AI and digital twins help CPG brands scale content, cut costs, and personalize experiences—transforming marketing workflows and accelerating innovation.
Across the globe, businesses are connecting their things and harnessing their data to create powerful new business value. Connecting devices to IT systems is only the first step
Last month I had the opportunity to travel to Austin with our hospitality industry team to join the more than 6,000 participants at this year’s HITEC technology conference. I think this year’s record attendance, its record number of exhibitors, the volume of interest, the showcases, even Microsoft’s level of activity to some extent, were all fueled by the same strong undercurrent this is sweeping the industry forward.
As businesses work to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs and expectations of consumers, many are calling the customer experience the next competitive battleground.
Engaging consumers during the shopping experience is essential for today’s retailers and consumer goods manufacturers.
The two-day event featured some notable industry speakers and an exhibit hall where nearly 2000 attendees visited with wide range of suppliers that focus on the Retail vertical. This year Microsoft returned to the event with a renewed focus on how we enable “The Customer Journey”.
Today’s advancements in sensors, mobility, devices, connectivity, and data insights have created a powerful combination that can unlock business value, drive innovation, and transform guest experiences.
It could not be more critical for retailers to bridge the gap between digital and their bricks-and-mortar stores than it is today, says Xomni CEO Chad Brown. “When you think about what the store does for the online channel, and vice versa, it should be about creating a sense of continuity,” he explains. “Bring those channels together and you truly maximize your return on investment, and satisfy the customer.”
In the retail industry’s quest for innovative ways to connect with customers, personalized marketing through mobile devices offers an opportunity to reinvent the shopper experience by increasing promotion redemption rates and nurturing a deeper level of customer engagement. And retailers are recognizing the need to get personal.
In today’s fiercely competitive consumer goods (CG) marketplace, CG companies want to get closer to their customers and innovate. At the center of this quest is data.
Engaging consumers during the shopping experience is essential for today’s retailers. But it’s easier said than done.
We predicted in January that 2015 would bring incredible change and innovation in the retail industry—especially around how retailers interact with their customers including modern POS devices.
Microsoft participated in the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York, where we showed what the future of retail will look like and highlighted how customers like GameStop and Hardee’s are creating better shopping experiences through the use of technology.
