RETAIL MANAGERS OF THE FUTURE

August 29, 2019

There was a time when science fiction television shows and movies offered us a glimpse of inconceivable technology. In recent years, some of those inconceivable gadgets and gizmos have become a reality in retail stores, causing store managers to question how they keep up.

The Store of the Future: An Exploration and Planning Guide, the newest study from the Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council of North America (CCRRC), provides a multitude of ways that store managers can utilize today’s retail technology to enhance their stores and provide more for their shoppers.
 

Page 11 of the report introduces us to a store manager who has a technologically-connected store. She has a competitive edge over other retailers because she has enhanced capabilities like the ability to check the air quality and gas levels of perishables and access to 3-D printing that creates meat substitutes. The report also explores the idea of using robots within a store to play a new customer service role. It’s offers a perspective of how technology can enhance – rather than replace – the best elements of customer service.
 

The entire report, available for free download below, can be used to develop  discussions within companies, stores and work teams on how to best pair people and technology to create a better experience for customers in the future.