.
- Advanced Analytics for Competitive Advantage: Leading retailers use advanced analytics to stay ahead and improve customer satisfaction
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- Can you give a quick summary of Rohlik Group and any key milestones over the last decade?
- Despite only being founded in 2014 Rohlik Group achieved unicorn status in 2021. What key factors led the company to grow this quickly?
- Rohlik Group prides itself in using world-leading technology innovation. What does innovation and data management look like at the company and what innovations are you most excited about for the future of retailing?
- Given the competitive retail marketplace, how can retailers stay competitive and grow?
- How is Rohlik Group approaching the warehouse automation and delivery opportunity and how has the developed over the last few years?
- What does sustainability look like at Rohlik Group and what advice would you give to retailers who want to be more sustainable?
- You previously spent nearly a decade at Ocado. What key lessons did you learn there about successful grocery retailing?
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Theatre A35 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
Frankie offers a unique vision for those used to the status quo of “retail”. His first business, the sportswear brand TCA was an “Amazon brand”, where he focused on “Any channel” rather than Omnichannel. His latest venture Pott’d is once again using the paid media and social channels to both test product and drive demand - as well as being (of course) a marketplace seller at scale.
From Frankie’s inspiring Keynote you will take away:
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A greater understanding of the Amazon seller world - at scale
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Balancing demand generation across the channels
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Amazon v Shopify channels
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The founder mentality and resilience needed
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Theatre B30 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
- The growth of social media as an e-commerce tool
- How to leverage TikTok to drive e-commerce sales
- Using affiliates and creators to power social media sales
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
- Unveiling the Spectrum of Checkout Experiences in Everyday Transactions
- Unlocking the Power: Tailoring Mobile Checkout for Specialized Scenarios
- Architecting the Future: Mobile Checkout in Omnichannel Systems
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Headline Theatre45 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
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Which tasks and job functions of retail are being impacted the most by AI in 2024 and why?
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How can AI help retailers acquire and retain more customers and increase market share?
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How is AI enabling the retailer to maximise efficiency and reduce costs in 2024?
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What does AI mean for colleagues in general and the retail job market going forward?
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What is the right balance of people and computers to maximise AI’s benefits?
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How should a retailer get started on their AI adoption journey and what do the timescales look like?
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What are the fundamental elements of an effective AI strategy?
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Which key safety, trust and ethical initiatives should be incorporated into every retailer’s AI strategy?
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What are the AI key pitfalls that retailers need to avoid at all costs?
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Which new skills, training and job titles do retailers need to focus on to exploit the AI opportunity?
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How will AI develop over the next five years and how will this impact the landscape of the retail market?
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Theatre A35 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
The eCommerce sector has shifted fundamentally in the last 18 months. New analytics from Google, new flexible platform offerings - and a customer trained increasingly by social media.
Nick’s challenge when joining Raging Bull was to strip out an ageing stack and refocus back on the fundamentals of eCommerce trading. A new tech stack, control of all the promotional channels and good practice was Phase One. Phase two is additive, new tooling to drive engagement and conversion, but using a test & learn policy.
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Theatre B45 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
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How will customer-engagement develop over the next three years to create increased emotional connection?
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What new methods will prevail by 2027 for retailers to create more value for their customers?
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Which social commerce innovations will we see over the next three years and how can we capitalise on them?
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How will AI play a role in retail marketing by 2027 and what is needed to maximise its potential?
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How will the store, online and omnichannel customer experience develop over the next three years?
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Which technology innovations will offer retail marketeers the best opportunities for cost reduction by 2027?
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How will the role of data develop over the next three years from a retail marketing perspective?
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What will customer loyalty look like in 2027 and how can we achieve ROI from our loyalty initiatives?
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How should marketers approach removing friction from the customer journey to increase conversion over the next three years?
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Should retailers embrace or ignore the metaverse within their short-term marketing strategy?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Stationary retailers can use WhatsApp marketing to digitize their shoppers in stores and move from non-personalized mass communication (digital leaflets) to personalized offer communication. In cooperation with the industry, WhatsApp becomes a playout channel for retail media.
With the declining effect of TV and other brand-building channels, the consumer goods industry can thus play out "brand-activating" messenger interactions at the POS - personalized to the shopper and yet fully GDPR-compliant, because the personal data remains where the interaction takes place: in the WhatsApp/Messenger channel of the local retail store.
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Headline Theatre10 mins
- AI, DATA & INNOVATION
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Theatre A10 mins
- THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE
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Theatre B10 mins
- CUSTOMER, MARKETING & LOYALTY
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Champagne Bar90 mins
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Headline Theatre7 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
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Theatre A7 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
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Theatre B7 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
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- Supporting retailers omnichannel requirements with one solution rather than siloed solutions dependent upon fragile integrations is more important than ever in the world of cloud
- Enabling innovation delivered by Flooid and the Retailer in parallel (extensions) means retailers can drive multiple priorities in parallel, leveraging investments smarter to get to market faster
- API’s in cloud and POS/SCO work together to ensure data and experience consistency
- The basket that follows the customer ensures capitalization upon every upsell, cross-sell and loyalty building opportunity
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Headline Theatre3 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
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Theatre A3 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
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Theatre B3 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
- You’ve been leading high-profile pureplay retail companies since 2009. What key lessons has this taught you about effective leadership and company culture?
- As CEO of ASOS you grew sales from £178m to £4bn, and employees from 150-15,000. What were the key highlights for you in your ASOS journey and which key challenges did you have to overcome?
- The last few years has been challenging for many retailers. What advice would you give to them about managing and growing a workforce during challenging and disruptive times?
- In many ways the customer is the biggest disruptor. They expect and demand more in terms of engagement, customer experience and digital interaction. What advice would you have for those retailers trying to navigate these challenges?
- How can retail leaders ensure their workforce truly connects to their company’s values?
- What key lessons can bricks and mortar retailers learn from successful pureplays in 2024?
- You are an advisor to a generative AI company. How do you see AI developing in the retail space and why?
- What will retail leadership look like in 2027 and what should leaders be doing today to prepare?
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Theatre A30 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- Can you tell me a little bit about your role at Harrods?
- What makes you passionate about sustainability?
- How has your supply chain become more sustainable and what have you achieved so far?
- How do you now achieve your scope 3 ambitions and what role does collaboration play?
- You mentioned data, how important is data?
- what does partnership look like in a very competitive retail environment?
- What key challenges need to be overcome to make a real difference?
- What are your next steps in this journey?
- If there was one request or thought that you could leave the audience with today, what would it be?
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Theatre B30 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
- The role of the Retail Crime Action Plan in improving the police response to retail crime
- Building a crime prevention strategy that truly protects your organisation, its colleagues and bottom line
- Evaluating which technology innovations offer you the best ROI in the face of increased theft
- Collaborating with the police, legislators and other retailers to maximise the impact of your shrinkage initiatives
- Assessing how we can ensure offenders are brought to justice
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Retailers can achieve a much better ROI, when breaking with pricing tradition and working with AI Machine Learning Based- Intelligent, flexible dynamic pricing solutions.
To gain the most they should opt for solutions which allow them to stay in the driver's seat- choose the level of automation, be able to make informed decisions, and ensure fit to brand strategy and workflows.
In this session:
- Hear about pricing challenges which inhibit target growth & margin realisation
- Learn about the difference between (standard?) Dynamic Pricing & Intelligent Demand-based Price Optimization
- Gain insights how to control your pricing strategy successfully for profitable & sustainable growth
- Find out: Should you ever go above the RRP?
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
- From a small university bedroom in 1986 with a dream and not much else
- A journey through one receivership and almost two
- The importance of self-belief and how to instil that belief in those around you
- Remember that actions always speak louder than words
- To 1,000 people today and the best shirt business in the world
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Theatre A30 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
- Understanding UK consumer trends for sustainability and how to truly engage consumers in your ESG strategies
- Reviewing sustainability progress within UK retail and hospitality and how/why businesses can be a vehicle of change
- Harnessing the power of technology innovation in retail to drive your sustainability efforts further
- Creating sustainable business models that enable you to balance purpose and profit
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Theatre B30 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- Which new areas of risk will loss prevention executives be focusing on in 2027 that they do not today?
- Which new technology innovations will be essential for loss prevention staff over the next three years?
- How can loss prevention executives deliver more bottom- line benefit by 2027?
- How will the loss prevention role change by 2027 to reflect a more omnichannel marketplace?
- How will AI impact the loss prevention function by 2027?
- How will loss prevention need to engage with other business functions over the next three years?
- What will the career path for the loss prevention executive look like in 2027 and should we be looking at new alternative job titles?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
- Drive wellbeing innovation, make better decisions and adapt faster
- Leverage the business impact of investing in happier, healthier colleagues
- Personalise your wellbeing strategy using generative AI powered actions
- Showcase the social and economic impact of workplace wellbeing programmes
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Theatre A30 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- Can you give us a quick summary of your career journey so far within supply chain leadership and any highlights that really stand out for you?
- Why do you think sustainability is such a priority for the food industry currently when they are also dealing with the challenges of cost of living, changing legislation and international wars?
- How can retailers and their partners build frameworks for collaboration in an industry renowned for being hugely competitive?
- What steps can the retail sector take today to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions effectively?
- Why is data quality so important for communication and decision making up and down the supply chain within retail and how can this be measured?
- Data can mean many different things to different parts of the supply chain so how do we make sure it is aligned and used effectively?
- How can smaller retailers with smaller budgets make their supply chain more sustainable?
- How would this work in practice and what does success really look like in challenging times?
- We know consumers are wanting to make more sustainable buying choices so how can this information help them in this quest?
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Theatre B30 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Discover the evolving landscape of "table stakes" vs. differentiators in retail. We'll explore what separates a good experience from a great one, and how to leverage data to optimize online and in-store conversions for a truly customer-centric journey. Join us for this fireside chat hosted by payment experts Planet, leading cloud-based POS provider XY Retail and retail transformation guru Oliver Banks.
In this session:
- Creating a Great Customer Journey: Learn strategies to create a seamless and customer-centric experience across all touchpoints, from browsing online to purchasing in-store.
- Shifting Priorities: Understand how the baseline expectations for a good retail experience (table stakes) evolve. What was once considered a perk might now be considered essential.
- Industry Expertise: Benefit from the combined knowledge of payment experts from Planet, a leading cloud-based POS provider (XY Retail), and retail transformation guru Oliver Banks.
Audience perks and prizes:
- £50 Selfridges Voucher (donated by Planet)
- £50 Voucher for Armarni (donated by XY Retail)
- Driving Retail Transformation: How to navigate disruption and change, a book written by our speaker, Oliver Banks
- Popcorn for the first 50 attendees
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- How does what is happening in the wider market impact on retail leadership?
- What are employee and customer expectations of retail leaders today?
- What skills do retail leaders need in 2024 that they didn’t need previously?
- What key leadership lessons did retail leaders learn during the Covid pandemic that have helped them navigate the current environment?
- There’s lots of discussion around technology and in particular AI, what are the implications for jobs in retail?
- How can retailers create the right environment and culture for effective and diverse leadership to thrive?
- How should retail leaders approach making resilience a fundamental part of their leadership capability?
- How should retail executives/Board members approach leadership on new topics where they are not subject-matter experts?
- With the election coming up soon, how will what government might do impact on people and leadership?
- What are the key leadership pitfall that retailers need to avoid at all costs?
- What will retail leadership look like in 2026 and beyond what should leaders be doing today to prepare?
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Theatre A30 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
- Have ASDA team to give a quick intro of ASDA and themselves. Areas of responsibilities?
- What were the compelling reasons for adopting item-level RFID in the George stores?
- How is your business utilizing item-level RFID within stores and across the supply chain?
- Can you talk about the hard and soft benefits you have found in the last year since deploying the solution?
- Describe some of the responses from the different stakeholders in the business, from ownership to associate in the store?
- Based on your journey, what 2-3 things would you encourage a retailer to consider before making the transformation to item-level RFID?
- How is your organization looking to utilize the technology to drive more value within the ASDA enterprise going forward - both in-store and throughout the supply chain?
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Theatre B30 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
- Understanding what embedded finance and banking-as-a-service means for a retailer’s payment and checkout strategy and what the ROI looks like
- Ensuring your embedded finance strategy focuses on loyalty, conversion and acquisition at checkout
- Importance of marketing financial services in the correct way to increase user adoption
- Understanding how Currys' customer needs are changing and how embedded finance can improve omnichannel customer experience
- Evaluating the benefits Currys have achieved and how this will develop
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60 mins
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
In-store digital screens are a hot topic for all sorts of good reasons, but are you maximising their full potential? We look at the real upside of getting these networks right and the pitfalls to avoid.
- Ad companies like WPP, Aegis etc. have money to spend…
…but they won’t spend on screen networks in retail that aren’t fit for purpose.
- David Roth has a unique insight coming from the board of Kingfisher to the summit of the advertising world.
- Peter Livesey has delivered many of the world’s leading digital screen networks.
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Join us for an engaging session where we delve into the dynamic world of retail, exploring the current challenges and opportunities that define the sector.
- Unravel the retail footfall insights and trends from Q1 2024, providing a comprehensive recap of the Easter period and shedding light on changing consumer behaviours.
- Explore the pivotal role of data and insights in shaping successful retail strategies. We'll explore how placing data at the core of decision-making is not just a necessity but a strategic imperative for driving growth in today's competitive market.
- Gain a deeper understanding of how harnessing insights can empower you as retailers to navigate uncertainties, capitalise on emerging trends, and optimise your operations for sustained success.
Whether you're a seasoned retail professional or new to the industry, this session promises valuable takeaways to inform and elevate your approach to retail strategy. Join us as we unravel the layers of the retail landscape, providing you with actionable insights to thrive in the ever-evolving market.
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Headline Theatre5 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
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Theatre A5 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
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Theatre B5 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- What does leadership and internal culture look like in a fast-growing start-up?
- Lick was started during a global pandemic. What was that experience like for both you and your employees and what key lessons did you learn?
- What does sustainability mean for Lick and what advice would you give other retailers wanting to become more sustainable?
- Lick has recently changed its model from direct to consumer to multichannel. What has this journey looked like and how do you think it will develop?
- Retailers are increasingly looking to bring the online experience into the store environment. What does that look like for Lick and how are customers reacting?
- You’ve very quickly created a brand the meets customer needs. What role has social media played in building the Lick brand?
- The Lick About Us page mentions “community as our driving force” and “create a people-powered decorating movement”. How has Lick achieved these goals?
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Theatre A30 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- What progress has been made in the UK in getting products delivered by robots?
- What impact will robot delivery have on a retailers sustainability impact?
- What costs savings can retailers realistically expect through robot delivery?
- What is the maximum size of product that can realistically be delivered by robot?
- How can retailers gain more trust in robot delivery?
- What are the risks retailers should be aware of with robot delivery?
- What needs to happen for robot delivery to be rolled out across the UK and who will scale it up?
- How long will it be before robot delivery is an everyday expectation?
- What is required to get local councils to buy into robot delivery?
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Theatre B30 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
The interviewer will ask the interviewee some of the following questions as well as asking the audience to ask some questions of their own:
- What do omnichannel shoppers really want from Kingfisher regarding their payments experience?
- What are some of the biggest opportunities Kingfisher are looking at from a strategic and tactical payments level?
- What are you seeing out in the payments industry that merchants should be taking notice of?
- What key observations have you made having moved from the payments provider side to merchant side?
- What would you say are the biggest risks to merchants today in relation to payments?
- What do you think the payments experience at Kingfisher looks like in 10 years?
- How will the payment landscape evolve over the next few years and what is Kingfisher doing to capitalise on it?
- What would you say to any merchants here who today don’t have any dedicated payments teams or expertise within the business?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
You want to get new staff on the floor as quickly as possible, but you need them trained and ready to perform. Taking shortcuts around onboarding is tempting—but instead of reducing labour spend, it can end up increasing costs related to turnover, safety and inefficiency. The alternative: onboard new associates faster and more effectively.
In this session, Axonify’s Christine Tutssel will share success stories from retailers who have crafted ingenious onboarding strategies to drive retention, performance and cost savings.
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A compelling reason to embrace onboarding as a cost-saving measure
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Real-world onboarding tactics to reduce onboarding time and drive engagement and retention
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The importance of the right employee technology in optimising onboarding
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
- What factors will impact household spending for the rest of the year and what does that mean for retail?
- What will the UK trading environment look like for retailers for the rest of 2024 and why?
- How will the costs of rent, rates, staffing, utilities and distribution look like for the next 8 months?
- What will the golden quarter of 2024 be like for UK retail?
- What trends can we see for the rest of the year in different categories of retail?
- How will customer behaviour develop over the remainder of 2024?
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Theatre A30 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
- Integrating new fulfilment capabilities to deliver seamless convenience, enhanced omnichannel customer experience and increased sales
- Understanding how one-hour click and collect can reduce logistical costs, increase speed to consumer and improve operational efficiencies
- Creating extra capacity and scalability on-demand by turning stores into mini distribution centres
- Using a composable tech stack for speed and customer centricity throughout the supply chain
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Theatre B30 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
- Why should retailers take community engagement strategies seriously during periods of challenging trading?
- How can you differentiate in an era of purpose-led retail and B Corp growth?
- How can collaboration with your payments provider add value to your customer journey / proposition?
- What do colleagues expect from their employers – and can payments technology provide an answer?
- Which customer / community solutions provide greatest value and ROI for retailers?
- How can micro-donations provide a solution for challenges with customer and colleague loyalty?
- What aspects are most critical to a successful micro-donation implementation?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
We cover the concepts of loyalty, their relevance for retail organisations, alternative methods to foster loyalty, and the future landscape of loyalty. The conclusion prompts a discussion on the necessity of loyalty programs in light of the changing consumer and technological landscape.·
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Headline Theatre30 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
- Harnessing the power of app technology to revolutionize the experience and engagement of frontline teams
- Streamlining processes and saving time and money through a successful platform deployment
- Ensuring your workforce achieves increased productivity, staff engagement, exceptional customer service and improved member satisfaction
- Evaluating authentic insights into the key challenges and successes of Puregym’s digital transformation
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Theatre A30 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
- Understanding the ever-growing regulations and demands on retailers within sustainable supply chain
- Assessing the current state and reality of Digital Product Passports
- Bridging the gap that needs to be addressed
- Implementing scalable planning and understanding the role of technology
- Communicating the upside and opportunities for retail brands
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Theatre B30 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
- The disintermediation of the payments service provider will create new opportunities
- Established companies in the US, and Europe have already proven the validity of the vertically integrated platform
- For innovation to occur, payments companies need to look beyond just processing payments
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
- Discover the power of comprehensive consumer-built Data Profiles.
- Learn how to impact shopping behaviours by advertising directly to the Data Profile Owners.
- Explore how actionable consumer insights increase market share and revenue efficiency.
- Benefit from our AI Advertising Concierge's ability to hyper-target users and capitalise on real-time opportunities.
- De-risk your marketing budget by only paying commission after purchases are verified, with all returns tracked and refunded.
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Headline Theatre45 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
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Which retail strategies have been the most effective when responding to the cost-of living crisis?
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What new innovations in customer loyalty have shown the best results for retailers in the last year?
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What can retail leaders do to help improve customer confidence?
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Which technology innovations should retailers invest in to maximise efficiencies in challenging times?
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How has the challenging economy impacted consumer behaviour and how should retailers respond?
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How have retail pricing strategies changed in the last year and how will they develop throughout 2024?
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How can retail leaders best collaborate to reduce business rates?
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What are the new tools retailers can use to show the best value to their customers?
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How can retail leaders be more creative to reduce their operating costs and show differentiation?
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How can retailers use the omnichannel experience to optimise the profitability potential of every customer?
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Theatre A45 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
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Which new innovations should retailers be focussing on to reduce the time from order to delivery?
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How is delivery changing as sustainability becomes more important to the retailer and customer?
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How can retailers best embrace robot delivery and differentiate themselves?
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Amazon has announced drone delivery in the UK to launch in 2024. How will this disrupt the retail delivery landscape?
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What innovation lessons can the retail sector learn from the restaurant sector about delivery innovation?
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Which innovations in customer communications throughout the delivery process are driving the most loyalty?
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Will new innovations is Amazon Fulfilment bringing to the delivery table?
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Which innovations in delivery are having the biggest impact on cost reduction?
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How is the delivery from store trend changing the delivery landscape?
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How is AI impacting the delivery landscape?
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What efficiencies are we seeing through innovations in route planning for delivery?
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Theatre B45 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS
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What payment methods should retailers be offering both in store and online in 2024?
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How can retailers approach meeting their customers' high payment expectations currently?
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What is the best way to remove friction from the customer payment experience in 2024?
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What innovations have retailers seen in the last year within self-checkout and just walk out payment technology?
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How important is buy now pay later within the retailer's payment strategy of 2024?
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What developments have we seen in mobile payment in store in the last year?
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What differences are we seeing in the payment habits of younger shoppers in 2024?
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How important are cryptocurrencies to a retailer’s current payment strategy?
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What developments have retailers seen in the last year to minimise payment fraud?
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What approach should retailers take in 2024 towards payment orchestration?
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TECH Talks Theatre30 mins
- TECH TALKS
Network visibility, cloud management, data and predictive analytics keep you on top of foot traffic patterns, customer visitor counts, and buying behaviour - while keeping you aware of potential revenue opportunities.
In this fireside chat learn why River Island adopted an Extreme cloud-based solution to build the store of the future and make the network a strategic asset for their business.
Find out more about:
- How Network visibility, cloud management, and data predictive analytics keep you on top of foot traffic patterns, customer visitor counts, and buying behaviour - while keeping you aware of potential revenue opportunities.
- Optimising customer experience and driving innovation with cloud-managed Wi-Fi. AI-based analytics and predictive data not only help you meet customer needs now but anticipate what they will need in the future.
- Strengthen operations from the inside out, making way for special touches like inventory tracking, electronic shelf labelling, and automated sensors.
- How a single pane view for deployment, troubleshooting and monitoring helps to maintain the store infrastructure.
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Headline Theatre10 mins
- LEADERSHIP, ECONOMY & WORKFORCE
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Theatre A10 mins
- SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY
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Theatre B10 mins
- LOSS PREVENTION, SECURITY & PAYMENTS