HP Innovation Journal Special Edition: Retail Transformation | Page 5

THE FUTURE OF RETAIL
Enabling experience and engagement
AARON WEISS
Vice President and General Manager,
Retail Solutions Business Unit, HP
BRAD TRACY
Global Retail Segment Manager, HP
Customer demands are expanding to
include services that just a few years ago
were not a part of how even standout
businesses provided service.
The worlds of retail and hospitality are getting more
competitive every year, with global brands entering
more markets and online competitors fiercely vying for
customer attention. Customers are more empowered
than ever to demand choice, convenience, and authentic
personal engagement from businesses. In a world where
consumers are increasingly busy, and time is at a pre-
mium, they require businesses to meet their needs in a
way that makes their lives easier.
Consumers aren’t just buying, but
doing their own research, looking
up menus, checking inventory,
reading reviews and comparing
options—gaining more powerful
information outside of traditional
brand-generated advertising to
inform their decisions.
It is vital for businesses to be able to engage with these
customers, learn about them, and use the data from stated
and observed preferences to better meet current needs
and anticipate how they might change in the future. The
ability to cater to preferences and deliver personalized
customer service meets the growing consumer demand
for convenient purchasing experiences.
To meet future demands, businesses must create exciting
and engaging experiences within retail and hospitality
environments while also optimizing for convenience.
These experiences drive consumer purchases by creat-
ing an immersive and engaging journey with a personal
touch—a path where associates are highly empowered by
technology to meet customer needs.
Some customers want to be in a store and interact with
a product before purchasing. In today’s retail environ-
ment, stores can serve more as showrooms, where the
atmosphere and experience can generate future purchases
online. Others want to purchase online and pickup in
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