Guest Blog by Sarah Hughes, Co-founder & Director at Datitude

What a difference a year makes! This time last year there was a renewed sense of optimism as we emerged from the pandemic tunnel. And yet it turned out to be another challenging year, particularly for retail.

Another challenging year, but digital acceleration continued. Quick commerce, social commerce, marketplaces, greenwashing of brands, a resurgence in physical retail and a rebalancing of ecommerce were key themes during the year.

And the forecast is still tough (the BRC forecasts sales value may rise by as little as 1% in the first half of the year, although by as much as 4.7% in the second) and the year will be unpredictable but there’s still many retailers and brands thriving in today’s environment.

So, what can we expect in 2023? 

Omnichannel Commerce

Being present everywhere also requires being integrated everywhere. Retailers will continue to expand their reach (from social, community, mobile and ecommerce sites to Personal Web Applications and physical stores) and extend services and adoption of tech in-store (click and collect, free returns in-store, virtual assistants and 3D mirrors, QR codes and interactive in-store displays, loyalty programmes and payment options including BNPL). 

Whilst some press reports suggest there could be a decline in social media usage amidst a shunning of Big Tech, it’s pretty unlikely. Brand advertising spend on some of these channels may reduce in favour of retail media networks: these are expected to grow as large retailers look to leverage their digital platforms to generate advertising revenue from their valuable real-time first-party data insights. 

Metaverse mania made headlines in 2022, most notably amongst the luxury fashion houses and big global brands looking to find new DTC opportunities and build loyalty amongst Gen Z and Alpha. But 2023 won’t be the year it becomes mainstream. Awareness, appeal and adoption remain low overall and squeezed tech and marketing budgets are likely to be directed towards excelling at the fundamentals – having the right product at the right price, in the right channel at the right time for the right customer. 

Marketplaces enjoyed a surge in 2022 and this trend is likely to continue. We’re still seeing retailers planning to launch their own to broaden their product offering, reach and discovery.

More shops have shut down in the last five years (according to the Centre of Retail Research which found 17,145 shops in the UK closed for good in 2022), but stores are still fundamental to the omnichannel experience. Physical retail accounts for 75% of sales in the UK and new stores are opening all the time. Aldi, Asda, Flannels, Monsoon, Marks & Spencer, Poundland, Primark and Uniqlo are just a few who have already announced new stores this year. Expect to see more pureplay DTC brands follow Gymshark’s lead and launch on the high street too.

As ever, retailers need to offer compelling reasons for consumers to visit and then ensure the in-store experience doesn’t let them down. 

Blending physical and digital to get the basics right will be paramount: from visually appealing displays and signage, tidy shop floors, well-stocked shelves and accurate stock information, efficient queue management of sales, click and collect, returns and service points, to the availability of knowledgeable and empowered retail teams.

One innovation we hope will gain more traction is scan-less self-checkout - it uses RFID tags for quick and easy checkout, reduced queues, integrated loss prevention and automatically updated inventory.

Supply Chain Resilience

Stock outs, delayed deliveries and poor post-purchase experiences just don’t cut it anymore. Consumers expect choice, availability and convenience which requires agile supply chain solutions. Whilst the pandemic highlighted the challenges and risks of just-in-time supply chains and off-shoring, agile retailers adapted by dual sourcing, near-shoring, and rolling out technology to optimise ecommerce and physical store capabilities like utilising stores as mini-fulfilment centres.

Retailers using technology to bring together inventory, logistics and consumer demand are in the strongest position to optimise their stock performance. Competitive pricing is one thing; unnecessary and damaging mark-downs because of poor supply chains kills businesses.

Data-driven Strategies

Good, intelligent data is an established growth driver and yet many businesses are still struggling to access their data and don’t have a single version of the truth.  Technology is transforming how quickly and easily businesses can connect, integrate, and unify their data, and AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) enable precise, real-time insights and better data driven decisions.

Laggards need to accelerate their data transformations as trading and customer data analytics is more important than ever.

Zero and first-party data is key to nurturing relationships, offering a more personalised experience through relevant and tailored marketing campaigns, and increasing loyalty. We call this digital trust.  It’s a must for every retailer given the impact of channel diversification on data ownership, and the increasing, and eventual, loss of third-party cookies. Audience segmentation and targeted, timely messaging will continue to play an important part.

ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance)

Greenwashing took centre stage in 2022. Despite the economic downturn, actions and trust in ESG are becoming increasingly important. Aside from any regulatory requirements, it makes commercial sense - there’s growing evidence businesses with solid ESG credentials tend to perform better than those without, and consumers are increasingly demanding a commitment to ESG.

More retailers are partnering with circular economy specialists to support their sustainability efforts. Rental and resale platforms and repair services are increasingly commonplace. Less so is traceability and transparency and evidence to support sustainability claims. In this respect, expect to see more use of digital product passports and a greater demand for data modelling and analytics solutions to support complex measurement and reporting requirements.

We’re impressed with the Clarins’ initiative – it’s innovative traceability platform, “T.R.U.S.T”, uses blockchain technology. Consumers can access the interface online or through QR codes on packaging to trace “from field to you” on the entire preparation and manufacturing process of each skin care product.

The good news is the retail tech eco system is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Cloud-native software and platform-as-a-service solutions are superb for businesses looking to benefit from advanced enterprise technologies and associated expertise with ease and convenience. This, coupled with the digital skills gaps and resource shortages, may mean it’s the year of buy rather than build.

As consumer spending is squeezed, acquiring new customers will be costly and more difficult.  Businesses will focus on existing customers and growth through customer retention; adopting technology to truly understand their consumer, meeting them wherever they are and providing a seamlessly integrated, omnichannel commerce experience. 

The year has started, and the pressure is on.  Don’t get left behind and have a great year!

Got you thinking about retail trends for 2023? Read more on our blog here. 

The post 2023: The Year of Customer Retention? Retail Tech Predictions appeared first on Retail Assist.

Guest Blog by Lucy Moore, Sustainability Content Manager at Supply Pilot

What impact will sustainability have on consumer habits throughout the peak trading period?

This festive period between Black Friday and Christmas is often thought of as the season of indulgence and excess where we consume more than usual. We often make less healthy food choices, buy lots of decorations and party supplies, and treat ourselves (and others) to things we otherwise might not buy during the rest of the year – with the aim of doing better in the new year.

That being said, greener choices and lower carbon lifestyles are not showing any signs of going away.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated green trends, with 93% of people globally saying that it has influenced their views on sustainability.

Eco-anxiety – a term used to describe people’s worry about the impacts of climate change - is getting more and more prevalent with every year that goes by. This month’s COP27 event may also raise further concerns on behalf of consumers in time for Black Friday and Christmas shopping. Therefore, it is only natural that brands and retailers should expect concerns about climate change and the intent to live more sustainability to be at least somewhat mirrored in consumer habits, even in during peak trading periods.

However, inflation is and playing a huge part in determining consumer habits; almost 90% of consumers expect the rising cost of living to have an impact on their festive holiday shopping this year. Many people will be forced to do their Christmas shopping on an ever-shrinking budget. Since the impact of inflation on general livelihood is much more immediate and personal than the cumulative effects of climate change, most people will most likely prioritise price over the more sustainable option (although this is also dependent upon overall household income).

Is there anything that retailers need to consider?

Both price and sustainability are going to be the key drivers for consumers during this peak trading period. But with more sustainable options being thought of as typically higher in price by consumers, retailers have the challenge of striking the right balance between making sustainability resonate with customers, keeping products affordable for the majority, whilst also boosting their bottom line.

The main barriers for consumers when it comes to buying more sustainably is already centred around affordability, alongside it being too complicated or confusing due to lack of information.

Consumers want sustainable choices to be both affordable and accessible; 4 in 5 people would buy more sustainable products if this were the case. Therefore, retailers need to make it easier to make the right choice with prices which encourage sustainable choices alongside correct product-specific information which provides clarity as to why a certain product is the more environmentally-friendly option. This could be achieved via things such as product carbon labelling and clear composition information and recyclability instructions for packaging.

However, communicating genuine messaging about a specific products’ sustainability can only be achieved if retailers have accurate product and supplier data. This requires retailers to collect data from suppliers to establish a benchmark which accurately conveys a product’s current sustainability – whether that is the recyclability and degradability of its packaging or an analysis of its carbon emissions. The opportunity should not be missed to further engage, collaborate, and innovate with suppliers to make products more sustainable whilst keeping costs down.

Find out how you can accelerate your sustainability journey with Supply Pilot, here.

The post From Black Friday to Green Friday: How Sustainability Impacts Consumer Habits Throughout Peak Trade appeared first on Retail Assist.

Our latest “Guide to…” focuses on sustainability, with expert opinion and examples of sustainable best practice from across the retail industry. We’re committed to working with our customers to help retail as it evolves to ensure it meets the demands of tomorrow, today, and this week’s blog is a guest post by Matty Cusden-Ross, founder and CEO of Flux.

Here at Flux, it’s something we’ve known for a long time, but now thankfully others are starting to understand the case for digitising transaction data and binning paper receipts for good.

Last week, we passed a landmark of three million digital receipts produced. Whilst we took a moment to pat ourselves on the back, given that every year over 11 billion paper receipts are printed in the UK alone, it’s clear that there’s still more work to be done. We aim to become the standard and we’re on our way. So, why is paperless receipting so important?

The cost to the planet

The environmental argument is clear: each receipt takes oil, water and paper to produce and because of the chemicals used to treat the paper, most of these can’t be recycled. It actually surprises most consumers to learn that many receipts contain BPA, a chemical found in plastics. A lot of people also probably wouldn’t believe me if I told them that it takes over 200,000 trees to produce the paper receipts we use in the UK every year - but it does.

It’s been really encouraging to see many retailers working to make their operations more sustainable - paper packaging, reducing single use plastics and introducing in-store recycling points. There’s been a concerted effort within the retail industry and that is to be applauded.

As we all know, even small changes in the vast retail supply chain can cost money and time, so as someone who understands the importance of both of those elements throughout this difficult year, I commend the retailers who are trying to minimise their environmental impact.

Increasing awareness

Environmental awareness is also being recognised by consumers, with a recent study finding that 88% of people want brands to help them live more sustainably and a massive 81% of people feeling strongly that companies should help improve the environment.

The UK public are becoming more aware of their surroundings on a mass scale, perhaps given that, for many of us, our daily walk amongst nature has been our only sanctuary in a tumultuous year. But crucially now, this is being reflected in consumer spending habits - and they’re not afraid to vote with their feet.

Paper receipts: fit for purpose?

Even setting the environmental concerns aside, from a consumer’s perspective it seems bizarre that in this day and age so much crucial information is stored on a small slip of paper. From returns to budgeting, having to collate numerous scrunched up receipts and store them only to find them illegible in a drawer three months later just doesn’t seem efficient.

So, the evidence is all there in front of us for confining receipts to the dustbin of history - consumers want it and the planet needs it. Wouldn’t it be great if we could offer customers a seamless sustainability journey from end-to-end? The reality for most retail experiences is that the last thing a customer will do as they leave the premises is dump a toxic slip of paper in the bin outside the door.

Matty is the founder and CEO of Flux; their proprietary matching algorithm seamlessly links banks and retailers to deliver a digital receipt to customers. Matty has eight years of experience working with various start-ups across industries reaching the mass consumer market. Before founding Flux, he was CMO at Revolut before founding Omnyd, Medvissa, and LengLoi.

The post Paper Pain: The Consumer Case for Ditching Paper Receipts appeared first on Retail Assist.

This week’s guest blog is written by former WHL Holdings Ltd CDO, John Bovill.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a supply and demand shock all at once. Coupled with digital growth and customer demand for a high quality lifestyle, our evolving purchasing behaviour has exposed the need to address the supply chain as we know it.

But how do you balance that shift in demand and how does that impact your supply chain, especially when the challenges brought by COVID-19 have been felt across the world? Here are my top predictions for the future of the supply chain and what retailers must consider to ensure their continued success.

Repair the Supply Chain

The global supply chain is more tightly coupled than ever and is broken - or is certainly under strain -from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

There is a resultant need to strike a balance between global efficient and local, near shore reliable supply chains that are responsive to consumer demand and develop strategies to counter the inevitable rise in costs – from people and materials etc – until supply can meet demand. 

The need to digitise and transform the supply chain will require investment to improve transparency. Automation such as robotics and 3D printing will help to increase productivity from near shore sourcing, offset margin risk and create a global supply chain that is responsive to consumer demand.

Digital Growth

COVID-19 has been a catalyst for digital growth as consumers have become reliant on online shopping during the pandemic. eCommerce, direct to consumer (D2C) models, digital marketplace and social commerce will continue to experience dynamic growth during this upcoming peak trading period.

The need for continued platform development from systems such as CMS (Content Management System), infrastructure investment (automated warehousing etc) and blending digital and physical store experiences (Cloud Computing and the Internet of Things), as people shop more in neighbourhoods and inbound tourists are less attracted to city centre stores, will underpin growth and serve the customers well across all brand touchpoints.

The Post-Sales Process

Customers’ dependency on digital platforms during COVID-19 has resulted in an increased emphasis on the post-sales process to deliver efficient growth and improve customer retention. Aspects such as order fulfilment, customer queries, targeted promotions and even social media content, such as styling videos, are all a crucial part of the post-sales cycle in order to deliver a positive customer experience – all vital for customer retention.

Investment in intelligent technology, such as AI or machine learning, not only grants improved supply chain visibility but is also extremely useful in customer query handling. Logistical innovation such as automated warehousing helps to deliver quick and accurate order picking and expedites the delivery part of the process, whilst sustainable thinking by reducing packaging delivers efficient growth by cutting unnecessary waste from the sales cycle.

Sustainability

People are looking for a high-quality lifestyle and customers require information to make more sustainable choices.

The market has seen customer demand drive developments. However, developments such as circular fashion, the growth in a ‘sharing economy’ such as clothing rental subscription services and publishing carbon emissions scores (so consumers can better understand the environmental footprint of their shopping habits) require the following in order to function effectively:

• Improved transparency across the entire supply chain. Technology is one of the best ways to provide this and retailers should look to implement systems such as PIM (a Product Information Management solution) to help manage efficient product data collection.
• Supply Chain automation, such as robotics, being used to supplement and support working environments, will drive the ability to protect product margins as well as helping to cut down on waste. H&M have introduced the pioneering ‘Looop’ clothing recycling machine, which is now operating in their Stockholm store. Customers can bring in old knitwear and the machine can transform the old fibres into a women’s jumper, scarf or baby blanket in just five hours, with consumers paying between £8-£13 per item.
• Data and analytics derived from machine learning or AI. Over the next few years, the traceability of a garment will prove to be critical: QR codes will enable suppliers and brands to trace a product’s journey from start to finish. Retailer Nu-in, offers full transparency of its products so that consumers can easily see what the garment is made of, where it was made (giving the factory details) and what it is packed in, amongst other product description details.

Conclusion

The spread of COVID-19 has demonstrated how interlinked we are as a global community: it’s a huge crisis for companies all over the world. 

The opportunity to digitise and transform the supply chain that is responsive to consumer demand and that will also take advantage of the economic rebound will define the successful companies that emerge from the current COVID-19 crisis.

John Bovill is a global (Northern and Southern Hemisphere) leader and former CDO and CIO, having previously worked for brands such as Harrods and Woolworths Holdings Limited.

The post Slow Chain, No Gain: What Retailers Need for a Successful Supply Chain of the Future appeared first on Retail Assist.

This week’s blog is a guest post by independent retail analyst, Nelson Blackley.

Every autumn, retail commentators like to predict what the final three months of the calendar year might bring to the UK retail sector. However, in the past few years, this has not always been as ‘golden’ as many had anticipated: most recently, in 2019, the combination of weak consumer confidence and the political uncertainty of two ‘hard Brexit’ deadlines, followed by a December General Election, resulted in extremely lacklustre sales over the peak Christmas trading period.

This year, however, the unprecedented social and economic impact of COVID-19 and the changes in consumer behaviour the pandemic has either encouraged or that legislation has enforced, makes any judgement about what might happen to UK retail during the ‘Golden Quarter’ almost impossible to predict – and that’s even assuming that all ‘non-essential’ retailers are allowed to continue trading over this period.

So, given what we’ve already experienced, what predictions can we make for this final quarter?

1. The huge shift to online shopping seen during lockdown this spring for obvious healthcare and convenience reasons will clearly dominate the Christmas shopping experience. This move to a more ‘online Christmas’ started a few years ago, together with the impact of the ‘Black Friday’ online shopping festival in reshaping the pre-Christmas shopping calendar. However, we’ll probably have to get through the much-delayed Amazon ‘Prime Day’ (this week!) and then the huge ‘Black Friday’ four-day weekend at the end of November before the extent of this year’s Christmas online gift spending levels become clearer. Yet in such uncertain times for shoppers’ personal finances and their employment security, it’s very possible that many will choose not to plan too far ahead, but delay Christmas spending until the last moment, meaning that we could see sales rise from the second half of December. 
   
   
   
2. I also expect far less extravagant Christmas TV commercials, whether from John Lewis, M&S, Sainsburys, Tesco, Morrisons or Asda. They are all likely to be much simpler and pivot to addressing COVID-19 issues (for example, thanking NHS and other frontline key workers) together with a much greater focus on the home, the family and keeping safe than usual.
   
   
   
3. There will also be a significant reduction in many ‘peripheral’ Christmas gift sectors. Thousands of office Christmas parties and other Christmas work and wider family celebrations – or even young children’s annual visits to see Father Christmas – won’t be able to take place this year. This will mean a huge adverse impact on all those involved, and for any associated Christmas presents purchased. For example, after very strong ‘cult’ growth over the past decade, sales of novelty Christmas jumpers are likely to completely dive this year!
   
   
   
4. However, there may well be a surge in sending Christmas cards. Although over the past decade sales have declined, as people met or exchanged greetings in other ways, I think in these socially distanced times, many may revert to a more traditional (and COVID-friendly) method of ‘seasons greetings’ communication, which also reflects the increased time now spent at home by many people. Digital card companies have already seen huge increases in demand and I think this will inevitably accelerate between now and Christmas.
   
   
   
5. Finally, I expect that local and independent retailers will benefit from the continued move away from city centre shopping and national retail brands. So, suburban-based local butchers, greengrocers, fishmongers, florists, bakers and delicatessens will hopefully all profit from more consumers working from home throughout the pre-Christmas period and the continued aversion of many to travelling by public transport into crowded city centres.
   
   

Whatever happens over the coming three months, this ‘Golden Quarter’ for UK retail is going to be like none that we’ve experienced before. What are your thoughts? Get in touch with us here.

Nelson has over 25 years’ experience working for major retailers and, until August 2020, was Retail Research Associate at Nottingham Business School. He regularly posts about UK retail on his ‘Retail News and Views’ blog.

The post Will It Be a Gold Rush? Predictions for Retail’s ‘Golden Quarter’ appeared first on Retail Assist.

It’s the fifth week of our Working From Home Diaries (where has the time gone?) and this week we’re delighted to have a special guest.

Scott Thompson is editor of Retail Technology Innovation Hub, or RTIH, which is one of our favourite retail publications. Launched in 2017, it has now grown to become the leading UK-based newswire and information hub for the global retail technology community and we were very excited to interview Scott to see his take on the current retail environment.

Scott’s WFH Diary

Scott, what role is retail playing in this current lockdown situation?

A hugely important role. Essential retailers are a vital lifeline for Brits during the coronavirus outbreak.

Food and medicine are the most obvious examples, but we also shouldn’t forget electronics and technology being ordered online to support home working, education or entertainment. These retailers are ensuring people can remain connected virtually to friends and family.

What should retailers be doing now to “get it right”?

There are plenty of ‘experts’ sounding off on social media right now about what retailers should be doing to ‘get it right’. And every day I get emails from PRs offering up their clients for comment on what retailers are doing wrong, what they should be doing to ensure survival etc etc. Truth be told, no-one has all the answers.

One thing we can say for certain is that retailers need to remain agile and ensure they are flexible enough to meet the changing needs and habits of their customers, in a safe and efficient manner. Easier said than done, of course.

So much change and innovation has happened to the retail sector in the last few weeks. What trends have you seen emerging?

Dark stores, contactless delivery, curbside pick-up, the increase in the contactless payments limit as retailers try to reduce shoppers’ use of cash.

These really are surreal times we’re living through. As Iceland boss Richard Walker recently commented: “It feels like we have suddenly stepped into a parallel universe, where none of the normal conventions that have framed our lives apply.”

Retailers who are normally the deadliest of competitors have started talking freely to each other, sharing information and ideas, and standing shoulder to shoulder in a combined effort to feed the nation. The government has effectively nationalised the workforce and relaxed some of the normal industry competition rules. DEFRA and the British Retail Consortium are promoting industry co-ordination and co-operation as never seen before.

It would be nice to think that this will continue in a post-coronavirus world, with retailers collaborating on procurement, technology, supply chain and logistics, fulfilment and last mile delivery. I’m not sure this will happen, though.

So do you think retail will ever go "back to normal" or are we about to see a retail revolution?

We can only speculate what the longer-term impact of Covid-19 on retail will be. Only time will tell. As I said earlier, no one has all the answers here.

RTIH recently reported that measures to fight the spread of coronavirus led to the worst decline in UK retail sales on record last month.

Meanwhile, major names have called in administrators, with others facing store closures.

I’m not sure that we will see a revolution, but I do think the coronavirus crisis will speed up the demise of the weakest retailers and physical retail will come back bigger and stronger than before.

I’m looking forward to the days when physical retail brings people together again. The coronavirus has confirmed that bricks and mortar stores remain a hugely important piece of the omnichannel retail puzzle. It has served as a potent reminder of just how much we take for granted the act of shopping and hanging out pre-social distancing.

What’s your current working routine?

I wake up around 6am and feed my cat, Oliver. He gets very grumpy if I don’t feed him immediately. I then make myself a cup of tea and upload a few news stories to Retail Technology Innovation Hub.

I then go for my morning walk. I’m fortunate enough to be self-isolating beside the seaside (Hastings, to be exact), so I get to walk to the beach every day.

When I return home, I start work at around 8.30/9am, work through until lunch then watch some TV for an hour or so and return to action in the early afternoon. I usually clock off around 5ish, although there is so much news to report at the moment, that I often find myself writing articles and planning ahead during the evenings and at weekends.

In terms of the way you work, what do you think the “new normal” will look like?

I’m not sure there will be a massive change in the way that I work!

How do you manage the balance between work and home life? Have there been any challenges?

There were some challenges in the early days of the lockdown. I’m self-isolating with my girlfriend; she’s a primary school teacher so has had her own challenges, co-ordinating work for the parents of her pupils, dealing with parent enquiries etc.

I was initially working seven days a week. I love my job and it’s a great feeling to see Retail Technology Innovation Hub growing rapidly. But it’s also important to have downtime. That has become easier to manage over the past couple of weeks as I’ve become more used to life under lockdown.

Speaking of which, what’s been a positive thing about life in lockdown?

I think just appreciating the little things in life and the things we normally take for granted. I can’t wait to go to the cinema again, for instance, and go to a restaurant. Also taking time to have conversations with shop workers and neighbours.

How do you unwind?

Watching movies and my favourite TV shows, reading, listening to music, a glass of wine or two at the weekends.

Finally, what are your top 3 lockdown essential non-essentials?

Yorkshire tea. Watching movies. Binge-watching Netflix shows with my girlfriend.

Next week, we’ll be bringing you more insights from across the retail and hospitality sectors. 

The post #WFH Diaries: Scott Thompson, Editor of RTIH appeared first on Retail Assist.

Whilst many people in our business are working from home, there are still team members whose roles require them to be physically present on site, such as at our Data Centre.

This week, we hear from Jan Benjamin, Operations and Compliance Manager, who is juggling both working from home, being in the Data Centre and managing her team who are in a multitude of locations.

Jan’s Diary

In many ways, for me the current COVID-19 situation has brought changes mixed with a lot of normality.

Just as before life in lockdown, I get woken up very early by Bailey, my Border Collie (otherwise known as my fitness trainer!), who sits outside my bedroom door crying, so that I wake up. We then start the day with a walk, which is usually around 10-12 kilometres. Although getting up at 5.30am is an early start for a long walk, it means that we don’t bump into other dog walkers and I love getting out. I started walking a couple of years ago for fitness then discovered that I always feel better. In fact, everything feels better; it sorts my head out, we get to take in some fresh air and I get to see different wildlife – I even saw some herons this morning.

My commute also hasn’t changed, other than it now takes me around 20 minutes to drive to work – previously it would have taken over an hour. The roads are much quieter and so is our office. I’m based at Retail Assist’s Data Centre and because we physically need people in the office, we’ve been balancing having one or two people in at a time.

This a huge change for us, but a necessary one to keep everyone safe. Along with heavily reducing the numbers of people in the office at any one time, we’ve also moved the desks around so that we’re at least 2 metres apart at all times. It’s a bit fiddly but it has given people more space.

We’ve also had to change many processes as, for the Ops team, there’s a mixture of on-site and remote work. The idea of remote working terrified me: I just wasn't sure how we'd make it work. The biggest challenge was working out how my team could work remotely in the first place. Whilst other Retail Assist teams lend themselves better to working from home, our roles are trickier to achieve remotely, especially given that each one of our customers has a different way of connecting into our network. However, given the current climate, we have team members who are at risk or have family who are at risk, so we had to make a decision that meant everyone was safe. Although it was presented as a difficult problem, sometimes the simplest answers are the best; rather than getting loads of different kit at everyone’s house, my team are now remoting into their work PCs, then servicing our customers from there. It’s working really well.

Another one of our challenges has been how to induct a new starter in this time. Before lockdown, we would normally sit next to them or have them shadow what we do, but we can't do any of that – it’s all got to be from a distance. Our trainee started the week before we went into isolation, which was such bad timing! However, given all the challenges, he's been absolutely brilliant and is picking up skills and knowledge really quickly.

I’m so proud of how the team’s responded and I think it's brought us closer together; ultimately, we just had to work things out and find a way, and we’re a better team for it. Having to think outside of the box has given our quieter team members a chance to come out of themselves and it’s been a fantastic learning exercise for everyone involved.

But our work isn’t just about managing processes – it’s how we work together, too. Since lockdown began, we’ve been mega on Microsoft Teams! We’re always posting lots of silly stuff, sharing things and checking in with everyone. Some of our team are living on their own, so it’s more important than ever to keep in touch. I feel that talking to colleagues is a key part of our working roles now and I’m hoping that it continues post-lockdown: it’s a definite positive. I also genuinely believe that the world will be a better place after this – it’ll be hard, but I know we’ll pull through together.

Each week, we’re bringing you a new voice from the world of retail, hospitality and logistics.

The post #WFH (and in the office!) Diaries: Jan Benjamin, Operations and Compliance Manager appeared first on Retail Assist.

It’s the third instalment of our WFH Diaries, where we bring you the insights, reflections and essentials of people from across the retail, hospitality and logistics industries.

This week’s diary is from Andrew Busby. Never one to miss a retail beat, Andrew is an author, Forbes contributor, founder of Retail Reflections and IBM Futurist. We spoke to Andrew to hear about his predictions for retail and to also hear how he’s approaching life in lockdown.

Andrew’s WFH Diary

Andrew, what role is retail playing in this current lockdown situation?

Pivotal. While some sectors have had to remain closed, grocers especially are keeping the country running. Now, that has always been the case, except that we never consciously realised. I would like to see retailers such as garden centres allowed to reopen as, at times like these, our mental wellbeing is paramount and gardens contribute to positive mental wellbeing.

What should retailers be doing now to “get it right”?

They should be doing the right thing by their staff and by their customers. Social distancing is the new hugging, so they can take a lead on that and show others – such as the hospitality vendors who aren’t yet allowed to trade yet – how to do it.

So much change and innovation has happened to the retail sector in the last few weeks. What trends have you seen emerging?

Hyper-local and hyper-collaboration: two trends which I sincerely hope will continue as both can only be healthy. One can only wonder at the gnashing of teeth at the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) right now.

Do you think retail will ever go "back to normal" or are we about to see a retail revolution?

Whatever ‘normal’ was! No, of course it can’t. In Hong Kong, for example, we’re seeing many retailers go under. The same thing will replicate itself here – of that I’ve no doubt. And for those that remain, life will be very different. Would you want to try on clothes or shoes that had potentially been worn by someone else? Ironically, this could kill the second-hand/pre-loved market: we can look forward to debates over what temperature is needed to kill the COVID-19 coronavirus in the wash cycle. And store estates will be drastically reduced as more and more activity goes online. 

What’s your current working routine?

Answering retail related questions like this!

In terms of the way you work, what do you think the “new normal” will look like?

We will very quickly realise that all that commuting, all those office blocks, all that time sat on the M25, all those hours crushed on trains, was a complete waste of time. Video calling is the new normal and going to work in your pyjamas will be the new pinstripe suit. This will have huge, barely imaginable implications for many industries and sectors of the economy. The oil industry, for example, in the US is currently trying to figure out how and where to store all the excess crude which simply isn’t being consumed any longer.

We will realise that we don’t need to live in the heart of London, Birmingham, Manchester or even Nottingham to be able to work there. We can work from wherever we choose. Bandwidth will become the new oil.

How do you manage the balance between work and home life? Have there been any challenges?

No, I just work. It is my home life! Seriously, taking a walk, often up to 2 hours a day, is important for my own personal wellbeing but I’m lucky. For years, I’ve been used to working from home and besides, social distancing has to be the best thing ever invented for years! After all, who wants their personal space invaded?

What’s been a positive thing about life in lockdown?

Sustainability. Now, when did you last hear that word mentioned? In other words, what we all thought was nigh on impossible has happened over a matter of a few weeks. Incredible! Will we instantly revert to the way things were before? I sincerely hope not. But we eventually will and, when that happens, the realisation that we are destroying the planet will be even more acute. I just hope that Sir David Attenborough is still around to steer us back on track.

How do you unwind?

I’m fortunate of where I live, right on the edge of the Ashdown Forest in Sussex, so getting out and about either by walking or cycling is very easy. And it’s amazing, the places on my doorstep I have discovered just by walking that little bit further.

What are your top 3 lockdown essential non-essentials?

Great question! I’ve spoken and written a lot about non-essentials however, my top 3 essential non-essentials would be:

1. My guitar – which I continue to play very badly
2. A sense of humour, which you need when you play guitar badly
3. My Ferrari – which is my favourite way of getting to Tesco’s

Next week, we’ll be bringing you another top voice from the retail, hospitality and logistics sector.

The post The #WFH Diaries: Andrew Busby appeared first on Retail Assist.

It’s the next installment of our working from home diaries, as we bring you a collection of voices from our customers, journalists, influencers, commentators and Retail Assist team members, to get a good reflection on the retail, hospitality and logistics sectors and the voices within them.

This week, we hear from Matthew Proudlove, Retail Assist’s COO, on family life, not driving and knowing when to switch off.

Matthew’s WFH Diary

I’m happily stuck at home with my family. There's 5 of us here, including my wife, Jurga, and our three children: our eldest daughter, 18, and twins, both 15. As our kids are a bit older, we don't have the parental balance that others have. Luckily, the kids get on really well so it's all pretty calm! Our eldest is just finishing her first year of uni online and is very focused, whilst the twins are struggling; they’re in a bizarre situation with their GCSEs and a 5 month gap before they can focus on A Levels. We're trying to encourage them to use this time as well as they can, but it’s tough on them.

My working day starts fairly early – to me, there’s no point hanging around! I usually start work at 8am or 8.30am at the latest. Then it’s a busy day ahead; there's a lot of emails, a lot of calls, many questions to answer, policies to change and a lot of different things to deal with. Although, in many ways, my role usually has aspects of all of those things, COVID-19 has brought different challenges to the business. The circumstances that we all find ourselves facing have adjusted quite dramatically and we're trying to do our best as a company to respond to that. There's no textbook answer.

As I don’t have an office at home, I’ve been mainly working from our lounge. It’s not ideal, but it’s been lovely to overlook the garden. Plus, working from home during the day means that you see what’s in your garden, as a multitude of cats, foxes and even a rabbit seem to use it regularly as a thoroughfare, to an extent you wouldn’t normally realise. It certainly makes a difference to Nottingham’s city centre!

What’s been really important for us as directors is that there’s teamwork across the business. I’ve been so impressed with how everyone in our team has managed – it’s been so good. We've got such a great bunch of people coming together to succeed in getting through this. There's been a lot of good care about the people in our business, sticking together around isolated people and, ultimately, we've all been pretty calm, working hard in a calm manner. Our customers have always been part of our team ethos and this extends to them, too; we've been really close to our customers in a good way. We’re supporting them and they're supporting us.

Switching Off

The weather's been nice recently, so I've been trying to make the most of the garden - I'm pretty lucky in that regard. As my working day is 9-10 hours, I make a conscious effort to try to switch off in the evenings and focus on something else.

It's pretty full on at the moment and my family are very accepting of that. At the moment, it's work hard, play hard – I was really chilled out over the bank holiday weekend and enjoyed the sun. You have to draw the line somewhere, otherwise all you’re doing is just work all the time. You can either do work or relaxation - you can't actively do both.

I usually go swimming several times a week before work, so I’m missing that. However, I go for a walk every day for 45-60 minutes, either on my own or with Jurga. I’m also reading a lot more than I would have done usually, especially more challenging books; I don’t think there's a lot on TV at the moment and I'm missing football, so reading is the next option! Although the football season is on hold, Twitter likes to remind me of goals from this particular day 20 years ago, which takes the edge off somewhat.

I'm also amazed that I haven't driven anywhere in 4 weeks. I'm thankful I have an automatic, otherwise I think I’d be in danger of needing to re-learn how to drive!

The Future

At the moment, I’m not sure what the “new normal” will look like. To be honest, I’ve been so busy dealing with the here and now that I haven’t thought that next bit through. When lockdown was announced and we were all encouraged to work from home, I did think "this is going to be hard…” but, now that we're doing it, it’s not as hard as I thought it would be. Whilst I’m not sure how our new experiences of working from home will impact the way we work in the future, we’ve certainly all been shown another way.

The post The #WFH Diaries! This Week We Speak to Our COO, Matthew Proudlove appeared first on Retail Assist.

Guest Blog by Nelson Blackley, Retail Research Associate at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University

Much of the recent commentary around how to revive the UK High Street has centred on a requirement for it to provide a mix of retail (both national and independent stores), food and beverage, entertainment, community hubs, healthcare and other service provision, as well as homes. In other words, shopping spaces need to provide a social function, as well as delivering commercial or transactional benefits.

These views are strongly supported by the fact that some of the towns and cities that have successfully reversed the national decline of our High Streets over the past few years have done so by developing community-based and socially-driven models. Great examples such as “Bishy Road” in York or Graham Soult’s work with Chester-le-Street’s town centre and the success of Belper have seen the local retail landscape thrive in otherwise challenging times.

However, this concept is nothing new. This social function of shopping has been around for much longer than many might imagine, compared with ‘transactional retail’ which is less than a century old.

Retail markets have existed since ancient times with archaeological evidence for trade, probably involving barter systems, dating back more than 10,000 years. In the UK, public trading spaces in the centre of towns and cities only really evolved during the 17th century, with a wide range of products on sales from a range of merchants and so providing an ‘experience’ or sense of discovery for the shopper. The rise of the middle class in Victorian England during the 19^th Century created an even more favourable attitude to shopping and consumption, and High Streets became the places to see and be seen - places for recreational shopping and promenading.

In the second half of the 20^th Century, with a post war boom in car ownership, the ‘traditional’ British High Street came under pressure from new large, out-of-town retail parks and then, towards the very end of the 20^th Century, ‘bricks and mortar retailers’ wherever they were located, faced the new competitive threat of online retailers operating in a global marketplace - arguably the ultimate ‘transactional’ retail model.

As a result, physical spaces where people shop have now had to evolve – often with smaller retail units, including independent and pop-up stores – many providing local produce and more social spaces, offering food and beverages, as well as leisure, entertainment and community facilities.

The UK retail sector faces huge societal, economic and technological change, but evidence suggests that the social role played by shopping will increase in importance once again and those towns and cities which reflect this in their retail offering will not only survive but thrive. So, despite many suggesting that shopping in physical stores is a thing of the past and that the UK high street will soon disappear, neither is true – shopping is simply returning to its social roots.

You can read more of Nelson’s retail reflections in his blog, ‘Retail Views and News’.

The post “The high street isn’t a thing of the past – it’s simply returning to its roots” appeared first on Retail Assist.