OVERVIEW
Discover how a combination of AI and automation can streamline retail processes.
Tractor Supply Company, 345, and
Elizabeth Ricardo, Head of Retail Product Marketing,
This year is shaping up to be a transformative one for retail, largely driven by rapid advancements in AI. Market research firm IDC reports that retail ranks second in AI spending among all industries globally. And, according to IHL Group, retailers who are already leveraging AI and machine learning achieved 2.3 times sales growth and 2.5 times growth in profits in 2023, when compared with their competitors.
Digital infrastructure: fueling retail innovation and growth.
Customer engagement in physical stores is essential to a retailer’s success. A Retail Dive survey found that 56% of customers visit a brick-and-mortar store occasionally to see and feel items before they buy them online, further reinforcing the importance of delivering premium in-store experiences.
Consequently, retailers are investing in digital and physical touchpoints that are not only convenient, but fast. With the right solutions on the right network, a brand can capture and activate data to optimize operations, manage inventory, predict trends, and much more.
Combining AI with automation can unlock amazing opportunities for retailers. For example, it streamlines general tasks and customer interactions for frontline teams, freeing store associates from mundane tasks, such as manually checking stock and processing returns. AI-powered tools can also assist in answering customer questions in real-time—increasing employee productivity and efficiency. In fact, 88% of customers report having better in-store experiences when associates are supported by the latest technology. And 85% of store associates find AI helps them in their roles, demonstrating how indispensable it has become.
How Tractor Supply Company and 345 are enhancing in-store experiences.
Roopi Crowley, director of strategic accounts for
Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, has seen great success with “Hey GURA,” a custom, in-house app that leverages generative AI. Accessible to 50,000 of the company’s store associates via mobile devices, the app enables employees to ask for product recommendations for their customers, build their knowledge base about the store’s inventory, and easily find products throughout the store. “Hey GURA” helps Tractor Supply Company foster brand loyalty, deliver legendary customer service, and support team member experiences through in-store digitization—all powered by the consistent and reliable
Advanced technologies, like digital twins, have also helped transform the retail industry. Cloud-based store planning, merchandising, and sales and marketing company 345 reimagines retail through the interactive technology that uses sensors, AR/VR, and cloud computing to create dynamic mirror images of a company’s operations. 345 enhances how retailers engage with customers by guiding shoppers through a store, providing navigational cues, detailed product information, and more. Digital twins also use AI to help retailers experiment with different store layouts without interrupting shoppers. Brands can then optimize these layouts and product placement based on patterns in foot traffic and customer behaviors.
The technological thread that connects
About the author
Elizabeth Ricardo is the Head of Product Marketing for Retail with
Ready to make AI work for you?