Category: Retail leadership

Paid Partnership with PMC

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Last month, I had the opportunity to attend PMC’s annual customer event, Relentless Momentum. This was held at Silverstone Museum, an apt venue for a room full of retailers discussing the importance of speed and transformation in an ever-evolving landscape.

We heard from senior leaders like Nick Beighton, former CEO of ASOS and Matches, Paul Edney, Technology Director, Channels at Primark, Jeanette Copeland, Technology Director at Ann Summers, and Cecile Delforge, Associate Director, Systems Development at the AELTC/Wimbledon.

It was an inspiring day, rich with insights and lively discussions about how stay relevant in this digital era. In this post, I’m bringing you the top takeaways and I’d also recommend you check out my podcast episode, Digital Transformation Lessons with Primark and Ann Summers, for a more in-depth discussion.

Always start with the customer

It sounds like an obvious one, but retailers must ensure they’re putting the customer at the heart of their strategies. When Beighton was the CIO at Matalan, he would ask himself three questions whenever considering any technology investment: “What’s it going to do for the customer? What’s it going to do for the business? And how much is it going to cost?”

You need to start with the customer, identifying points of friction and opportunities to enhance the experience, and then work backwards from that. As Primark’s Edney said: “Technology enables business change; it doesn’t lead change.”

Be clear on purpose

It all begins with what Beighton refers to as the inspiration layer. “You have to be purpose-driven, mission-led, and governed by values,” he said. “If you haven’t got that, or clarity of it, what have you got? Your organization is transactional. And if you have a transactional internal culture then you have a transactional external culture, and customers get it.”

Primark’s Edney struck a similar tone when advising retailers to consider: “What makes you special? How do you differentiate? What’s beneficial for you and your customers?”

Embrace continuous evolution

The only constant in retail is change. Retailers must ensure their businesses are structured in a way that allows them to dynamically respond to such relentless change.

Ann Summers’ Copeland shared three important digital transformation tips for retailers: “Keep these projects simple. Keep them short to remove fatigue. And know that it’s going to change. Rarely in technology do things last that long,” she said.

All of the speakers stressed the importance of adopting a test-and-learn approach. Primark’s Edney argued that, although retailers need a long-term vision, it’s impossible to do everything at once. “The way to deliver at pace is to deliver in increments. It’s like a large conveyor belt of change which we ran for two years. We learned over time that the longer it takes to deliver something, the less value it can bring because it’s either outdated or the market has changed or [consumer] perception has changed.”

Beighton shared how, during his time at ASOS, embracing a WAgile (Waterfall + Agile) approach allowed the business to maintain some control while still being able to quickly respond to changes. “Every day is a work in progress. If you’re not fixing something every day, then you’re not moving the business forward,” he said.

Understand the need for speed

Given our proximity to the home of the British Grand Prix, it would have been remiss of us not to talk about speed. “Connectivity and speed of service is key for our customers,” AELTC’s Delforge said. And that’s understandable given the daily Wimbledon queue can reach 10,000 people! She discussed how transitioning to mobile ticketing, including resale, has helped to streamline queuing and improve the overall guest experience.

Copeland, meanwhile, shared how Ann Summers, completed a 12-month digital transformation project in just four months. Despite implementing a best-in-class integration platform, Ann Summers encountered significant issues, including underutilisation, difficulties in hiring and retaining experienced developers, and high operating costs. “You know that kitchen drawer that everyone has that’s got all the cables and cellotape and fuses in it? We kind of pulled it all out, straightened it up, and put it back in there.”

The result? A more cost-effective and efficient solution that delivers better business outcomes.

Ignite cultural change

The most successful retailers understand the importance of bringing your people with you on any digital transformation journey. At ASOS, Beighton instilled a values-driven culture where employees were encouraged to always be authentic, brave, creative, and disciplined. As CEO, he would meet all new starters every Wednesday at 4:30pm, encouraging them to ask him questions.

“Smart people understand that influence scales whereas control is finite,” Nick told the room. He argued that businesses should focus more on outputs than inputs.

Edney also shared how Primark’s culture has evolved since embarking on its digital transformation journey four years ago. “It was never a one-off. It was a new way of working. It was all about a new ethos, a new culture.”

Never too late to innovate

There is no standing still in retail. As we’ve already touched on, customer centricity and perpetual innovation are key pillars for any winning retail strategy.

That said, not everyone can achieve first-mover advantage and there is value in being deliberately late, whether that’s Primark launching click & collect or the digitization of Wimbledon. Early adopters don’t always win.

As AELTC’s Delforge said, “We never stop innovating but we’re never going to be the first to do something. We are risk-averse and prefer to deploy proven technology.”

That’s especially understandable in Wimbledon’s case. As one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, broadcast to over 200 territories, there is absolutely no margin for error.

For more information on PMC, visit: PMC – Technology Services for Commerce | IT Support and Services