2023 In Review: Here’s What We Got Up To

As we wave goodbye to 2023, it’s always nice to look back on everything that we’ve achieved this year alongside all of the moments that we celebrated as a team. So, buckle up and get ready for a trip down memory lane as we recap the memorable moments of 2023.

January: 2023 Trends

We kicked off the year by setting ourselves up with some trend analysis. Looking at the biggest retail trends that would set the tone for the year, with 82% of businesses planning significant growth with a focus on technology. Our good friends over at Datitude highlighted the importance of omnichannel commerce, supply chain resilience, data-driven strategies and ESG (environmental, social and governance) in our guest blog.

February: We Welcomed Phase Eight and Hobbs

We welcomed two new brands, Hobbs and Phase Eight, part of TFG Brands (London) Ltd. The two premium womenswear brands are now supported with our 1st Line Help Desk service, acting as a single point of contact for 266 stores across the UK.

Alex Priscott, Chief Technology Officer at TFG commented: “Our long-standing relationship with Retail Assist means that they thoroughly understood our support needs, offering a seamless service transition. The biggest challenge was the compressed timeline, we needed the service to be live in time for the Christmas period to minimise disruption to the business at our busiest time. They managed to deliver the service in a tight 5 weeks, which was outstanding.

March: We Made the Retail Systems Shortlist

In March, we made the shortlist for the Retail Systems Awards in the category of Omnichannel Technology Vendor of the Year for our solution, Merret. We later went on to celebrate at the awards dinner in June with our customer Mint Velvet. 

April: Retail Technology Show 2023

We exhibited at this year’s Retail Technology Show at Olympia. Our team spent two days rushed off of their feet catching up with and meeting new partners, customers, and prospects to discuss the latest retail tech trends. We’ll have an even bigger stand at 2024’s Retail Technology Show, so keep your eyes peeled for updates and more information coming soon!

May: Top Five Helpdesk Stats

In May we released our annual benchmarks for our helpdesk, detailing our key statistics from 2022. We’re proud to highlight our headline stats:

• 2,855 sites supported
• 7,870 tills supported
• 23.79s average speed of answer
• 8,334 calls supported each month with only a 2.78% abandon rate
• 96.21% of service level agreements are achieved each month

June: We turned 24!

To mark this special occasion, we gathered in our Nottingham Head Office for lots of cake and a reflection on everything we’ve been up to over the last 24 years, including some early 2000’s throwbacks!

July: We Released Our Merret Pro Video

Successfully managing a retail supply chain can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and software, it becomes a seamless process. Meet Merret Pro, the ultimate retail ERP software solution designed to revolutionise your operations. With a comprehensive range of features and integrations, Merret Pro empowers retailers to meet the demands of modern commerce while ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and profitability.

Watch the video on YouTube

August: We Celebrated 20 Years of Vue Entertainment

We are proud to have been part of the Vue Entertainment support network for more than half of their existence. To celebrate, we joined the Vue team for an early viewing of the new Mission Impossible film and fascinating presentation by Tim Richards, their Founder and CEO.

September: Client Summit 2023

If you didn’t hear about our Client Summit, where were you!? The Retail Assist Client Summit 2023 brought together industry leaders and experts from the retail technology sector. The summit’s theme, “Doing More with Less: Navigating the Balance of Growth and Efficiency,” aimed to explore innovative strategies and solutions to help businesses thrive in today’s evolving landscape.

October: Service Desk Institute Awards

We were named a finalist for Managed Service Provider of the Year at this years’ Service Desk Institute Awards. We are incredibly honoured to be recognised as a top finalist among a highly competitive field. As part of our entry for the awards, we showcased the vibrant and dynamic culture of our help desk team with a parody music video of Rick Astley’s iconic hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

November: itSMF Professional Service Management Awards

We are so proud of our Customer Assurance team for being named a finalist for ‘IT Team of the Year’ at the itSMF Professional Service Management Awards. They have been instrumental in maintaining best practices, continuously improving the customer experience, and going above and beyond the standard service delivery norms. Through proactive assessment of internal processes and incorporating external feedback, the team has identified opportunities for enhancement and achieved increased operational efficiency.

December: Unlocking Success in the Cosmetic Industry with Laser Clinics UK

In December, we released our case study detailing the rapid expansion of Laser Clinics UK. Interested in uncovering the strategies and approaches that contributed to Laser Clinics UK’s success story? Download the full case study to gain valuable insights and learn how Retail Assist’s partnership played a critical role in supporting Laser Clinics UK’s growth strategy.

Thank you!

What a year! Thank you to all our colleagues, customers, suppliers and partners for your support, hard work and collaboration this year.

As we head into 25 years of Retail Assist, we’re so excited for the year ahead and cannot wait to share what we have in the pipeline for what is set to be our biggest year yet.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year from all of the team at Retail Assist!