It’s fair to say that the retail sector has been through some dramatic changes over the last few years – and many of those changes are still in motion. 

After the initial pandemic-induced period of digital transformation, a new phase of digital evolution has emerged across the sector. And everyone from independent boutiques to national brands understands they must innovate to keep up.  The necessary investments – time, money and effort – can feel steep. But as the brick-and-mortar stores thriving in the post-pandemic world demonstrate, those investments are usually entirely worth it.   

New technologies for the new world of retail

To entice customers back through the doors, retailers now have to think bigger and work harder. Stores need to become destinations themselves. Offer something different and exciting – become more experiential.

Previously, businesses competed mostly on products and price, but now experience is a key differentiator. Implementing an immersive, omnichannel experience not only tempts customers through the door, it keeps them engaged and loyal to your brand. 

Businesses are beginning to realise the benefits experiential retail can bring, and are making moves to completely reimagine their physical and digital presence. From livestreamed experiences to virtual fitting rooms; concept stores to self-serve kiosks, the possibilities for experiential retail are endless. But before you get carried away dreaming up ideas, there is one non-negotiable that’s crucial to the success of any experiential concept: a frictionless user experience. Customers are looking for a joined-up omnichannel journey. They want to experience the in-store proposition in real life, but have the option to instantly access digital content, click through to browse items and make purchases online. They want the best of both worlds - bricks and clicks. In today’s economy, offering omnichannel experiences is an essential part of customer service. The thing is, keeping all these digital avenues operational is putting additional strain on retailers’ network infrastructure. The demand for connectivity has never been greater.

Automated retail: friction-free shopping

Despite placing huge demands on retail networks, self-serve checkouts have quickly become a necessary essential in almost all stores. According to a report by Forrester Consulting, 65% of in-store shoppers use self-checkout lanes to speed up their experience and limit face-to-face interaction. And they’re a win-win for retailers who benefit from increased customer satisfaction and reduced staffing requirements, even at peak periods. 

Self-serve has become commonplace, and retailers are looking for the next big thing to drive efficiencies. Enter automated retail: self-serve shopping on steroids. Greater benefits, but greater network demands. 

Automated retail uses 3D lidar technology – a cutting-edge laser-based remote sensing technology – in combination with product-aware shelves, to track which items are chosen by the customer as they shop. Then, when the customer leaves the store, the items are automatically debited from their preferred payment account, with no need for checking or scanning. The customer experience is friction free. No human interaction, no wait times, just ultimate efficiency – for both the customer and retailer. 

Embracing what’s next for retail 

So, how can retailers keep pace with this demand for customer-wowing tech and equally seamless connectivity – without getting bogged down by disruptive installations, spiralling costs and multiple suppliers?

At TalkTalk Business, we have the answer. We truly believe British retail is destined for greatness in the coming years. So we’re putting our money where our mouth is, investing millions to upgrade our offer and make TalkTalk Business objectively the best option for forward-thinking retailers. 

We now quote and install faster than ever before – and with 4-hour-break-fix SLAs, we repair faults faster than anyone else, too.

Thanks to our expansive relationships with fixed and mobile alternative networks, we now deliver unrivalled reach and resilience. Because our footprint is larger than that of any other provider, we’re always wherever you need us to be, when the time comes to grow.

We also work harder to protect you from cyber threats. From zero-trust security architecture to impenetrable private networks, your data – and your customers’ data – is always safe with us.

In all, we’re now a one-stop solution for your every network need. Our retail customers have a single, straightforward contract, with any changes or fixes turned around rapidly. Secure your success and learn more about how nobody backs retail like us.