Our thoughts on NRF

NRF’s Big Show is always one of the highlights of the retail calendar, but this year’s event felt especially significant. As well as being an opportunity to catch up with old friends and network with other businesses, it was also a moment to reflect on two years of intense disruption.

COVID-19 affected everyone, but retailers had a different experience to most. As Mike George, Chairman of NRF’s board of directors, mentioned in his opening speech, “The pandemic put the world on hold, but retail never stopped.” Above all, it was this spirit of perseverance that characterised NRF 2022.

The future looks bright

We were proud to represent the UK on such a prestigious stage, and we wanted to make the most of the opportunity. We spent the weekend fitting in as much as possible, meeting business owners from around the world and demonstrating the power of VoCoVo to everyone who passed our booth.

But NRF isn’t just about promotion. It’s also a chance to learn from the experts. We attended speeches by industry leaders, including Ralph Lauren CEO Patrice Louvet and Target CEO Brian Cornell. These were particularly encouraging, as both emphasised the importance of physical retail in their future plans.

Both men acknowledged that omnichannel purchases had surged since the pandemic, but neither viewed this as a threat to in-store shopping. Instead, they argued that it made physical retail more crucial than ever. If customers are opting for the omnichannel route rather than simply buying online, it suggests that there are aspects of in-store shopping they don’t want to give up. It is up to retailers to identify these and focus their efforts accordingly.

Omnichannel has also given stores an important new role – that of collection points for online orders. The rise of Click & Collect will keep physical retail going for years to come, as long as stores can find ways to streamline the process. For these reasons, both Ralph Lauren and Target have invested in new stores during the pandemic.

Our time to shine

Seeing such prominent companies placing their trust in physical retail is incredibly encouraging. Not only does it suggest a bright future for retail in general, but also for the kind of customer experience we aim to provide. During the pandemic, we helped stores improve their service through better communication. If customer behaviour follows the predictions of Ralph Lauren and Target, this could be the key to success:

• Call points can be placed on Click & Collect desks. This allows customers to check on the status of their order without joining the main queue. It also means there’s no need to man the desk between customers, allowing colleagues to focus on other tasks.
• Headsets allow you to find information for customers at the push of a button. Rather than leaving the customer’s side to check on an order, you can stay with them while you call through to the stockroom. This speeds up service, ensuring that omnichannel customers won’t feel let down by the in-store experience.
• Colleagues can use their headsets to authorise self-checkout purchases remotely. This significantly speeds up the checkout process, helping you keep pace with online shopping.

We left New York feeling optimistic. With major companies investing in physical retail, it seems that better days are ahead for the high street. However, we must acknowledge that the role of stores has changed. Customers no longer distinguish between online and physical shopping, and neither should we. By using VoCoVo to streamline in-store processes, you can provide customers with a consistent experience across all channels.