Boots Virtual Store Day puts focus on retailer’s digital team

Boots UK and Ireland this week held its first ever Virtual Store Day with 30 leaders each shadowing four different areas of the retailer’s digital team to find out what it takes to keep the online store running every day.

In a LinkedIn post, Rich Corbridge, CIO at Boots UK & Ireland, said: “A brilliant day with the Boots UK digital team, our biggest ‘store’ having their own Stores Day where a multi-disciplinary team worked with every part of the digital team to understand how we can come together to make the journey smooth for every customer and patient.”

Boots INNOVATE

Last month, Boots UK launched a new INNOVATE workspace in partnership with TCS at its site in Nottingham.

The aim is to encourage and nurture a startup culture. INNOVATE has been designed to be an agile incubator combining creative space with top talent and evolving technology.

The workspace is made up of a variety of collaboration spaces, including a mini auditorium where every wall is a whiteboard; giant, mobile presentation screens; easy tech connectivity; and multipurpose work surfaces.

Powered by TCS Pace, it will allow dedicated teams of Boots “intrapreneurs” to work on ideas which make the company a more efficient business and also position it as a leading innovator in the industry. 

Corbridge said: “We are excited to be opening our much anticipated INNOVATE workspace in partnership with TCS.”

“INNOVATE offers the chance to revolutionise the way we think about technology at Boots and push the boundaries of what we can achieve with agile thinking and a fearless test and learn approach.”

“The opportunity to be creative, solve problems and be seamlessly connected with our tech partners is key to positioning Boots at the forefront of innovation in the industry.”

“I can’t wait to see how my Tech at Boots team, as well as wider team members, take advantage of the INNOVATE philosophy and workspace, and to see the incredible ideas that will be conceived and evolved here.”

K. Ananth Krishnan, CTO at TCS, commented: "INNOVATE will be a world class innovation hub that will leverage the research and innovation ecosystem to futureproof the Boots businesses.”

“TCS is happy to partner Boots to systematically conceptualise, build and test new technology and business ideas, and drive transformation in agile, iterative cycles."

Online retailStaff WriterBoots UK and Ireland, Boots Virtual Store Day, Online retail, Rich Corbridge, Boots INNOVATE, TCS, Omnichannel retail, LinkedInComment