Putting the focus on the customer

Demographic change has been a key factor in the development of online shopping over the past few years, but what impact will it have in the future? In a keynote address at the Omni-Channel Conference, Mandy Critchley, director of brand partnerships at mySupermarket, will analyse recent retail trends and consider the impact of demographics on the market in the future.

Critchley has more than ten years’ digital consumer sales experience within the FMCG market. She has been with mySupermarket for more than two years and works with leading FMCG brands, helping provide unique bespoke activation solutions to create a deeper level of understanding within the multi-device grocery marketplace.

As well as examining market trends, she will also look at how to attract new consumers with new solutions.

Kelly McKnight, head of trends at Join the Dots, will provide an insight into how to map the customer’s purchasing journey and how retailers can adapt their strategy.

Join the Dots is an awarding-winning research agency who help businesses globally make better decisions through deeper understanding of people. The Consumer Trends team specialise in analysing and interpreting secondary data and consumer trends to help clients including Tesco, Unilever, Diageo, Samsung and The Co-operative stay on top of change.

She will focus on current drivers to shopping in-store and online for consumers, as well as innovation opportunities.

Ian Irving, founder and creative strategy director of Kemosabe, will look at how you can tweet your way to a better understanding of consumer behaviour.

Irving is recognised as one of the founding leaders of ‘Experiential’ marketing in the UK, helping brands to nail the challenges of influence, advocacy and fandom in a world where the consumers hold the cards and demand more from brands and organisations. He is also the founder of Hatch Magazine – revelations in business and culture.

He will examine the use of social media as a platform to retain and gain customers as well as looking to understand your customer better. In particular, he will consider the different channels available in different retailers, and answer the question: does social media increase consumer numbers and sales?

Dr Delia Vazquez, senior lecturer of retail marketing at the University of Manchester, will explain how biometrics can be used in omni-channel retailing. She will explain what “virtual fit” is and how it can be applied to a retail organisation, as well as providing an insight into the benefits for consumers and retailers.

How do you ensure that customers get a first class experience in the omni-channel environment? Alex Mead, chief customer officer of Golfbreaks.com, will look at ways to ensure customers give feedback and ratings to ensure communication channels are performing well, with case studies on the most convenient methods of delivery and communication. Mead is a customer experience strategist & leader operating across digital, social media, f2f & contact centre channels.

Workshop Partner: UTL
UTL, a Unipart Group company, is the leading provider of logistics, field services and repair solutions to the mobile, media, consumer and utilities sectors. We provide anaward-winning range of services including Logistics, eFulfilment, Reverse Logistics, Customer Services, Repair & Repair Avoidance and Field & Fleet Services. We think differently. We encourage a culture of innovation at all levels of our organisation.
W: https://utl.co.uk

Exhibition and Meeting Partner: Black Pepper
Black Pepper Software is a leading onshore software development house based in Royal Leamington Spa. Our expertise in agile software scoping, design and development has helped organisations including Bravissimo, Wolseley, Jaguar Land Rover and Thomas Cook. From our permanent compliment of 35 full time software developers and trusted contractors, we provide seasoned UK based scrum teams to augment and support clients’ in house development teams.
W: http://www.blackpepper.co.uk/

When and where:
Wednesday 28th September 2016
Thursday 29th September 2016
Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street London, WC2B 5DA
Full details at: www.omnichannelconference.co.uk