The ICXA Retail Peer Group offers retail leaders a rare chance to share insight and talk retail customer experience issues, trends and challenges.
This spring marks three years from COVID-19 hitting hard in the U.S., shuttering retail stores and spurring retailers and brands full force into digital channel strategy.
Yet while consumers are fully back in stores, and it’s rare to see a mask at the grocery or a concert, it’s not the same consumer traffic, nor behavior, of the pre-pandemic retail customer.
That is a consensus retail leaders and technology providers all agreed on during the most recent ICXA Retail Peer Group meeting.
The peer group value proposition
The one-hour peer talk provides an extraordinary opportunity to share insight, query fellow retail leaders on issues, and debate on hot topics — whether it’s getting the retail store associate to engage deeper with customers or how and where AI and ChatGPT will fit into the CX strategy.
During the post-pandemic topic discussion members shared how consumers are still eager and hungry for digital channels and expect faster and more efficient check-out processes and experiences.
Yet many a consumer still wants the experiences of the past in some situations, such as attaining prized paper-based entertainment venue tickets for memorabilia, as one peer participant shared. The arrival of a concert entrance QSR code on the smartphone doesn’t quite cut it.
Another topic discussed at the retail peer group meeting was automation and how valuable it’s proving in retail, as any ability to free up the store associate to engage with a customer is a worthwhile ability.
In recognition of this need, Networld Media Group recently launched a news and information website, Automation&SelfService, in response to the increasing need to attain efficiency across all industries.
The retail peer group, which meets every other month, features leaders from a wide range of retail brands, from the travel industry to the consumer electronics realm. Membership is free and retailers and brands of all sizes are invited to join. Technology suppliers can click here to join.
Brand members not only have the peer group opportunities but receive a weekly association newsletter, access to industry reports, discounts on the ICXA Elevate Award entry fees as well as the annual ICX Summit attendance fee.
The next ICX Summit is taking place this year in Charlotte, North Carolina from Sept. 11-13 and early bird pricing, which offers a $300 discount off the standard rate, ends June 23.
Jump into the peer pool
Given the rapid pace of retail CX, the opportunity to network in real time with peers wrestling with similar issues and challenges is a rare opportunity.
The next ICXA Retail Peer Group meeting will be July 20 at 3pm via Google Meet. Join the association and get on the invite list.
The peer group is run by the Interactive Customer Experience Association for ICXA members. The association’s mission is to connect brands, suppliers, agencies and more who are working to create transcendent customer experiences. The goal is a better CX ecosystem for those in retail and retail customers.
About Networld Media Group
Founded in 2000, Networld Media Group is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media communications company specializing in digital media, associations and events in the tech, banking, retail, and food service industries. Online business sites include ATMmarketplace.com, AutomationandSelfService.com, DigitalSignageToday.com, FastCasual.com, KioskMarketplace.com, FoodTruckOperator.com, QSRweb.com, PizzaMarketplace.com, RetailCustomerExperience.com, VendingTimes.com and BiblicalLeadership.com. Annual events include the Fast Casual Executive Summit, the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, the Bank Customer Experience Summit (BCX), the Interactive Customer Experience Summit (ICX) and the Self-Service Innovation Summit. Annual executive events also include The Fast Casual Top 100 and Pizza Top 100 Award Galas.
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