The pandemic was a turning point for the retail sector, with forced closures of physical stores meaning that businesses had to pivot to digital only operating models almost overnight. Three years on, consumer trends remain affected by this shift. Customers now expect both their online and physical shopping experiences to seamlessly blend the best qualities of both. This change in consumer behaviour offers real challenges but also a chance to modernise operations, retain customers and expand offerings. 

Loyalty programmes are fast becoming key facets of customer engagement as they allow businesses to create an ecosystem which collects data and gives them a direct form of contact with their customers. This allows businesses to hyper personalise the retail experience, offering deals and marketing based on an individual's shopping habits. Additionally gamification is becoming an increasingly popular tool as consumers are rewarded for logging in, buying or writing reviews of products. Physical stores have also seen their purpose transformed, fulfilling a combination of roles; supporting the digital side with collections and returns, as well as acting as a social setting for consumers in addition to their traditional function. 

This webinar hosted by the Financial Times, in partnership with Infosys, explored how businesses can blend physical and digital customer engagement to facilitate growth and retain customers. 

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