Starring Currys, Amazon UK, and Asda: RTIH picks its biggest retail technology news stories of the week
It’s Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail systems space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from the past five days, including Retail Technology Show 2023, Asda, Currys, Amazon UK, and John Lewis Partnership.
1. Eagle Eye snags five-year deal with John Lewis Partnership for new loyalty initiative
Eagle Eye has secured a five-year contract with The John Lewis Partnership for its new pan-partnership loyalty project launching in 2024 alongside dunnhumby.
This brings together Eagle Eye’s existing relationships with John Lewis, as first announced in 2017 to improve the retailer’s digital marketing capabilities, and with Waitrose, as subsequently announced in 2019.
The project aims to integrate the group’s high street business, online and app touchpoints, building on the My John Lewis and My Waitrose loyalty programmes.
The Eagle Eye AIR platform will provide The John Lewis Partnership with loyalty management capabilities, enabling dunnhumby’s data science to be executed at scale to deliver more personalised rewards, offers and experiences to customers.
2. Currys selects LTIMindtree as partner for second phase of omnichannel transformation journey
LTIMindtree has been selected as a key digital transformation partner by UK retailer Currys.
During the five-year engagement, Currys will leverage LTIMindtree’s retail business consulting and technology capabilities to deliver the next phase of its omnichannel transformation initiative.
The pair have been working together since 2022.
“We are delighted to select LTIMindtree as our key digital partner for the second phase of our transformation journey. Consolidating our consumer technology and transformation initiatives with a trusted partner was an easy decision, given their technical excellence and deep industry knowledge,” says Arron D’Aubney, Chief Technology Officer, Currys.
“Our previous engagement with LTIMindtree has been critical in our evolution as a ‘digital first’ omnichannel retailer. Today, omnichannel remains the preferred mode for consumers as Currys builds on its strengths.”
“Through this renewed partnership, we are confident of streamlining our ever growing employee engagement, enhancing consumer satisfaction, and achieving sustainable business growth to match its mission of making technology accessible to all.”
3. GMB steps up Coventry fulfilment centre battle with Amazon UK as it seeks union recognition
The GMB union says that it has started the process for union recognition at Amazon Coventry, after two weeks of pay rise related strike action by workers at the fulfilment centre.
Almost 700 Amazon Coventry workers are now GMB members, a number the union believes is more than half of workers at the site – the usual threshold for mandatory union recognition in a workplace.
It states that Amazon bosses have 10 days to respond and agree voluntary recognition. If there is no agreement, GMB will start the statutory process through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC).
This would be the first-time workers at a UK Amazon site have won recognition of a trade union for collective bargaining over pay, terms and conditions.
4. Retail Technology Show report - Paul Wilkinson talks innovation learnings from stints at Amazon, Tesco Labs, Deliveroo
Retail Technology Show 2023 kicked off on Wednesday, with one of the first conference sessions consisting of a fireside chat with Paul Wilkinson, Group Product Manager - Grocery Partners, Deliveroo, entitled What I’ve Learnt About Retail Innovation From Working At Amazon, Tesco Labs And Deliveroo.
Responding to the question, what advice would you give retailers looking to achieve an innovation mindset?, Wilkinson responded: “Carve out plenty of time for your team to work on it. Give them space to do innovation.”
He added: “They also have to stay close to the business. Tesco Labs was in the retailer’s main campus. Don’t set up a trendy office in, say, Shoreditch.”
Retailers should also prioritise ruthlessly. “You might do ten things a year, but if one of those succeeds then you have won,” Wilkinson commented.
“Have space for failure,” he continued. “And pick what will have the biggest impact for customers. Will it also save the business money or make it money?”
Companies should think in the longest possible timeframe.
Tesco, for instance, has been working with Israeli startup Trigo on a series of autonomous stores. “Trigo is a long game thing as, when I was at Tesco, we knew that it would have a huge impact.”
If you don’t do that, then you will be constantly fighting fires, Wilkinson warned.
5. Retail Technology Show opening keynote: Tough times demand focus on fundamentals, says ex-JD Sports supremo
RTIH’s Neil Ainger reports from Retail Technology Show 2023.
“We cannot do a lot about the [tough] economic environment,” said Peter Cowgill, ex-Chair of JD Sports from 2004-2022 and now a non-Executive Chair of The Fragrance Shop, in a wide ranging discussion about the present tough times during the opening day of Retail Technology Show.
The cost-of-living crisis, due to the pandemic and war in the Ukraine, is impacting retail. But Cowgill advised the thousands of RTS attendees to focus on the fundamentals, such as:
· Differentiating yourselves from the competition
· Using technology to drive retail efficiency [and margins]
· Focusing on customer service, and so on.
6. Autonomo bags Meyer, part of Edeka Group, as customer and Brookstreet Equity Partners as core investor
Autonomo, a German provider of computer vision technology for retailers, has announced a new (undisclosed) investment from Brookstreet Equity Partners and its inaugural customer in Meyer, part of the EDEKA group.
This will lead to the opening of several new autonomous stores in northern Germany, equipped with technology such as artificial intelligence, computer vision and machine learning.
"We are thrilled to partner with Autonomo to deliver the future of retail to our customers," says Jörg Meyer, Owner and CEO at Meyer's Frischecenter.
"We looked at several providers and Autonomo's cutting-edge technology is best designed to simplify the shopping process for retailers and customers."
"Our first autonomous store will offer a wide range of products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, meats, wines, beers, and bakery. Customers can use their credit/debit cards or smartphones to access the store and make purchases without any human intervention, simplifying the shopping process."
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