Unlocking the competitive advantage at this year’s Retail Technology Show

25 / 05 / 2023

This year’s Retail Technology Show (RTS) demonstrated a triumphant return to “normal”. On 26 and 27 April, Kensington’s Olympia was filled with 300+ innovators, tech behemoths, industry disruptors, and forward-thinking start-ups.

2 min.

Solutions & Products Innovation Mobile & Contactless
Asian woman holding a mobile phone

 

Showcasing an astonishing variety of cutting-edge solutions—powering every part of the retail industry—RTS championed the latest technologies helping retailers secure a competitive advantage across their entire business. Including e-commerce, supply chains, innovative marketing initiatives and emerging channels like the metaverse. No stone was left unturned. 

Delegates had the opportunity to witness the latest advancements in retail through a range of technologies, such as unified and omnichannel commerce, intelligence, and robotics. The demonstration of virtual and augmented reality as a means to provide customers with an immersive shopping experience was a hugely popular attraction at the show. We showcased our offering by providing delegates with the opportunity to explore an augmented reality (AR) environment up-close and engage in hands-on experimentation.

The event strongly emphasised the significance of community collaboration among retailers to effectively tackle major industry challenges. These challenges encompass intensified competition, ever-changing customer preferences, and disruptions in the supply chain. To overcome these obstacles, retailers have actively embraced diverse innovative solutions, including using AI-powered inventory management systems, implementing personalised marketing strategies, and adopting blockchain-based platforms.

This year’s RTS showcased phenomenal insights, technology, and creativity. Here are just some of the standout themes:

Crowed watching a woman using a VR headset

Using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to enhance growth

AI has quickly become an essential tool for the retail industry, enabling merchants to streamline their operations, elevate customer experience, and make well-informed decisions by leveraging data-driven insights. And the technology is poised to further transform the sector in numerous other ways. From personalisation to inventory optimisation and fraud detection, AI offers a whole host of additional benefits, enabling brands to thrive in the future.

Customer experience is king!

Concerned shoppers, worried about their ability to afford their preferred products, are becoming increasingly selective in their choice of brands to engage with. They are opting to spend their money, both online and in-store, with companies they trust. In light of this trend, companies that prioritise the overall customer experience, invest in robust loyalty programs, and offer superior services are most likely to thrive.

During the event, we showcased a range of our products and services that were specifically designed to enhance the customer experience. These solutions, such as Tap on Mobile and Scan & Pay, were created to make the purchasing process as seamless as possible.

The power of the micro-donation

Micro-donations are offering merchants and their customers a straightforward yet impactful method to create a meaningful difference swiftly and effectively, during challenging times. Payment providers (us included!) are leveraging their existing infrastructure to generate millions of pounds of social impact annually, while simultaneously providing substantial value to their merchant partners.

On the second day of the event, our own Leila-Van Herbert led a ‘Tech Talk’ in collaboration with Pennies, discussing the advantages of implementing micro-donation solutions for brands. In this session, she explored how merchants can engage and retain employees and customers, extend valuable support to charities, and foster stronger communities.

Worldline Retail Suite event group photo

RTS 2023 was an event to be remembered. Thank you to everyone who visited our stand and to our customers and partners for taking the time to discuss how we can work together, to make the industry even better. We look forward to seeing faces, both old and new, next year.

To learn more about the Worldline team’s top takeaways from this year’s Retail Technology Show, check out our video from the event!

Lee Jones

CEO of Worldline Merchant Services UK Ltd.
Lee is the Chief Executive Officer for Worldline Merchant Services UK Limited and, alongside his team, has an unparalleled track record of helping organisations deliver a reliable, secure and fuss-free checkout experience. Having held a variety of leadership roles with market leading technology companies over a 20-year period, Lee is passionate about driving solutions that deliver real value to his customers. Leading Worldline into new markets, where the introduction of cashless payments is just starting to emerge, while supporting existing customers in their ambition to meet and exceed shopper expectations, is something which highly interests Lee. Lee is proud of the trust customers have placed in Worldline and his team. Being able to help organisations reduce the cost, complexity and burden of PCI while assuring their revenues and enabling them to increase their customer satisfaction scores is at the heart of Worldline’s strategy.
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