welcome report 2015 : imagine the customer welcome in the digital era

Welcome Report 7 NEW CUSTOMER WELCOME TRENDS FOR BRICKS-AND-MORTAR

DESTINATIONS IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Welcome Report

Contents

2

OMNI YOU

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

BRAND TEACHER

CURATED LIFESTYLE

SUPER ADVISER

ONE STEP FURTHER

PLACES AS A LAB

01 03 05 07

02 04 06

INTRODUCTION CONCLUSION

GLOSSARY

Welcome Report Welcome Report

INTRODUCTION

3

Some commentators predicted that physical stores and customer spaces would die out. Apparently, within a short space of time, everything would be done remotely, from home or the office. It would all be much quicker. Bricks-and-mortar was cumbersome and expensive. It was the past. The future was the screen. It would be the new frontier in merchandising and communication. Physical stores and retailers had much to fear. Today’s new consumers have proved this forecast wrong. Through their habits, they have brought about the best of both worlds: digital and physical, while demanding more attention, more dialogue and better experiences.

So how can we rethink the customer welcome and offer this new breed of consumer a better type of hospitality? What connection can we create between the digital and real-world experiences? What story should we tell? How can we engage with the public in these reconfigured spaces? Looking beyond the simple solution of introducing digital into the physical space, this Welcome Report interrogates and analyses changing habits, and defines seven best-practice trends in a rapidly changing sector.

REGAINING THE UPPER HAND WITH THE WELCOME STRATEGY


THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED

THE CONSUMER JOURNEY

4

50% of millennials have engaged in showrooming

Cushman & Wakefield

Merchant Warehouse 2014 FEVAD 2012

ONLINE CONSUMPTION HAS BECOME THE NORM

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE IS NOW OMNICHANNEL

20 to 25% The portion of retail sales that e-commerce is projected to

represent in 2030

700,000 overnight stays booked every day on Booking.com, the leading

online travel agency

Les Echos 2014

90% of travellers prepare for their trip online


PHYSICAL SPACES HAVE HAD TO RETHINK THEIR CUSTOMER WELCOME

5

Stor’eBoard Dentsu Aegis report 2014

40% of French people say they could do without the physical

store if digital offered the same services

L. Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, 2014

CUSTOMER WELCOME IS A PRIORITY IN THE FACE OF GROWING NUMBERS

At Charles de Gaulle airport “nearly 100 million passengers arrive and depart every year. It is very important that we do everything we can to welcome these tourists in the

right way […].”

€1 Bn The amount France wants to invest in the next five years in the renovation and construction of leisure areas and

e-tourism to attract visitors. Les Echos, 2015

MORE THAN EVER, THE SUCCESS OF PHYSICAL SPACES DEPENDS ON THE EXPERIENCE THEY OFFER


WELCOME AREAS AND TRAFFIC ZONES ARE BEING REINVENTED IN RESPONSE

TO THE NEW LANDSCAPE

6

DIGITAL HOSPITALITY IS THE NEW TREND IN THE HOTEL

INDUSTRY

75% of European airports will have introduced geolocation

programmes by 2017 (55% NFC and 23% iBeacon)

2014 SITA/ACI Airport IT Trends report

STADIUMS ARE BECOMING THE NEW SHOPPING MALLS The VTB Arena in Moscow (VTB Bank) is a global hub with a leisure centre, shopping mall, offices,

apartments, 5-star hotel and 1,600-space car park.

GEOLOCATION SERVICES ARE COMING TO AIRPORTS

€225 M The amount Accor Hotels plans to invest in digital

transformation between 2014 and 2018

Ecommerce magazine, January 2015

Welcome Report

01

OMNI YOU Brands are adopting an omnichannel approach to consumers in order to offer personalised services that smooth over and enhance the buying experience.

[ɔmnɪ jw]


OMNI YOU

8

Consumers already operate in an omnichannel way. They have been massively impacted by the penetration of smartphones, mobile internet and now, connected devices. Consumers have not waited around for brands to reinvent their customer experience. The growing rift between the online and real-life experience is now threatening brands.

76% of French consumers think retailers don’t know them and don’t

know what they like.

8 out of 10 People practise ROPO

(Research Online Purchase Offline).

GroupM and Solocal Network 2014

DIGITAL IS THE NEW STARTING POINT FOR THE CUSTOMER

JOURNEY

Opinion Way report 2014

A NEED FOR PERSONALISED RECOGNITION

WHY?


OMNI YOU

9

Physical spaces are connecting and creating digitized experiences. This is opening the way for the use of Smart Data, which allows brands to make sure their messages are relevant and personalised, which is what consumers want when they go to physical destinations.

THE MOBILE PHONE IS DRIVING IN-STORE GROWTH

85% of shopping destinations in the united states will

use beacons by 2016.

45% of retailers have made omnichannel

their priority in 2015.

SORO Shop.org/Forrester survey 2015 BI Intelligence survey 2014

HOW?

Welcome Report 10

THE AUGMENTED EXPERIENCE Using a tablet, the consumer can obtain all the information they need on furniture in this connected showroom using RFID chips. They can then buy the products in-store via the tablet, and arrange home delivery.

MADE.COM LONDON FLAGSHIP

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Welcome Report 11

THE RIGHT MESSAGE AT THE RIGHT TIME By centralising the customer relations history, the shopkick app sends relevant push messages. These offers are sent using beacons as the customer approaches products or stores that might interest them.

MACY’S SHOPKICK APP & BEACONS

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OPTIMISING CUSTOMER NAVIGATION Customers receive a personalised shopping experience based on the shopping list they prepared at home. The app also lets them easily find in-store promotions and products they need for their recipes.

CARREFOUR C-OÙ APP

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ANTICIPATED SERVICE The Taco Bell app uses geolocation technology to send a message to the customer when they are within 150 metres of the restaurant, offering to start preparing their order so they avoid waiting at the counter.

TACO BELL ORDER APP

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100% SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE The Disneyland Magic Band is a multiservice pass in the form of a connected bracelet. It allows the wearer to pay for goods, open their hotel room, get a personalised itinerary to avoid queueing, order meals and tell the kitchen to start preparing them as they walk through the restaurant door, using geolocation services.

DISNEYLAND MAGIC BAND

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Welcome Report

OMNI YOU

WHAT IF

15

THE STORE THAT REMINDS YOU

Soon, connected objects and home automation will become an integral part of our living environments. What if these technologies connected the home to the store, to remind us of products missing in our fridge, cupboards and bathroom? The shopping list would become a thing of the past: it would be sent directly via smartphone as soon as you walked into the store.

YOUR MUST-SEE FILMS

What if cinema listings, personal preferences and items shared on social media were all combined in a kiosk at the cinema entrance, recommending the film you absolutely must see?

ULTIMATE PERSONALISATION

What if car showrooms personalised their customers’ vehicles by analysing their web stats? The customer would get features to match their lifestyle: a playlist uploaded from their favourite Spotify tracks, a choice of engine suited to the type of driving they do, environmental commitments, etc.

Welcome Report

02

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE Incorporating the system of peer recommendations into their physical spaces, brands are drawing inspiration from the interactive web (likes, comments, opinions, etc.) to make horizontal confidence a key component of the customer experience.

[‘dɪdʒtəәl ‘kɒfɪdəәns]


DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

WHY?

17

Today, consumers are more suspicious of the motives of brands and businesses. They place more trust in recommendations and viral media, which have become the primary sources of confidence, ahead of advertising messages.

THE END OF VERTICAL CONFIDENCE

Just 44% of consumers say businesses inspire trust in them.

TNS Sofres 2013

HORIZONTAL CONFIDENCE TAKES OVER

84% of consumers say they trust viral media more than any other form

of communication

Nielsen survey 2013


HOW?

18

In an era when customers like, tweet, pin and opine freely on the web, brands are incorporating these elements into physical destinations to promote the satisfaction and advice of their customers, with complete transparency. They are turning a visit to the store into a social experience.

SOCIAL RETAILING IS ESSENTIAL FOR REAL-LIFE STORES

“For retailers, what better time is there to capitalise on their social media content than when the consumer is in the store and ready to buy at home?”

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

Tara Yavorsky, Social Media Director, Mobile Social Daily 2015

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USING CUSTOMER OPINIONS AS A MERCHANDISING TOOL In this concept store, the brand has imported the successful elements of its web platform: a “shop the top” section featuring the best-sellers, iPads where shoppers can view online customer reviews, and a digital terminal to search for products based on Internet ratings.

BIRCHBOX CONCEPT STORE

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POPULAR ONLINE, SHOWCASED OFFLINE At Nordstrom, the most pinned products on Pinterest are listed in an internal app. Sales advisors can then showcase them in-store and label them with the Pinterest logo.

NORDSTROM TOP PINNED ITEMS

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FACEBOOK MEETS BEACONS The leader of all social networks is using beacons to offer a geolocalised social experience. When a user connects to Facebook in a location, Place Tips gives them lists of photos and status updates posted by their friends from that place, but also the store’s latest posts and upcoming events.

FACEBOOK PLACE TIPS

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THE WEBSITE IN REAL LIFE Amazon Books is the first bookshop opened by the Internet giant, and is based on the behaviour that its website helped popularise, revolutionising the sector. In-store navigation is the same as on the website Amazon.com. Books are displayed facing the front and are grouped in the same categories as the site. The store only sells best-sellers as well as titles that could appeal to customers in the region. Prices are aligned with those on the site.

AMAZON AMAZON BOOKS

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WHAT IF

23

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

PAY AS YOU LIKE

What if product prices were aligned with their popularity among consumers? Imagine a café where prices could be raised by the customer and where tips went to charity!

FEEDS LEAD TO PURCHASES

What if ready-to-wear stores suggested products to a customer based on an analysis of the individual’s social network feeds? Home and DIY stores could also feature a digital wall of photos of interiors posted on Instagram by their customers and highlight the products used.

SAME HOTEL, SAME TASTES?

What if a social wall in a hotel lobby displayed in real time the surrounding places most popular among customers on social networks?

It could feature Instagram photos, tweets and Facebook posts by the hotel’s guests. The social wall would make it easier for guests staying at the same hotel to meet up.

Welcome Report

03

BRAND TEACHER Brands are adopting the Do It Yourself trend and are sharing their expertise online. The experience extends to physical contact points through workshops led by professionals.

[brænd ‘ti:tʃəәr]


BRAND TEACHER

WHY?

25

Far from destroying opportunities for success, the financial crisis has reinvented them. Anything is possible, you just need to find the means. This motivated, positive attitude has led to DIY trends and sharing knowledge online.

RESILIENCE

81% of 25-49 year olds think “anyone can change

their life if they find the means”.

CAREER CHANGE

55% of French people who have changed career have

done so through personal choice.

Ipsos 2012 Society and dreams Ipsos 2012 Changing careers


BRAND TEACHER

HOW?

26

Brands are adopting these trends to present their products in context and provide information on how to use them. This lead nurturing technique replaces traditional product promotion with generous gestures that cement the brand’s reputation.

KEEP ON LEARNING

70% Growth in “how to” searches on YouTube.

ENCOURAGEMENT

“Nearly one in three millennials say they have bought a product after watching a

video tutorial.”

Think Google report Think Google report

Welcome Report 27

LESSONS FROM THE PROS MAC teaches the art of makeup online and in-store. On the web, well-known makeup artists reveal their techniques. In-store, customers can take a themed one-to-one makeup lesson with a professional. The cost is reimbursed against the price of a MAC product.

MAC INSTANT ARTISTRY & MAKEUP SERVICES

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THE BEST WELCOME IS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE The hotel Les Fermes de Marie offers cookery classes with the restaurant’s chef. Participants can enjoy the dishes they prepared at lunchtime.

LES FERMES DE MARIE COOKERY WORKSHOPS

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FAST-TRACK EXPERTS Mistral turns its customers into wine connoisseurs through a digital service that provides information on the composition of the wine as well as storage and tasting.

MISTRAL DIGITAL STORE

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DIY REQUIRES SKILL Leroy Merlin is offering a whole ecosystem of DIY classes, online and in-store. The latter are run by craftspeople who teach practical skills to participants, who learn how to use what they buy in-store.

LEROY MERLIN WORKSHOP

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THE STORE BECOMES A COACH Nike has created a sports centre just for women where they can find most products by the brand and train with the Nike team.

NIKE WOMEN MEXICO

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WHAT IF

32

THE KNOW-IT-ALL What if customers were offered tutorials before buying a product to understand how the features and technology work? The buyer would become more knowledgeable, and get the best use and enjoyment from the product. Brands could also give lessons on subjects related to their products or sector, using a format based on the TEDx talks.

AUGMENTED INSTRUCTIONS

What if augmented reality instructions could be created with Google Glass? The instructions would appear on the product when it entered the user’s field of vision, explaining how to use it step by step.

BRAND TEACHER

HOTEL GRADUATE What if upmarket hotels offered lessons in wine tasting, food and even how to dress well, fold your clothes and behave in a way that befits a man of the world?

Welcome Report

04

CURATED LIFESTYLE To make it easier for consumers to decide which product to buy, brands are editorialising the products in their stores, inspired by press and Internet media. No longer offering just products or services, they are selling a lifestyle.

[‘kjʊəә’reɪtɪd laɪfstaɪl]


CURATED LIFESTYLE

WHY?

34

In his book The Paradox of Choice : Why More is Less, Barry Schwartz explains that offering consumers too much choice paralyses the buying process. For inspiration, they turn to fashion bloggers, Pinterest and recommendation sites such as Canopee and Fancy.

At a tasting stand offering 6 choices, the conversion rate is

30%

At a tasting stand offering 24 choices, the conversion rate is

3% The art of choosing, Sheena Iyengar

TOO MUCH CHOICE KILLS CHOICE


HOW?

35

To help consumers with difficult choices and improve satisfaction with purchases, brands are developing curation services inspired by digital that lets them predict certain trends. They are contextualising their products in moodboard presentations thus displaying a lifestyle.

CONSUMERS ARE INFLUENCED BY LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS

31% of consumers say blogs influence their buying.

Curation networks incorporating purchases

Pinterest Modizy Fancy etc.

CURATED LIFESTYLE

TechnoratiMedia

Welcome Report 36

THE MOODBOARD STORE Urban Outfitters makes use of its wide range of products to contextualise them by grouping them together to create complete outfits.

URBAN OUTFITTERS LONDON STORE

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THIS IS NOT A SHOP, IT IS AN APARTMENT Chez Moi is an “apartment store” that sells products displayed in the context of the home, chosen by its owner. Visitors can wander around and buy whatever they like.

CHEZ MOI CONCEPT STORE

Welcome Report

Welcome Report 38

INÈS INVITES YOU INTO HER HOME The new Inès de la Fressange flagship store resembles a studio. Clothes, accessories and shoes designed by Inès are mixed in with home furnishings by other designers.

INÈS DE LA FRESSANGE LE LOFT

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HOTEL AS ART GALLERY The Molitor hotel has been designed in the style of an art gallery: guests can buy pieces displayed in the lobby, restaurants and rooms.

HÔTEL MOLITOR DECORATION TO SELL

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THE SHOP COMES TO YOUR HOME The Trunk Club is a personal stylist service that sends customers a selection of clothes and accessories to suit their personal style and tastes. Products are contextualised in the customer’s environment.

TRUNK CLUB PERSONAL SHOPPER

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WHAT IF

41

TRENDS MALL

What if shopping centres predicted trends by analysing stores’ sales data? Visitors would be able to view the data and learn about trends in real time while shopping in the mall.

BEST OF THE MEDIA

What if a store brought together all the products featured in the latest issue of Vogue and other magazines, based on a specific theme?

We can also envisage a pop-up store that centralises the best of various leading e-commerce sites on specific themes, offering a “best of” selection.

CURATED LIFESTYLE

BREAKING FOOD

What if there was a restaurant where the constantly changing menu was crowdsourced using the best recipes from food bloggers and the most pinned recipes on Pinterest?

Welcome Report

05

SUPER ADVISER Brands are automating their physical spaces and giving staff digital extensions to free them up from the simplest tasks. Sales advisors and waiting staff are then more available and effective and can take on more of an advisory role, acting as ambassadors when dealing with customers.

[ˈso͞opəәr əәdˈvīzəәr]


SUPER ADVISER

WHY?

43

Although they research online before going out shopping, and check their smartphones while in stores, consumers are requesting more help than ever from sales advisors. The latter play a key role in developing relations between brands and customers, and in this respect can never be replaced by a device.

HUMAN INTERACTION, A POWERFUL VALUE IN SALES

90% of French people ask for advice from sales advisors

(compared to 80% in 2012).

THE NEW-GENERATION SALES ADVISOR

Apple Store: the Geniuses Havas Voyage: the Travel Planners

Big Fernand: the “Fernands de Services”

Ifop/Wincor Nixdorf 2014


HOW?

44

Digital is a facilitator that lets physical stores give their sales advisors back their true status. By digitizing real-life spaces, brands free up sales advisors to serve customers, to be equally as informed as them, and support them before, during and after the purchase.

DIGITAL BECOMES A ESSENTIAL SALES TOOL FOR SALES ADVISORS

3 out of 4 think that sales advisors would be more effective

if they used tablets with product information.

SUPER ADVISER

consumers

Ifop Digitas LBi report 2015

Welcome Report 45

THE BUTTON THAT AUTOMATES EVERYTHING In its new concept stores, undiz lets customers buy via tablets, with products delivered within a minute in capsules sent down glass tubes.

UNDIZ MACHINE STORE

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Welcome Report 46

THE ROBOT BUTLER In California, two hotels have launched a special kind of room service featuring A.L.O., the first robot butler, who takes customers’ orders and delivers them to their room. This saves a great deal of time for hotel staff, freeing them up for other tasks.

ALOFT & CROWNE PLAZA HOTELS SAVIOKE A.L.O BOTLR

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MY ASSISTANT STYLIST Through a partnership with Twilio, Nordstrom’s team of personal shoppers send texts to their best customers with information about new products and trends, including photo attachments.

NORDSTROM THE TWILIO APP

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THE ULTIMATE ASSISTANT DEVICE

SEPHORA +PANTONE COLOR IQ

Color IQ is a programme that matches a foundation shade to the customer’s complexion. The device scans the skin and indicates a Pantone number, which is then simply entered in the online platform to display a selection of products.

Welcome Report

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INSTANT CUSTOMISATION WITH AUGMENTED REALITY In this Ferrari showroom, customers can personalise their future car down to the smallest details using a tablet paired with augmented reality. The app displays information on the various components and shows the modifications on the vehicle in 3D in real time.

FERRARI AR SHOWROOM

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THE SALES ADVISOR BECOMES THE NOSE In its Fragrance Lab, Selfridges offers a personalised experience where customers can create their own fragrance to suit their tastes and personality. Sales advisors help customers through the process, while lab technicians create the product there and then, resulting in a product that is unique to each person.

SELFRIDGES FRAGRANCE LAB

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WHAT IF

51

SUPER ADVISER

I AM NOT A SALES ADVISOR

What if staff in a store were not sales advisors but experts? People with passion and knowledge whose only goal was to deliver an experience, while the purchase itself was automated through devices. This could apply to sports coaches, craftspeople, designers and artists, film critics, gardeners and more…

A WORLD WITHOUT BUYING

What if payment was automatic, using tags on products and facial recognition to identify the customer?

A future without payment transactions would free up sales advisors from this task.

AUGMENTED BUTLER

What if hotel staff were equipped with Google Glass and used facial recognition to display in real time all known information on a customer? Their name, room number, booking history, food preferences, schedule, etc. What could be more satisfying than being called by your name and having hotel staff anticipate your requirements?

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06

ONE STEP FURTHER [‘wʌn’ step ‘fɜːðəәr]

To capitalise on their physical spaces, brands are branching out and offering new services designed to generate preference among their customers.


1 in 2 say they are loyal to two or three brands.

ONE STEP FURTHER

WHY?

53

Consumers are not very loyal to brands. For economic reasons, purchasing decisions are made for increasingly pragmatic reasons. Consumer loyalty is not free. So, customer service is increasingly being placed at the heart of the buying experience. To reach the standards required by consumers who come from the Internet, with its online after-sales and qualitative customer tracking systems, brands must offer something extra in their physical spaces.

1 in 3 consumers say they would be loyal to a brand

if they enjoyed an excellent customer experience.

French people

Loudhouse 2013 Toluna 2015

CUSTOMER RELATION IS CENTRAL TO CONSUMERS

LOYALTY

A FEW CHOSEN BRANDS


HOW?

54

To create preference, brands are competing to offer services that increasingly match the expectations and lifestyles of their customers. Today, they have entered a new phase by moving outside their business activity. Aiming to be useful to consumers and stand out from the digital world, they are turning their physical spaces into multipurpose destinations where people go not only to shop but also to enjoy the brands’ services. In this way, brands are proving their utility.

CONSUMERS ARE LOOKING FOR MORE THAN A BRAND “The best way to attract people’s attention is to be useful to them

and offer them useful information that improves their lives.”

ONE STEP FURTHER

Joy Howard VP-Marketing Patagonia

Welcome Report 55

ONE STORE, SEVERAL EXPERIENCES In London, Topshop’s flagship store is a multipurpose destination where the brand offers a range of services such as manicures, hairstyling, a café, a clothing customisation service, a personal shopping area, a click & collect service and a selfie studio.

TOPSHOP OXFORD STREET FLAGSHIP

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BEAUTY ADVICES IN REAL LIFE GQ has opened a barbershop in the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. Like the stadium, it is open on days of sporting events. Supporters can come for a cut or treatment before watching the match.

GQ BARBER SHOP

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A PLACE TO LIVE IN This children’s bookshop has expanded from its original remit and has become a café. Spaces are dedicated to fun and reading, naturally. The bookshop has become a place to come and hang out.

9 ¾ BOOKSTORE + CAFE

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A MAGICAL PLACE DEDICATED TO THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Changi airport in Singapore is a place where everything has been done to make visitors feel good. It has a cinema, shops, restaurants, lounge, gym, swimming pool, games area with consoles, computers and a concierge service to rival those of top hotels. Changi has been designed as a place to discover the local culture and environment, blending technology, design and indoor gardens inspired by the region.

CHANGI SINGAPORE AIRPORT

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TRAVELLING WITHOUT MOVING In one Swedish airport, the airline Swedavia has decided to make use of data gathered in real time in some countries to let passengers experience the weather in different places as if they were really there, from the light and temperature to humidity and wind.

SWEDAVIA SWEDISH AIRPORT THE CLIMATE PORTAL

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WHAT IF

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RENT A GARDEN

What if an organic supermarket created a space for gardening? Customers would be able to rent a plot and grow their own fruit and veg, with advice from the store’s staff.

EARNING DISCOUNTS

What if stores helped consumers take positive actions? In a way that reflected its values, the brand would champion a particular action. For example, a sports brand could encourage customers by asking them to prove that they have burnt a specific number of calories so that they can buy a product at a lower price.

ONE STEP FURTHER

AFRAID OF BURGLARS?

What if an airport offered customers protection for their properties, or even maintenance, while they were away?

Welcome Report

PLACES AS A LAB [pleɪsɪs az əә lab]

The proliferation of digital in physical spaces enables brands to use the iteration process of web platforms. They are creating Test & Learn areas to perfect their innovative concepts in real time.

07


PLACES AS A LAB

WHY?

62

While physical destinations have begun their digital processing, consumers mainly consider them to be obsolete. For good reason: online experiences offered by digital platforms are more exciting and innovative thanks to rapid development processes based on tests and data gathered in real time.

54% of French people think that in the future, e-commerce brands will have stores that will revolutionise consumers’ shopping

experiences.

UNSATISFACTORY EXPERIENCE IN PHYSICAL DESTINATIONS

Stor’eBoard Dentsu Aegis report 2014 Opinion Way report 2014

91% of French people want to see major innovation in physical

spaces.

INNOVATION EXPECTED FROM PURE PLAYERS


HOW?

63

To remain agile and innovative, physical spaces are adopting the Test & Learn approach and turning into laboratories. They are using big data they have gathered to develop their concepts and analyse behaviour in situ. To do this, major brands are drawing inspiration from the innovation strategies of start-ups and are becoming ideas incubators.

THE PHYSICAL SPACE IS THE BEST INNOVATION LABORATORY FOR DEVELOPING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

“It’s not just a flagship that offers a high-end consumer experience. It is very much our laboratory.”

Jonathan Lander, Director of Visual Merchandising and Strategic Retail at AT&T, Retail touchpoints 2015

PLACES AS A LAB

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THE STORE AS INNOVATION LAB In this concept store, the Canadian retailer has partnered with leading sports equipment brands to test the latest shopping experience innovations in the sector, which it will then roll out to its flagships. Ideas include: digital footwear and eyewear configurators, an interactive digital wall, a running machine to analyse the customer’s gait and recommend the right type of shoes, a digital community board where shoppers can read and post sports-related content, etc.

SPORT CHEK RETAIL LAB

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WESTFIELD LAB BESPOKE

Welcome Report

IN-SITU BETA TESTING At the Westfield shopping mall in San Francisco, BESPOKE is a place dedicated to interactions between brands and consumers, merging retail and technology. It offers fully customisable demo areas where brands can test their latest retail and digital activations on visitors. Brands can rent out space in the pop-up store or make use of the co-working space to talk directly to the public about their new products.

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WESTFIELD LAB BESPOKE

Welcome Report

IN-SITU BETA TESTING At the Westfield shopping mall in San Francisco, BESPOKE is a place dedicated to interactions between brands and consumers, merging retail and technology. It offers fully customisable demo areas where brands can test their latest retail and digital activations on visitors. Brands can rent out space in the pop-up store or make use of the co-working space to talk directly to the public about their new products.

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BEHAVIOURAL TRACKING IN-STORE Inspired by tracking on websites, this start-up lets retails visualise thermal data and understand customer behaviour in-store. Visitors’ navigation and hot spots are analysed to improve merchandising and layout.

PRISM THERMAL TRACKER

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THE DEDICATED LAB FOR CUSTOMERS TO USE Like supermarket test stores, Marriott has created, at its HQ, an area dedicated to innovation, where the brand invites customers to contribute to the hotel chain’s new ideas. This might include modular test rooms, co-creation spaces, pitching sessions with rewards for good ideas – nothing is left to chance. From the most basic service to the most futuristic, everything is checked with the customer first.

MARRIOTT “UNDERGROUND” INNOVATION LAB

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THE URBAN HOUSE OF THE FUTURE SPACE10 is a space that will help Ikea anticipate issues relating to the layout of homes in the next two decades. The principle is not to create a single innovation lab, but a number of temporary ones. For two months, each lab will invite a dozen designers from every background to discuss and explore concepts. These will become prototypes, which will then be available for the public to view for a month. Conclusions will be drawn, and the operation will then be repeated. To date, 15 products prototypes have already been created...

IKEA SPACE10

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WHAT IF

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PLACES AS A LAB

CHAMELEON STORES What if sales outlets created changing journeys where the scenery and product selection changed in real time according to meta-data on the weather, occupations and flows, to offer a bespoke experience? This learning machine would become more finely tuned the longer it was used.

THE TRAIN STATION AND AIRPORT AS LABORATORIES

What if train stations and airports, places where we are always waiting, were used by brands as spaces to test products? where customers could make use of their time by trying out the latest innovations and give constructive feedback on improvements they would like to see.

PILOT CINEMA What if a cinema tested seasons of series with the public and got their feedback, so that the editing and promotion could be tweaked?

7 TRENDS WE CAN LEARN FROM

RESPONSIVE PLACES

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CONCLUSION

72

HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO THIS NEW PARADIGM?

THE RESPONSIVE PLACES STRATEGY

Inspired by UX thinking, which came out of responsive design – which allows websites to adapt to different devices - the Responsive Places

strategy means adapting the format, services and products offered in a physical space, in real time, to respond to new consumers’ behaviour

and their environment.


CONCLUSION

73

HOW TO SUCCEED WITH A RESPONSIVE PLACES PROJECT ?


CONCLUSION

74

CONSUMER SIDE BUSINESS SIDE

CONNECTING EXPERIENCE AND

BRAND UTILITY THE PRINCIPLE Places can no longer simply provide

products and services. Retailers must now offer innovative experiences to their

public, relating either to the flow or sensory impression of the place.

THE QUESTION TO ASK ONESELF

Which elements of brand utility should be implemented in my physical spaces?


CONCLUSION

75


STRONGER SEGMENTATION OF CONCEPTS

THE PRINCIPLE Far removed from the approach that

leads to generic uniformity, segmenting concepts by customer

lifestyle means that different concepts can be applied to different places.

The offer, format and experience are targeted at each public.

THE QUESTION TO ASK

Which concept and formats best suit the target and their lifestyle?


BRAND UTILITY


CONCLUSION

76



THE PRINCIPLE Successfully implementing

these concepts requires a dedicated structure organised by project

involving all parties. This type of management does away with silos,

replacing them with multidisciplinary teams and synergies between the

different departments involved.

THE QUESTION TO ASK Which internal organisational

structure and what type of relationship with your agency is required to implement innovative projects?


BRAND UTILITY

DEPLOYMENT OF A LEAN

METHODOLOGY

MANAGEMENT BY PROJECT

RATHER THAN BUSINESS LINE


CONCLUSION

77



THE PRINCIPLE Lean deployment means constantly

analysing user data in order to design an offer that reflects consumers’ needs more closely. By applying the test and

learn mantra to physical spaces, concepts can be developed in line with

customer expectations, and you will become more agile.

THE QUESTION TO ASK

Which new KPIs, what remuneration for those involved, and what type of

contracts should be used for deployment?


BRAND UTILITY


METHODOLOGY




CONCLUSION

78

HOW TO RETHINK THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN PHYSICAL SPACES ?




BRAND UTILITY


METHODOLOGY




CONCLUSION

79

THE PRINCIPLE Physical spaces deliver a seamless and highly-personalised buying experience through the use of new technologies,

especially connected objects and smartphones.

THE QUESTION TO ASK

What key data do you need to analyse in order to offer bespoke experiences?


OMNI YOU



BRAND UTILITY


METHODOLOGY




CONCLUSION

80



THE PRINCIPLE Incorporating methods and systems from

the web and social networks into the customer experience to leverage buying,

such as horizontal confidence and the social shopping experience.

THE QUESTION TO ASK

Which web practices in my community, relating to my segment or similar ones,

can we implement?

OMNI YOU

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE


BRAND UTILITY


METHODOLOGY




CONCLUSION

81



THE PRINCIPLE Delivering to customers expertise and

culture related to the brand and teaching them how to use the products in an exciting

way to turn them into experts and form closer relations with them.

THE QUESTION TO ASK

What knowledge and skills can I share with my customers?

OMNI YOU

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

BRAND TEACHER


BRAND UTILITY


METHODOLOGY




CONCLUSION

82



THE PRINCIPLE Editorialising products and services in

spaces that have been turned into showcases for a lifestyle inspired by themes relating

to the brand.

THE QUESTION TO ASK To which type of lifestyle does my brand

contribute, and how can it become a representative of this lifestyle?

OMNI YOU

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

BRAND TEACHER

CURATED LIFESTYLE


BRAND UTILITY


METHODOLOGY




CONCLUSION

83



THE PRINCIPLE Moving outside of one’s business sector

to offer useful services in a multipurpose space by offering the

customer more and sharing aspects of brand utility, the place, and its location.

THE QUESTION TO ASK

What can I give in connection with my brand, my services or my region?

OMNI YOU

ONE STEP FURTHER

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

BRAND TEACHER

CURATED LIFESTYLE


BRAND UTILITY


METHODOLOGY




CONCLUSION

84



THE PRINCIPLE Placing people back at the heart of

customer relations by automating some tasks to free up staff and give customers greater freedom, particularly through the

use of digital technologies.

THE QUESTION TO ASK What role should my sales advisors play, and what type of people should I recruit?

OMNI YOU

SUPER ADVISER

ONE STEP FURTHER

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

BRAND TEACHER

CURATED LIFESTYLE


BRAND UTILITY


METHODOLOGY




CONCLUSION

85


OMNI YOU

SUPER ADVISER

PLACES AS A LAB

ONE STEP FURTHER

DIGITAL CONFIDENCE

BRAND TEACHER

CURATED LIFESTYLE



METHODOLOGY

THE PRINCIPLE Turning the physical space into a place for

testing and teaching, where the brand innovates with and for customers using

tracking tools and co-working.

THE QUESTION TO ASK What bridges can I build between my

customers and my R&D through my physical space?


BRAND UTILITY



Welcome Report 86

MCDONALD’S FULL RESTAURANT REINVENTING THE CUSTOMER WELCOME Pursuing its strategy to create a smoother customer experience, McDonald’s has introduced a new restaurant concept with open kitchens, offering complete transparency.

The counter has disappeared and in its place are islands that enable staff to be closer to customers when delivering orders, plus a salad bar to promote product freshness. McDonald’s staff now welcome customers at the entrance, help them order at terminals, and offer table service.

Welcome Report

HOMEMADE

Welcome Report 87

MERCURE IN HARMONY WITH PEOPLE AND PLACES

BESPOKE SERVICE Each customer receives the welcome they need, whether they are in a hurry or eager to try out something new, they all receive a personalised welcome. Conversation tables have replaced the reception counter so that hotel staff can assist customers with the aid of a tablet or laptop, and adapt their message depending on the type of visitor. The lobby design also changes according to the location, abandoning the principle of uniformity in hotel chains.

Welcome Report

HOMEMADE

Welcome Report 88

AÉROPORTS DE PARIS #IAMTHEGUEST THE HYPERSOCIAL WELCOME Two activation campaigns have helped Aéroports de Paris engage with its visitors over a number of months and adopt a new type of welcome service. First, the brand organised the biggest selfie in the world with #Iamtheguest displayed across the full 3,200m2 width front of the airport. 7,000 faces of passengers welcomed people arriving, with a message of hospitality. In addition, the #WelcomeStories operation saw passengers’ best stories immortalised by French artist Castelbajac.

Welcome Report

HOMEMADE

Welcome Report 89

AÉROPORTS DE PARIS #WELCOME STORIES THE HYPERSOCIAL WELCOME Two activation campaigns have helped Aéroports de Paris engage with its visitors over a number of months and adopt a new type of welcome service. First, the brand organised the biggest selfie in the world with #Iamtheguest displayed across the full 3,200m2 width front of the airport. 7,000 faces of passengers welcomed people arriving, with a message of hospitality. In addition, the #WelcomeStories operation saw passengers’ best stories immortalised by French artist Castelbajac.

Welcome Report

HOMEMADE

BEACONS A technology first used by Apple, beacons are used in geolocation services to send targeted messages to consumers’ smartphones when they enter a store.

CLICK & COLLECT A service originally introduced by physical stores that lets customers buy online and collect their goods at the store. Pure players have now also adopted this practice.

CROWDSOURCING A method used by businesses and advertisers to get consumers and web users involved in creating advertising messages, visuals and even products.

CURATION Used in relation to content and data, curation means collecting, arranging and sharing the most interesting content (text, images, videos, etc.) on a theme.

GEOFENCING Used to send an alert or message when someone arrives or departs from a pre-defined zone, on a compatible device such as a smartphone.

LEAD NURTURING A marketing practice to build relations with existing and future customers in a non-intrusive way, by sending them information to “educate” them.

OMNICHANNEL The practice of mobilising all channels of contact and sales used by the consumer in order to reach them.

RESPONSIVE DESIGN The feature of a website that allows it to adapt to the end device (smartphone, tablet, computer, etc.)

GLOSSARY

RFID AND NFC NFC (Near Field Communication) allows data to be transferred without contact and within a short range between two devices fitted with an NFC chip (mobile terminals, computers). RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a system that automatically identifies objects or people via radiofrequency, based on the use of a RFID transmitter (label, tag, badge) and fixed or mobile RFID readers (entrances, supermarket trolleys).

ROPO When consumers research online before buying in the physical store.

SHOWROOMING When consumers go to a physical store to check the quality of products before buying them online at a lower price.

SMART DATA The practice of only using relevant aspects of big data to implement efficient CRM programmes.

SOCIAL RETAILING The practice of creating links between a retailer’s physical stores and its social media presence.

TEST & LEARN A method that tests an idea or process on a small scale to learn lessons and make improvements before testing on a larger scale.

USER EXPERIENCE (UX) A term that originates from the web, meaning to take into account users’ needs and wishes and encourage them to fulfil them, without effort and in a pleasant, smooth-flowing, reassuring environment.

GLOSSARY

Fevad – key figures for 2015

Fevad – Annual e-commerce report in France: French people spent €57 billion online in 2014

LSA - M-commerce: shopping via phone will total €7 billion in 2015 in France [survey]

Merchant Warehouse 2014 - A retailer's guide to webrooming

Fullsixdata – ROPO report wave #2 2013

LSA 2013 - E-commerce is turning into “look global, buy local”

ICSC - In-store vs online

Columbia Business School 2013 - Showrooming and the rise of the mobile-assisted shopper

PWC 2014 – Web buyer 2015 Connected consumers

IFOP 2014 – French shopping methods

Retailmenot 2015 – Mobile shopping in Europe and North America

LSA - Retailers: when OMNICHANNELity meets profitability (survey)

Solocal – 1st buying report: focus on ROPO

Forrester - Mobile still tops retailers priority lists

Business Insider - The Beacons Report

Stratégies 2013 – Crisis of confidence

ETO 2012 – The customer influencer

Digitaslbi 2015 - Connected Commerce 2015

Influencia – Furtur: Stores must become sensational!

REPORTS / SOURCES

IPSOS 2015 – Shopping report: how to meet the needs of French people in terms of shopping

Francoscopie 2013

TripBarometer TripAdvisor/Ipsos survey 2015

2014 SITA/ACI Airport IT Trends Survey

CIO.com 2015: Will hotel room keys and desk check-in soon be obsolete?

Condé Nast Traveler 2015: Your Hotel Key Is the Smartphone You Already Own

CSA Monoprix: city dwellers, their life in the city and local retailers 2012

Ipsos 2012 Society and Dreams Ipsos 2012 Changing careers

Think Google report

TechnoratiMedia

Toluna 2015

Loudhouse 2013

Digital, Social and Mobile 2015, We Are Social

Fevad 2012

Opinion Way / Miliboo report

Stor’eboard, Dentsu report

Les Echos 2015

Ecommerce magazine, 2015

REPORTS / SOURCES

CONTACT: ANAÏS GUILLEMANÉ – [email protected] POSITION: HEAD OF STRATEGIC PLANNING

CONTACT: AXEL JULIEN – [email protected] POSITION: JUNIOR STRATEGIC PLANNER

CONTACT: MICHEL ROUSSEAU – [email protected] POSITION: MOTION ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

CONTACT: AMANDINE JOUAUX POSITION: ASSISTANT STRATEGIC PLANNER

The W team

CONTACT: EMELINE KEUNDJIAN – e.keundjian@wcie - +33 (0)1 72 27 02 46 twitter.com/wcie - facebook.com/agencewcie

Thank you