Agenda 

8.30am-9.00am 

Breakfast and networking  

9.00am-9.05am 

Welcome from Retail Week Head of Commercial Content Kate Doherty

9.05am-9.20am 

Keynote: Proven tech transformation and digital-driven strategies to supercharge CX 

Kicking off the Digital Summit, we hear from a dynamic retailer about how their strategy across multiple digital touch points is driving next-level CX.    

They will discuss: 

• How digital transformation has elevated the customer and employee experience  
• Where to invest in digital for the best ROI  
• Their approach to personalisation and how it has paid off 
• The risks of implementing new technologies and how to mitigate them  

9.20am-9.50am 

AI beyond the wow factor – can your business thrive without it?  

Panel

Powering superior search functionality and product development, AI is undoubtedly bringing the wow factor to many retailers’ digital strategies but how has it evolved to become business-critical?  

This panel will explore whether businesses that shun AI are stunting their growth and how the latest AI developments are packing a punch across operations, from CX to improved productivity levels and behind-the-scenes efficiency. 

Join Retail Week, two digital transformers and an industry expert as we discuss:  

• From chatbots to product development, AI is more than just a fad, but what new uses are making it critical to success?  
• How can businesses ensure employee buy-in to AI implementations and what productivity gains will follow? 
• Where to invest in AI for optimum impact and profit-boosting results 

9.50am-10.20am

The new technologies empowering blended retail  

In conversation

For channel-agnostic consumers, retail is more blended than ever and the ongoing store resurgence arguably gives omnichannel models an edge. With that in mind, what will stores of the future look like? And what role will ecommerce play? 

The session will explore how retailers’ expanding ecosystems – combining retail and services – are rife with opportunities and challenges. It will ask which innovations are being used in-store and online to take the friction out of cross-channel shopping and service engagement. 

Retail Week will be joined by an industry expert and a retail innovator to discuss: 

• How have shopping channels become hyper-blended and which new technologies are supporting frictionless shopping? 
• What opportunities and challenges are resulting from retailers’ expanding ecosystems?  
• Which technology is nice to have and which is a must-have for an optimum cross-channel shopping experience?  
  

10.25am-10.55am 

Coffee and networking  

10.55am-11.25am  

Loyalty reinvented: Winning tactics to turn fickle shoppers into brand advocates 

Panel 

Customer loyalty is harder to come by as consumers chase price and convenience. But access to swathes of data enables retailers to think differently about loyalty as they maximise digital innovations to impact brand strategy. 

Join a panel of loyalty leaders as we unlock the digital innovations shaping retailers’ evolving approach to customer loyalty. 

We will uncover: 

• How digitally driven loyalty and rewards have evolved to win consumers’ repeat spend 
• How digital is being used to reinforce retailers’ narratives and authenticity, helping turn consumers into brand advocates   
• The true value of data in driving highly personalised, loyalty-winning customer experiences in-store and online   

11.25am-11.55am 

How to make smart digital investments for game-changing ROI  

Panel

From advances in warehouse robotics to fully integrated management solutions, there is a tsunami of technology at retailers’ fingertips, helping revolutionise every aspect of operations. But with so much choice available, how do leaders make the best investment decisions that will win board buy-in and positively impact the bottom line?  

Join an industry expert and two retail leaders to hear how a customer-centric approach to tech and digital decisions can bring tangible efficiency impacts, cost-saving benefits and KPI improvements.  

The panel will discuss: 

• Small wins and longer-term digital innovations that add value across the supply chain and deliver optimum CX impact and ROI 
• How to turn the challenges associated with upgrading tech stacks into profit-boosting opportunities 
• Tips and tactics to help clinch colleague, stakeholder and board support for tech investment and changes 

11.55am-12.25pm

Cutting through the noise: What’s new in digital marketing? 

Panel

With the internet at their fingertips 24/7, consumers are contactable anytime, anywhere, creating huge digital marketing opportunities for brands. But in a fiercely competitive market, getting the timing, messaging and method of communication right can make or break consumer perceptions of a brand.  

This panel will discuss innovative approaches to data-driven, digital marketing and how disruptors are changing how consumers shop, tapping into evolving shopping habits and future trends.  

We will explore: 

• How to leverage user-generated video content that resonates with your audience for intense brand amplification  
• The secret to ensuring your brand stands out on social media  
• How traditional digital marketing methods, such as email, are evolving 
• Whether social commerce is worth the investment  

12.25pm-12.30pm  

Closing remarks from Retail Week.