Name: The living wage and retail's perfect storm
Start: 2016-09-15T14:00:00Z
End: 2016-09-15T14:00:44.000Z
Location: BrightTALK
Rating: 5

Covering breaking UK and international retail news stories from a tech perspective, Essential Retail provides clarity as the digital revolution continues to transform the retail industry and wider business landscape.

The word ‘robot’ can be traced back to as early as the 1920s. The idea that autonomous machines can be built to serve humans is not a new one. And in more recent years, these stories from science fiction have come to fruition – albeit in a much more commercial fashion.
 
Robots are already becoming a significant part of everyday life and retail is primed to benefit from these new technologies. Applications like store cleaning, inventory delivery, and shelf scanning are becoming more and more commercially available. And a growing number of retailers are already taking advantage of these solutions to free up store staff, improve customer experience, and incorporate analytics into their operations.
 
The value of automation, particularly in the case of cleaning, has come to the forefront in light of the recent health crisis. And when you think about your store estate beyond the coronavirus crisis – five, 10 or even 20 years from now – where do you imagine robotics will step up and increase operational efficiencies even more?
 
In this webinar, sponsored by Brain Corp, you will learn how robotic solutions can help create a strong and resilient future store estate:
 
•What will the store look like in the next 10 years and where do analysts predict robotics will play a crucial role in updating the store we know and love today?
•How can robotics help stores get back to operating in a “new normal” in a post-COVID world?
•How can autonomous machines help keep stores clean and reassure customers of their safety?
•What type of data is provided by a retail robot, and how can store managers properly leverage it?
•How do you go about managing the different autonomous applications across your store estate? And what do you need to consider when embarking on a robotics roll out?

Where will robots fit into the future of the store?

Leading retailers across the globe have realised they can no longer ignore outdated processes. While Covid-19 has bought huge economic uncertainty, it also underscores the opportunity for brands and retailers to re-evaluate and re-engineer their operations. A new set of abilities are required to build towards an operational resiliency to position them to thrive.  
 
WorkJam, a global leader in digital workplace technology serving retail, QSR, and hospitality is proud to present a special webinar focused the digital transformation at the frontline. Join us as we share best practices and stories from world-renowned customers including Shell, Ulta & Woolworths that will outline how to thrive in 2021 and beyond.  
 
Register to learn more about: 
• What a resilient retailer looks like. 
• How leaders are building an agile and capable workforce to win in the new normal.
• How large-scale projects can be quickly realised towards operational resiliency.

Operational resiliency: advice from leading brands

As summer winds down, Covid-19 remains, and weekly changes to crisis responses around the globe is leading to even more uncertainty. From government restrictions and second waves, retailers are trying their best to operate safely in the most turbulent period most have ever faced.  Further, as the upcoming winter flu season approaches it has the potential to complicate rostering and staff management as common symptoms will lead to more call-offs and staff quarantine. 

So how have leading brands managed thus far and how are they planning to cope with an uncertain future?
WorkJam, a global leader in digital workplace technology serving retail, QSR, and hospitality is proud to present a special webinar focused on proven wins that you can implement quickly. Join us as we share best practices and stories from world-renowned customers including Shell, Chatime & Starbucks Australia.  
 
Register to learn more about: 
• Which measures have thought-leading retailers put in place to remain agile during lockdown periods? 
• Which quick wins they capitalised on keep their strength? 
• How they upskilled their workforce into a competitive edge?

Quick wins for managing local lockdowns and navigating uncertainty

The phrase “new normal” has replaced the term “unprecedented times” in recent weeks. But what that “new normal” looks like is yet to be seen. We know it involves shops and pubs which have been allowed to open their doors once again, but as we ease out of lockdown the UK is still very aware that a second peak could soon usher us back into isolation.

What comes hand-in-hand with the “new normal” is uncertainty. And both humans and business struggle to thrive during uncertain times. Retail has already gone through a considerable amount of change in the last decade, with technology impacting every aspect of the industry and the high street facing immense challenges in response to the convenience of online shopping. Change isn’t new for retail. But those who are quick to respond to the “new normal” will be the ones who will weather the storm. 

With furlough, sickness and working from home more prevalent, retailers need to have an accurate view of their workforce now more than ever. Join us in this Essential Retail webinar, sponsored by Kronos, on 23 July, to hear an expert panel discuss how retailers should plan their businesses and move together towards a the new normal.

In this webinar, you will learn: 
•How digital leaders in retail expect their part of the business to change in the coming months as coronavirus paves a “new normal”
•Why it is so important to have a lean and flexible workforce during times of crisis
•Will we continue to work from home as we ease ourselves out of lockdown? And how will this impact retail?

Retail’s “new normal” – how to manage the retail workforce

Social media. Love it, or hate it. It is here to stay. A way to engage with your customer who is only a tap of their smartphone away. But the medium is a tricky balance and it is essential for retailers to strike the right tone when speaking to their customers via Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Tiktok – and each of those platforms have their own dos and don’ts. After all, it only takes a user the swipe of their smartphone to ‘unfollow’ or a few taps to compose a disgruntled message to highlight when you do something wrong.

It can seem like a minefield for even an established retailer, never mind a new brand starting from scratch. Which is why Essential Retail is bringing you this webinar on how retailers can use social media to truly engage with those social-savvy customers so they return to your brand again and again.

In this webinar, you will learn:

How retailers are innovating with social media to engage customers and increase sales?
What are the best practices to build a brand using product reviews and social content?
What are micro-influencers and why are they important?
How to get the most out of Tiktok/Facebook/Instagram (delete as appropriate)
Has Covid-19 had an impact on how people use social media and engage with influencers

Leveraging social media and UGC in retail

No one likes queuing, even the Brits don’t really like standing around waiting for their turn, despite all the age-old joke regarding British queuing etiquette. 

In the last couple of months Covid-19 has seen shoppers having to queue just to enter a shop and that looks likely to continue as non-essential retailers begin to safely reopen on our high streets as lockdown measures are eased. So if queueing has to be part of the “new normal” of shopping, retailers must think about improving the experience for customers once they get inside the store. From making sure their wait hasn’t been wasted by having the correct stock available; to automating the checkout so shoppers don’t have to queue yet again when they have decided to purchase. 

“Seamless” shopping is often used to describe an effective online retail journey, but in a new post-Covid retail world, customers need to ensure the physical store is easy, comfortable and safe to shop in.
In this webinar, you will learn:

•Which technologies should retailers look to implement to create a seamless and safe shopping environment for customers.
•How RFID can contribute to a more efficient retail store – from stock accuracy through to automated checkouts.
•Will shoppers ever touch cash again? What is the future of payments in a post-Covid shopping world?

Flattening the queue – how to achieve seamless in-store shopping

Essential Retail brings you an online webinar where three CEOs share their story about the journey to their C-level roles.

Ever imagined what it would be like to run a retailer? Or what skills you would need to progress to the top? Come armed with your questions and join this webinar on Thursday 25 June 2020 to learn from CEOs who did just that.

Editor of Essential Retail, Caroline Baldwin, quizzes three bosses about their jobs to learn what it took to get to where they are now.

In this webinar, you will learn:

 -The journey three retail leaders went on to become CEOs at their businesses

 -How their various backgrounds helped (or hindered!) their progression along the way

 -What their day-to-day structure looks like today

-Skills required needed to lead a business

-The challenges of running a retail business in today’s climate

And plenty of advice for people wanting to work towards that role

How to become a Retail CEO: Industry CEOs' top tips for rising to the top

Essential Retail brings you a webinar to share some practical tips on how the retail industry can safely get back on its feet after lockdown. 
 
While stores are beginning to act on plans to reopen up and down the country, the virus has not disappeared and is as dangerous as ever. Retailers who have spent many years developing innovative technology to improve customer experience within the store, will be now thinking sombrely about how to reassure shoppers regarding the safety of shopping on our high streets once more. 
  
But how do you control the retail environment to protect staff and customers while making shopping a pleasurable activity?
 
In this webinar, sponsored by Avoira, you will learn:
•What changes are retailers having to put in place to re-open stores and weather the coronavirus storm?
•How have consumer shopping habits changed since lockdown and how do retailers need to address these changes?
•What are the top health and safety technologies and procedures which need to be put in place to ensure consumer safety in store?

Covid-19: How do we get Britain shopping again?

The world is beginning to pick itself up again following the rapid spread of coronavirus. Many countries are coming out of lockdown and beginning to learn what the new normal will look like going forward. Retail is such a crucial pillar of the UK economy, the industry is desperate to re-open high streets up and down the country. But when we do open the doors of our retail stores again, what will they look like? And will shopping ever be quite the same as it once was? 

After weeks of being forced to stay at home, the UK is beginning to think about how it may reopen non-essential retail businesses such as fashion, while adhering to strict social distancing. And many retailers must be asking themselves how they intend to meet the demand of the new post-Covid-19 shopper while ensuring their safety in store as we remain in the recovery stages of coronavirus?
 
Join this Essential Retail webinar, sponsored by ITL Group, as we try to predict what the future of the store may look like in a post-Covid-19 world. 
In this webinar we will discuss:
 
•What retail stores may look like as 
•Has Covid-19 put the brakes on any future of the store technology developments?
•What are the latest technologies retailers can use to help the industry reopen stores? Have any new technologies come to light which will help us reopen stores? 
•How existing technologies such as RFID can be used in stores to improve customer experience and engage consumers in a post-Covid-19 world.

The future of the store post-Covid-19

15:30-16:00 CASE STUDY: Catering to the world – Pizza Hut's global eCommerce solution
Pizza Hut is a global brand that is loved in many countries around the World but the rise of e-commerce has resulted in an inconsistent online shopping and brand experience. Pizza Hut Digital Ventures is now building and scaling a consistent global e-commerce experience that our customers love.
•	Expansion to international markets and adapting to local needs while keeping the brand experience the same
•	How to optimise site performance in larger markets and use gained insights in smaller markets
•	Improving conversion by increasing site speed and uptime performance
•	Data driven optimisation of the basket size
Speaker: Tristan Burns, Analytics Lead, Pizza Hut Digital Ventures

16:00-16:30 Predicting the “new normal” – what will retail look like post COVID-19?
What will the world of retail look like once the COVID-19 pandemic is over? It’s the million-dollar question, yet even Nostradamus would struggle to give a give clear view from where we are right now. To help companies plan, IGD has developed a set of 10 hypotheses, covering the impact on society, shoppers and grocery retail. In his session Ben will discuss each hypothesis, the evidence that has led to its creation, and what might come next.
Ben Miller, Insight Services and Events Director, IGD

#RetailEXPOVC Joint Webinar: Pizza Hut Digital Ventures + IGD

Join this Essential Retail webinar panel, part of the #RetailExpoVC, which brings together retailers and brands to celebrate gender diversity, debate challenges, discuss career opportunities and initiatives for women in the industry. Featuring Helen Galletley, Service Transformation Manager, Tesco; Chloe Bebbington, Social Media Marketing Manager, River Island; Eiko Kawano, Group Experience Director, Publicis Sapient; and Eleanor Dallaway, Editorial Director, Essential Retail (moderator) 

Presented by
Moderator: Eleanor Dallaway, Editorial Director, Essential Retail. 
Speakers: Chloe Bebbington. Helen Galletley, Eiko Kawano

#RetailEXPOVC: Women in Retail

Join this RetailEXPO Virtual Conference webinar panel, featuring Beth Horn, Head of Industry for Retail, Facebook; Nicola Thompson, COO, Made.com; Robin Phillips, CEO, Watchshop; and moderator Caroline Baldwin, Editor, Essential Retail to hear their insights and actions in continuing to engage with their customers and drive retail sales during lockdown.

With most physical retail stores closed, and customers focussing their shopping primarily on everyday essentials, many retailers are seeing drastic declines in sales. In this exceptional times, how do retailers and brands of non-essential products continue marketing and selling? This panel will discuss
•	How consumer demands and behaviours are changing in response to Coronavirus
•	What strategies retailers have for driving product awareness and sales
•	New emerging business models
•	How retailers can build engagement and loyalty with consumers for when things return to (the new) normal

Presented by
Moderator: Caroline Baldwin. Speakers: Nicola Thompson, Robin Phillips, Beth Horn.

#RetailEXPOVC: Maintaining engagement with consumers & driving sales in lockdown

Join this RetailEXPO Virtual Conference interview to hear Galahad Clark, Founder & CEO at Vivobarefoot discuss sustainability in retail.
It is clear that retail businesses have a responsibility to do their part in sustainability, and there is mounting consumer pressure and expectations. But in a time where margins are being squeezed from every angle, despite best intentions, the most sustainable option can easily be overlooked for the cheapest option. In this session, we will interview a leading retailer Vivobarefoot to understand the importance of sustainability for them, learn how they’re working towards achieving the UNSDGs, and discover how they’ve shaped both a sustainable and profitable business.

Presented by
Interviewer: Caroline Baldwin, Editor Essential Retail, Speaker: Galahad Clark, Founder & CEO Vivobarefoot

#RetailEXPOVC: Save the planet or your profits? Can you do both?

Join this RetailEXPO Virtual Conference Webinar to hear Susan Azari, Mobile App Commercial Lead, The Very Group, talk about the power and rise of mobile commerce.

More than half of online retail sales are made through mobile devices (smartphones & tablets), and mobile accounts for ⅔ retail website traffic. With growing penetration of smartphone usage and ever-increasing screen times, it is imperative that retailers and brands take advantage of this opportunity to provide exceptional mobile experiences to consumers, usually in the comfort of their own home. This session will look at key strategies for improving conversion, retention and engagement of customers on mobile devices, and how you can enhance the shopping experience.
•	Examining the rise in mobile commerce, and the behavioural differences across customer groups
•	Optimising your website for mobile search and browsing
•	Creating best in class mobile UX to improve conversion
•	To have an app or not to have an app?
•	Driving personalisation and loyalty
•	Innovations for further enhancing mobile UX – VR/AR, visual search, haptics etc.
•	Linking mobile and in-store experiences

This Case Study will be followed by an Analyst presentation.

Presented by
Susan Azari, Mobile App Commercial Lead, The Very Group

#RetailEXPOVC: In their hands – Harnessing the spending power of mobile shoppers

Join this RetailEXPO Virtual Conference webinar panel, featuring Isabella West, Founder and CEO, Hirestreet, Kieron Smith, Digital Director, Blackwell's Bookshops,  John Hagan, Director of Growth, Purelei and Caroline Baldwin, Editor, Essential Retail discuss the key priorities and actions for survival for retailers during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

COVID-19 has caused huge industry disruption and left retailers struggling to manage these unprecedented circumstances. Some retailers are seeing hue spikes in demand for goods, some are shifting to an online only model, and others have stopped sales altogether. This panel will examine:
•	How Coronavirus has impacted different retailers and how they are coping with the situation
•	How to manage key challenges facing retailers – from inventory and supply chain, staffing, health & safety, cash management, liquidity, and cost cutting and more
•	What steps retailers should prioritise in order to survive

#RetailEXPOVC: Weathering the Coronavirus pandemic – Key priorities for survival

Join this RetailEXPO Virtual Conference Webinar to hear Mark Price, former MD of Waitrose and Deputy Chairman of John Lewis Partnership talk about the future of the industry post Covid-19. The retail industry is undergoing significant change and retailers know they must adapt to survive. And the recent challenges posed by Coronavirus have the potential to create seismic and long-lasting shifts to the industry. But with rapid change continuing, understanding how to evolve and where to focus can be complex. As we enter this new decade and challenging era of retail, hear predictions for the future of the industry, and recommendations on what actions retailers should be taking now to ensure long time survival and success. Learn about new customer expectations, technology developments and innovative approaches to retailing, and discover the opportunities that lie ahead.
•	How COVID-19 will impact the retail industry – short, medium and long term outlook
•	How are consumer expectations and behaviours changing? How knowing your customer better drives business strategy
•	Capitalising on the technology revolution and driving leading edge digital innovation
•	The growing focus and importance of sustainability in retail
•	Equipping your retail workforce with the skills and culture for success
•	Preparing for and overcoming other future challenges facing retail in the UK and Europe

#RetailEXPOVC: View from the Top – Creating a new vision for a new era of retail

Join this Essential Retail webinar to discuss how the store is going to change in the next ten years.

In this webinar we will take a look at:

-What will customer experience mean in the next decade? Whiz-bang technology or best-in-class advice from human beings?
-The changing face of the store – how will the store in 2030 serve customers?
-Technologies which will improve staff efficiencies and remove them from the back office
-Innovative task management solutions to remove complexities

Retail 2030: The future of the store

The NRF Big Show is one of the biggest dates in the retail calendar as the industry descends on NYC to kick-start a new calendar year of shopping innovation. At NRF 2020, Essential Retail will be joined by Extenda Retail to discuss some of the most interesting technology trends to come out of this year’s event.

NRF Trends 2020

Essential Retail's webinar, in association with JDA Software, will assess the impact of the National Living Wage on the retail industry. The debate, which will feature Louise Ellis, head of HR at Majestic Wine, Tom Ironside, head of the business & regulation team at the British Retail Consortium, and Jason Shorrock, VP for retail strategy at JDA, will evaluate the current landscape, the challenges faced and some of the potential solutions for retailers operating in today's competitive marketplace.

The living wage and retail's perfect storm

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The living wage and retail's perfect storm

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