{"id":424,"date":"2016-03-01T23:29:05","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T23:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-ca\/industry\/blog\/industry\/2016\/03\/01\/whats-in-store-for-2016-2\/"},"modified":"2016-03-01T23:29:05","modified_gmt":"2016-03-01T23:29:05","slug":"whats-in-store-for-2016-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-ca\/industry\/blog\/retail\/2016\/03\/01\/whats-in-store-for-2016-2\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s in Store for 2016?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Retail<\/a><\/p>\n

What we can learn from retailers on improving the customer and employee experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In 2015, the retail industry saw sales increase by a mere 1.2% over 2014, despite an eCommerce growth of 14.6%.\u00b9 Today, only 39% of retailers equip their sales staff to look up product information for them online, despite the expectations of half of all customers when entering a store.\u00b2 There is a clear divide between online and in-person sales processes, despite 71% of in-store shoppers integrating smart phones into their in-store experience.\u00b3 We\u2019ve heard the cautionary tales of store closings by many formerly successful retail brands, but what actionable business lessons can we take from recent shifts in retail?<\/p>\n

Will the store survive?<\/strong><\/p>\n

While brick-and-mortar retailers do face challenges, it\u2019s also become clear that physical stores are relevant and important to shoppers\u2019 experience. Witness former online pure-plays experimenting with actual retail locations, like Amazon did in late 2015.4<\/sup> For retail stores to survive and thrive like their digital counterparts in 2016, they will need to provide a personalized and unified commerce<\/a> experience across the shopper journey. This will include maximizing what makes the physical store experience so unique\u2014the people.<\/p>\n

Employees provide physical retailers with an enormously valuable asset that online stores can\u2019t replicate. Their ability to drive exceptional customer experiences, react in real time, and utilize everyday technologies fits perfectly into a modern shopping experience. There is no online equivalent of the informed and engaged employee that makes your customer feel like royalty.<\/p>\n

Of course, a good customer experience starts with employees that are highly engaged, informed and well trained. This is another area where retailers are now focusing: making their workforce more digitally connected, and providing the technology and open channels of communication that a new generation of workers expect.<\/p>\n

\"RetailersSurvivalGuide_BodyCopy_Image\"<\/p>\n

How are retailers making this a reality?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether you work in a company with a retail presence, or know someone who does, you\u2019ll want to explore the tips and trends covered in The Modern Retailer\u2019s Survival Guide<\/a>. It takes a no-nonsense look at the current state of retail, and shows how brick-and-mortar and multichannel retailers are innovating. In the eBook, you will learn how to use digital tools to break down barriers in communication, empower employees to make smart, quick decisions, and energize your workforce to provide outstanding customer service.<\/p>\n

Download The Modern Retailer\u2019s Survival Guide<\/a> for these top 4 survival strategies for 2016:<\/p>\n