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nology to perform better ?

By blending what is unique about the in-store experience with technology and adds the convenience shoppers love about e-commerce , brick-and-mortar retailers can offer consumers the best of both worlds .

One of the best ways to achieve this is through proximity marketing , which could easily be the one smart , competitive way of leveraging technology to enhance the in-store shopping experience that is not feasible in e-commerce . Beyond just vouchers and coupons , proximity marketing offers enormous potential through personal touches and person-centered service . It can also enable a brick-and-mortar store to better understand the wants and needs of its customer base and to identify notable patterns in buying behavior .

Technology can also be used to personalize service . Online stores have grown since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic , but brick-and-mortar shops can still thrive in the current retail market if they provide customers with personalized service . Customer communications can be improved by determining their intent and analyzing their behavior and transactional data . Gather client feedback , and then act on it . Taking customer feedback into account will make them feel valued .

How can both the physical stores and digital be made to work together for overall business growth ?

The converging nature of commerce , where physical and digital environments are blurring , is giving the physical store more roles to play . It is a case of ‘ and ’, not ‘ either / or ’. The channels are no longer competing but merging , creating the need to redesign and measure customer journeys across channels based on their needs .

This fluidity , where shoppers move between channels and experiences whether online or offline , and often do not differentiate between them , means that retailers need to think about how the physical store can support and incorporate digital commerce channels , and vice versa . For instance , brands can merge their physical and digital retail teams to have a 360-degree view of the customer experience , and how best to operationalize it .

What is your final word on the future of brick- and-mortar retail ?

Brick-and-mortar retail has a bright future . Simply consider the fact that small business revenue has grown , but only if retailers can learn from the past and embrace the future . Already retailers have been adopting new innovations such as touchscreens to facilitate checkout , apps to help find products in the store and digital displays to keep customers up to date on both instore product features and safety measures . As retail moves forward , it will not go back to many of the approaches it had before the pandemic - it cannot , especially since customers are now used to in-store features such as self-checkout .

Retailers who want to continue to engage customers will continue to embrace new technological offerings to enhance the instore experience . They will also focus on providing customers a great atmosphere , delivering excellent customer service , offering personalized experience , getting customers connected to the right product or service and providing a frictionless experience overall .

Chris Githaiga , is the Ipsos in Kenya Managing Director . You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at : Chris . Githaiga @ ipsos . com .

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