It shouldn’t come as a surprise that artificial intelligence dominated the conversion at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show last week. Brands are looking to capitalize on the technology in ways that can smooth over processes across the board, from customer service to human resources.

Ahead of and during the conference, software company SAP was one of a handful of businesses that introduced and demonstrated new AI tools it said will help retailers increase profits and customer loyalty through consumer insights and data that would be otherwise more difficult to consolidate without the help of AI.

• SAP debuted a predictive demand planning solution that provides users with more accurate and longer-range forecasts for product demand across channels.
• Additionally, the company is phasing in “store replenishment capabilities” that factors in demand volatility, business targets, and supply constraints to find out order volume at the lowest expected cost, according to a company release.

For SAP, predictive demand planning involves using an algorithm on top of real-time data to help retailers adapt to shifting consumer behaviors, Kristin Howell, global VP of retail solution management at SAP, told Retail Brew.

Keep reading here.—KM

What’s the trick to making 2024 one for the books? Retail customers who are seamlessly linked + effortlessly accessible across every channel. Yep, we’re talking email, SMS, identity resolution, push notifications—you name it.

Enter Listrak. Their unified platform puts everything in place to get you actionable insights for better precision targeting and individualization. Trusted by 1k leading retailers like Untuckit and Le Creuset, Listrak is an absolute game changer.

Classic shoewear titan TOMS made the switch to Listrak, consolidating their email and SMS programs and adding a new revenue channel: Listrak’s identity resolution marketing solution. The results? TOMS achieved true cross-channel orchestration and an 86x return on ad spend.

Make 2024 a marketing party.

Maybe this has happened to you. You’re at an all-hands meeting and the boss can’t contain his excitement about the executive team going to an offsite to come up with a new mission statement. Or managers in departments that have nothing to do with yours are giving PowerPoints about the minutiae of their team’s goals. And all along you’re thinking: Why can’t they focus instead on raising our salaries to at least keep up with inflation?

That incongruity between what management thinks motivates workers and what indeed does is tackled in a new report by Beekeeper, a mobile-based platform that helps workers communicate and collaborate with their teams.

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho…The Global Frontline Workforce Pulse Report is drawn from a September 2023 survey of 5,615 frontline workers, 2,318 managers, and 210 executives in head offices. Roughly half of the respondents were from North America, and the other half were from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Along with retail, the report covers industries including—this gets slashy—bars/restaurants, hotels/resorts, manufacturing, healthcare, and construction.

“Disengaged Frontliners are leaving in droves,” the report stated.

Keep reading here.—AAN

On Wednesdays, we wear pink spotlight Retail Brew’s readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Tom Malengo is co-founder of Brandjectory, a platform helping CPG companies secure capital.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? All those new food and beverage products you see at Whole Foods or Sprouts? We help those founders learn how to build a strong consumer products business and meet, work with, learn from, and build relationships with industry investors and experts through education and engagement.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? I work, just like right now, sitting on the floor with a goldendoodle on my lap.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Without a doubt, the Brandjectory Pitch Slam. We awarded $250,000 in cash and prizes among five very strong brand founders who were selected, coached, and received feedback from over 30 investors in preparation. We brought together some of the best CPG experts and leaders to participate, host, and sponsor! It was fantastic and rewarding.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? As a non-drinker, the growth of non-alc options for the social situation is terrific.

Keep reading here.—EC