Shoptalk 2024 Takeaways: Boosting the Customer Experience Across Channels

Our experts share their Shoptalk 2024 takeaways and provide insights on how retailers can focus on the future and stay ahead of rapid business transformation.

April 9, 2024 | By Nicole Sardo & Rodney Crawford

Retailers and industry leaders gather at Shoptalk to discuss the evolution of the consumer buying experience—from new technologies to the latest trends. Members of our retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) team attended the 2024 event in March, where they gained compelling insights regarding the future of retail.

In retail, it’s all about the consumer—what they want and how they shop—and retailers understand the importance of driving loyalty and trust. Meeting customer needs (and even better, delighting customers) is the secret to a successful, thriving business. And these days, technology is essential to create a top-notch customer experience.

Embrace the Power of AI in Retail

Data is a critical tool when it comes to creating personalized customer experiences, but many consumers have reasonable fears about how companies collect and use their data. While retailers need to take advantage of AI and data analytics to improve customer experience, they must also assure customers that their data is being used responsibly. With generative AI in retail, your enterprise can generate recommendations for consumers, streamline customer service and simplify merchandising, all of which can lead to positive—and transformative—customer relationships.

Build Trust in Your Brand

All strong relationships require clear communication, and the customer relationship is no different. Your brand voice can help play a key role in establishing your enterprise’s values and creating a sense of consistency for customers. At the same time, it’s essential to build trust, which in turn leads to loyalty. Implement these strategies to establish trust in your brand:

• Get to know your customers to understand their preferences and motivations.
• Remain agile and flexible to help consumers find exactly what they want.
• Provide a reliable and consistent customer experience.

Encourage Loyalty With Seamless Customer Experiences

The term “omnichannel customer experience” is more than a buzzword—it’s about meeting each customer where they are, providing the right product in the right place at the right time. While it can be tempting to focus on the latest technologies, thriving businesses use the digital experience to drive the physical one, creating a seamless shopping experience across channels. This includes everything from directing a customer to the product they need via your brand app to providing small moments of joy and delight throughout their experience.

Make Intentional Investments in Technology

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many retailers quickly pivoted to offer curbside and delivery options but later struggled to integrate these channels seamlessly into their customer experience. Instead of jumping on the next tech trend, develop a strategy and use case for how technologies like AI can improve processes and result in a better experience for both customers and employees. Look for redundancies caused by inconsistent experiences across platforms and find ways to streamline operations. And above all, choose the right technology partner to help you make mindful, intentional investments in tech tools and platforms.

The Future of Retail Looks Bright

As one of the speakers at Shoptalk said, “The best in retail is yet to come.” The future of retail is being shaped by the latest technologies, such as generative AI. These technologies can create more seamless customer experiences and reduce burdens on employees while simultaneously building brand trust and loyalty. By investing strategically and intentionally in technology, retailers can put these tools to the best use. A technology partner like TEKsystems can help you find the right platforms for retail growth. As proud partners to the biggest names in tech, including Google Cloud, Microsoft and AWS, we can help you leverage tools like generative AI to their fullest potential.