Dave: Hi, I’m Dave Glasgow. Welcome to the first of our interviews in the IPI Converse series. Today, we’ll be focusing on the retail sector and some of the challenges organisations are facing in this space.

I’m delighted to be joined by Jason Roberts from Appropriate Consulting. Jason has worked in the retail sector for many years and has been involved with organisations like CCMA, benchmarking their ability to grow in challenging environments. We’re also joined by Sam Grant, our retail expert at IP Integration. Sam deals with the day-to-day challenges retailers face.

As we approach the "golden quarter"—with the Christmas lights already up on Oxford Street and big events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday ahead—what do you both see as the key challenges for retail in this period? Over to you, Jason.

Jason: Yes, this time of year is always critical. Right now, it’s about making sure the plans are in place. It’s not the time to be figuring out what you should be doing—this is the time to ensure that everything you’ve planned and forecasted is holding up.

Are your teams equipped with the right skills to get through this golden quarter? Ultimately, in retail, this is about delivering the vision and generating revenue to set you up for success in the new year. It’s a hugely challenging period, and you need a strong plan to avoid disruption. But you also need resilience to pivot quickly if things go wrong and be in a position to learn and adapt.

Dave: Presumably, if things go wrong during this time, it’s catastrophic for the year-end financials?

Jason: Absolutely. I used to describe retail as having 17 months in a year. The golden quarter adds so much more revenue to November and December that it’s critical. It’s a massive ramp-up, and if you think of the customer journey, the volume follows that pattern—starting with sales and then moving into delivery, technical support, and returns. This cycle can run through to late January or early February.

Dave: I have three daughters, and we know our ASOS delivery driver and the person at the post office for all the collections and returns! It’s incredible how integral that process has become.

Sam, what are your thoughts on this period?

Sam: As Jason said, now it’s showtime. The build-up is key, and retailers need to ensure that their plans are robust enough to deal with unexpected scenarios, which naturally arise during peak periods. Another important aspect is looking beyond this quarter—considering the impact on returns and aftercare support that will follow in January and February.

It’s also a learning opportunity. With the rich data we have today, retailers can gather insights on customer behaviour and interactions, which they can use to refine their approach for next year.

Dave: Data is a great point. What do you think about the role of data and insights in this process?

Jason: The way we can access data now has changed dramatically. Ten or twelve years ago, we were doing quality assurance on just a few interactions per agent each month. Now, we can gather insights from across the entire estate, giving us real quality data to work with. This helps you fix pain points and plan ahead for the next quarter or year.

With the right tools in place, you can react quickly to issues as they arise and also use the data to plan for the future, ensuring you deliver real value, whether through add-on services or cost reduction.

Dave: And if you’ve had a strong golden quarter, you’ll be looking at things in a different light.

Jason: Absolutely. At this point, you’re monitoring things daily, even hourly, to ensure you stay ahead of the competition. It’s a time when retail truly comes alive, and if everything’s going well, it’s an incredible feeling for the team and the business.

Dave: So, Sam, what are the driving technologies that are helping retailers through this period?

Sam: There’s a lot of talk around AI at the moment, but I think it’s important to focus on the basics first. Retailers need to understand which high-volume, low-value interactions could be handled by self-service, freeing up agents for more complex tasks. It’s about looking at the customer journey and deciding where technology can add the most value.

Automation and self-service can help, especially during busy periods, but you also need tools in place to gather actionable insights and implement changes, both in real-time and for future planning.

Dave: Jason, from your experience on the other side, what technologies have worked well?

Jason: The key is equipping teams with the right information to support the customer at the point of contact. This might involve using better technologies to guide customers through web journeys or self-service, creating headroom for agents to handle more complex enquiries. AI has changed the game, but the foundation is always data. If you have good data and a solid knowledge base, you can reduce contact volumes and improve service.

Dave: And it all starts with the data, right?

Jason: Yes, data is crucial. If your data is in a good position, AI can really help. It can support identification, QA analysis, and more, freeing up your team to focus on where they can add value. But you need to remember that AI alone isn’t a magic fix. You need the right systems and processes in place first.

Sam: And AI is just one part of the equation. There are so many features and solutions available now that can help reduce resolution times, improve customer interactions, and give advisors the tools they need. But it’s also about thinking ahead and ensuring that you’re investing in technology that will continue to add value in the long term.

Dave: So, where do you think retail stands when it comes to adopting these new features? Are they lagging behind other sectors?

Jason: It’s a mix. Some retailers are at the forefront, pushing for innovation, while others are more hesitant, possibly due to legacy systems or cost concerns. Data plays a huge role in determining how quickly retailers can adopt new technologies. Once they get their data in order, they have a real opportunity to innovate.

Dave: And as we’ve discussed, it’s not just about quick wins—it’s about thinking long-term. There’s a lot to consider, from customer personalisation to compliance with regulations like treating customers fairly. Compliance and CX aren’t always the happiest bedfellows, are they?

Jason: No, they’re not, but they’re both critical. Compliance requires consistency—making sure you have processes in place to identify and support vulnerable customers, for example. And while compliance does come at a cost, the long-term benefits for customer trust and loyalty make it worth it.

Dave: Well, we’ve covered a lot of ground today. Thank you both for your time. It’s been a great conversation, and I’m sure we could talk for hours about this. But for now, we’ll leave it there. Thanks again.