“The good thing about the challenges retailers are facing specific to COVID-19 is that the technology is available now to immediately help with new challenges — including reopening, keeping staff and shoppers safe, distancing and occupancy management. Before the pandemic, digital signs were proving effective for personalising in-store experiences and driving in-store relevance; now they can be used as a way of informing shoppers of safety measures while in the store, which in turn promotes loyalty,” said Harry.
Beyond impacts of the pandemic on the retail industry, CKH asks Harry about digital signage solution innovations, the customer journey and technological advances to expect to benefit retailers in the next five years.
“In the future – and it is happening to a certain extent now – floor space will get smaller and occupancy management tools will be in place. Digital signs are going to inform and be increasingly personalised. Products that are low in emotion, such as windscreen wipers for example, will be replaced with smart interactive solutions where you can search and order the right wipers for your car. These will then be either put in a locker and delivered to your home or to a curbside pick-up location. In the US, curbside pick-up is proving extremely popular. Retailers started adjusting to a curbside pick-up model when store closures were forced, and we see a growing opportunity for the technology now that retailers have begun to implement this model,” said Harry.
So, how do retailers prepare to change their physical store environments in the next five years? It might seem like a daunting task, but retailers need to know that to be competitive in the retail space in the next 10 years, they are going to have to adopt digital signage and marketing technology.
“It will become more of a commodity and a necessity. Consumers will get used to the technology and will demand it from retailers. Right now, there is a good deal of scaling going on – some brands get it and jump aboard faster than others, while some retailers lag behind. Since the global pandemic began, many retailers had to implement more digital signage solutions to communicate with their customers in a safe way. To be competitive they will need to adopt the technology,” said Harry.
Read the full interview, including insights from CKH IOD >
