Next Store: Mastering Digital Experience

In today’s retail landscape, you can find yourself on a path that seems familiar but the language is constantly changing with new terminology and methodologies. Still, the desired outcome has always been the same – an outcome that simply gets the customer to engage, buy and hit the “Like” button.  

This column explores the very meaning of experience at a time when the term “digital” is top-of-mind for most forward-looking designers and brands; but in an industry that’s struggling to adapt and integrate the next generation of tools in the physical realm.  It’s about the realities of digital – not the fantasy of technology.  It’s about tracking key consumer trends and adaptations that will find their way into all aspects of the designed space, including visual merchandising.

It was nearly six years ago that I started talking about physical integrating with digital and mobile.  Clients started asking, “What’s going on with digital signage?” and “What impact will social media and mobile retail have on our store experience?” In 2009 we really didn’t have an answer nor access to analytics.  Even our conversations at industry events rarely ventured beyond the feting of beautiful designs, amazing finishes and brand graphics as the measure of jobs well-done and  a demonstration of our command of creating dynamic retail experiences.

At the same time, I’d attend the NRF and CES (Consumer Electronics Show) conferences and hear a different take on retail and be amazed that even in the downturn there was money – and lots of it – being spent on technology and screens, screens, screens.  But what exactly was this IT juggernaut and how did it impact the store experience? The screens were getting bigger and clearer and seemed to be landing on walls in stores of all types without the slightest attempt to integrate with the design intent. And, they used this thing called a media player with a Content Management System (CMS)?

In early 2010 I was feeling lost with two conversations going on, yet I recognized the convergence of these two sectors was the very reason brick-and-mortar stores would survive. 

At the same time, David Lauren, Ralph’s son, was saying some impactful things about retail and his brand transitioning to a media brand versus a retail brand.  Ralph Lauren was pioneering the latest in CRM and introducing tablets for its sales associates.  Content was repurposed for its vast assets and for the first time, clients were seeing the early beginnings of what would become known as omnichannel.

WHERE TO BEGIN?
In my role at OpenEye I hear these sentiments from potential and existing clients. “We simply don’t know where to begin”; “We don’t know how to get our internal stakeholders on the same page when data security is taking all our budget bandwidth”; and my favorite, “Just tell us where to put the digital equipment.” Oy vey! 

Are there exceptions?  Of course, and the industry has done nothing short of evangelizing about these projects. At this year’s IRDC, one of those projects was the Verizon case study showcased by Chute Gerdeman’s (Columbus, Ohio) Jay Highland, beautifully executed along with tech partner AKQA (San Francisco).

Over the past two years we’ve all been equally wowed by AT&T, Burberry, Mistral in Brazil and McCormick & Co. for their level of engagement within the digital meaning of “UX.” “UX” you ask?  Yes, “User Experience” along with “CX” and “UI” are terms that you’ d better get used to hearing until the next generation of descriptive text comes along to fill the need to communicate properly to our clients when speaking digital dialect. 

Digital is not about the hardware, it’s about adding a layer of engagement at just the right moment to give the customer on-demand information or to enhance the emotional connection with the brand story. 

How do we as an industry “own” this conversation and wrestle it away from the IT departments – at least in terms of knowing as much about digital tools as we do about materials and finishes? Afterall, we’re the ones delivering environments that not only look great but also direct the customer journey.  We know about lighting, floorcovering and even BIM, so logic dictates we now align with the same expertise that makes a lighting designer create a flawless RCP (reflected ceiling plan) and a flooring contractor apply the right adhesive. 

LOOKING AHEAD
In coming articles I’ll address the latest industry trends that amaze and inspire me. And statistics: One of my current favorites is that there are three million touchscreens in use today in public venues.  In 2018 there will be an estimated 12 million touchscreens in place. As PCs continue to shrink in use and we move to a mobile society, I cannot help but think of the impact digital surfaces – from walls to kiosks to floors – will have in aiding our communication of experience. Another tidbit: Last summer I attended a trade show in San Diego that previewed all the latest screen surfaces and I can tell you that flexible screens are coming and will give us new ways to think of wall surfaces. I’ll be reporting about bendable films and discussing with industry leaders the likely impact on store interiors and VM programs. 

The launch of the latest iPhone is yet another barometer that is speaking to “sensor fusion” that will blend sensory and geolocation into a powerful tool as we approach one billion smartphones in global use by 2016.  Another is beacons that really do have the capacity to change and drive a new level of experience – at least for the next several years.  Imagine dropping a beacon device into a vendor fixture that communicates details directly to your mobile phone and can be accessed later for care instructions or new products that extend the look of a garment. 

I look forward to leading this conversation, inspiring you with the latest innovations, all the while balancing the realities to implement such technologies in your own pursuit to deliver the best experience for the ever-evolving customer.

Brian Dyches is partner and director, digital strategy & experience design at OpenEye Global, a strategy, design and consulting studio headquartered in South Amboy, N.J.