Reducing shopper friction: Honeywell’s Tony Boncore gives retail technology takeaways from NRF 2023

The shopper is the channel, argues Tony Boncore, one of Honeywell’s global retail experts.

After the discussions he had with attendees at NRF 2023 in New York last month, alongside partners and other vendors, that’s one of his three big takeaways from the show.

“Shoppers have plenty of options to get the products they want and to buy from the brands that align with their beliefs. With both online and bricks and mortar shopping showing strong growth, shoppers are dictating more and more when and where they engage with a brand and product,” Boncore says.

“So, it’s imperative that retailers leverage the latest technology and process improvements to help create a memorable retail experience – one that makes the shopper feel as though their shopping experience was curated for them, a seamless experience between the virtual and real shopping carts.”

He adds: “By equipping store associates with the right tools – like mobility computers – retailers can greatly reduce the friction a shoppers and associates could feel if there wasn’t careful consideration in unifying the online and physical store.”

“Ultimately, retailers must recognise that the shopper is the channel, no matter when or where they decide to engage with a brand and product.”

The second key takeaway: enterprise inventory management is a must. 

“As the line that once separated e-commerce and traditional bricks and mortar operations blurs, retailers are discovering that managing inventory at the enterprise level is vital. Increasingly, shoppers see retail as a combination of online and in-store shopping, and they are placing careful consideration into which brands offer the most seamless experience,” says Boncore.

“Retailers that want to succeed will place the same careful consideration into how that combination is achieved. That’s why it’s highly important for retailers to have real-time visibility into their inventory levels throughout the enterprise.”

“With automated and accurate demand forecasting, retailers can strategically position inventory in high demand stores and optimise replenishment. By leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning and enterprise-level mobility devices, retailers can deploy a comprehensive solution that empowers them to reduce potential inventory friction caused by seasonal demands.”

And last but not least, workforce and task management applications will drive a productive work environment. 

Boncore comments: “Getting the most out of your workforce and increasing productivity are highly sought-after goals of many retailers.”

“That’s why many of them are placing an emphasis on deploying workforce and task management software that helps them optimise their workflows and unearth previously unknown analytics to help drive workforce productivity.”

“Retailers need intelligent software that can collect data on employee productivity and the devices they use so they can gather real-time performance insights, allowing the retailer to be proactive in addressing challenges before they impact downstream productivity.”

“Moreover, retailers need a software that manages these processes for them, freeing up labour force to focus on other objectives, like improving customer experiences. By leveraging the power of intelligent software, retailers can drive workflow optimisations and improve their operations end-to-end.”

He concludes: “Of course, these three takeaways only scratch the surface of what the retail industry is looking to improve. Of the many solutions on display at NRF 2023, one thing was clear – all of the innovations were focused on reducing shopper friction.”