Facing the future and planning for change
Change was the dominant theme at this year's Retail Summit that was held on 27th September. Back again in London, more than 100 leading retailers got together to divulge, debate and discuss all the things that would keep normal people up at night.
But these are retailers. Change is in their DNA. And the very best thrive in a changing world, grasping the opportunities that new technologies, new ways of working and new consumer expectations open up.
This year the Summit saw change come much closer to home, as it was announced that BT Expedite, the exclusive reseller of Aptos solutions in Europe, was to become part of the Aptos family. During the Summit, Aptos CEO and culture leader Noel Goggin outlined the retail vision which drives the company, and Strategy Leader Ian Rawlins explored the ways that retail is being reimagined and reinvented, while nonetheless emphasising that there is no blueprint to guarantee success. Sophia Brush from True Religion lifted the lid on one successful strategy, with an overview of the new loyalty activity with Aptos that has seen their focus on customer experience reap massive rewards.
Watch the event highlights video
The morning session finished with our very own "Ant and Dec" double act, as Mark Denton and Richard Willis set out the product roadmap before Forrester analyst Michelle Beeson confirmed the impact of changing consumer expectations with the latest omnichannel research.
The afternoon breakouts included something for everyone with nine retailer-led sessions, including loyalty insights from Charles Clinkard and Wagamama, and panel debates on payments and omnichannel.
In between all the formal presentations, the hub of the event proved to be the technology demonstration showcase, where everyone could get up close and personal with a dozen innovative retail solutions, including Adyen, Eyetease, NearSt, Paypal and Pixelpin, as well as a whole raft of Aptos technology covering everything from analytics to order management.
The annual Summit embraced the spirit of opportunity and change and proved to be one of the most successful to date. Hopefully everyone who attended came away with lots of inspiration, ideas and practical advice to help tackle the always-dynamic world of retail.
