The arched glass roof of Kensington Olympia allowed brief pockets of sun to shine on the retail technology show last week and Daley Hub were in attendance to see what the future of retail had in store.
Slick, minimalist displays of technological advances lined the huge hall.
Lanyard wearing professionals bustled between futuristic stands to get a look at what was on offer or filed into rooms to hear industry experts talk on their specialised subjects.
And tech that may well be commonplace for stores and businesses of the future shone in all their high-definition glory.
There was wearable tech with voice function that changed your voice input to text messages on interactive watches for store staff.
AI supported forecasting using data scraping of competitor information to guide trends or integrate staff behaviour analysis to help improve retention.
3-D projections housed behind curved glass orbs using propeller technology to make them move, pulse and shine.
Holographic virtual assistants that responded to questions through a microphone.
But repeated trends and business model offerings revealed something different.
The primary focus of business retail to attract new customers has evolved.
Heat map and recognition software using customer tracking to provide data for retailers and businesses, showing footfall, dwell time and customer patterns.
Customisable apps for high-end brands that personalise customer experience using historical purchase data and shopper preferences.
The clear desire for better information on existing customers and the ability to use the data to your advantage was all around us.
Data, AI, and the use of stored information to create customer avatars and behaviours are the new kids on the block and the appetite for metrics was obvious.
All the enticement tactics were in full force to try and generate conversation from passers-by.
Some unique, some gimmicky, some clever.
Free sweets, pens, notebooks. Mysterious gifts in egg shaped boxes we never did get around to finding.
By far the most unusual was the purple pouch of free lavender in a drawstring bag that was handed to us as we walked by a stand offering Wi-Fi boosting capabilities and connectivity solutions to businesses experiencing problems.
And whilst futuristic innovation was everywhere you looked, a more traditional, tried and tested mainstay of retail still stood firm.
The clearly passionate people.
Gifts and freebies may have encouraged some conversations.
But in an expo where the potential future of retail shone in all its technologically advanced glory.
The people who represented their brands and products with the most energy. Spoke about its potential use with the most passion. And engaged those they spoke to with clear, infectious aspiration. Shone just as bright as the high-definition holographic displays.
So, whilst information, AI revealed patterns, and unbelievable amounts of data stored in the cloud behind closed doors may well be what guides retail behaviours of the future.
There is most definitely still a need for the right people to make a human connection in your front of house.
Daley Hub is your strategic growth partner providing a tailored, personalised approach to retailers of all sizes.
We take the time to understand what your business means to you. Develop your brand in the UK. And successfully bring it to market.
Get in touch at here.
Let’s start a conversation about what we can do for your business today.
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