Retail Transformation Show with Oliver Banks

2022 has been another disruptive year for retail. In particular, the Ukraine war has led to a global cost of living crisis along with many other challenges. A perfect representation of the interlinking, connected, complexity of the world. And the retail industry, or any particular retail company, is no simpler. So it's important to appreciate the complex systems and how we can work within these. I...

Currently, we're seeing a number of acquisitions in the retail market. And as we enter tough periods of trading, it's likely that more companies and brands will be under threat and takeover or acquisition - either as an exit strategy or after an administration or bankruptcy. Mergers and acquisitions offer significant opportunities but also come with risks and threats attached too. So in this episo...

Advertising and media networks show high growth potential and large margins. And some retailers are quickly expanding into this business opportunity to supplement their classic retail offerings. But is this a feasible strategy for the future? And is it right for all retailers or brands? To explore more, Oliver Banks joins retail thought leader, Ricardo Belmar, to discuss the opportunities and thre...

Change management is a critical topic for successful transformation. However, it's often a topic which is confused with project management or just not considered until the later stages when ready to deploy a change. So in this episode, Oliver Banks speaks with change specialist and author, Simon Costigan, about how to deliver effective change. Listen to this episode of the Retail Transformation Sh...

The pandemic has caused change and acceleration as well as it's challenges too. But as the Retail Transformation Show podcast celebrates it's 4th birthday, we continue our review of golden nuggets from the past year. This golden nugget roundup features clips from expert guests as well as from the host, Oliver Banks. And among the highlights, you'll hear about: omnichannel, quick commerce, checkout...

The retail industry is under immense pressure. With threats from several directions, the ability to change and evolve at pace is becoming a core competency. And as the podcast celebrates its 4th birthday, you can learn from the best bits to help you transform. In this episode, you’ll hear highlights from expert guests as well as from the host, Oliver Banks. And these clips cover: vision, communica...

There are loads of stresses and strains facing the retail market right now. So a crucial mindset is that of the marginal gains theory. In this episode, Oliver Banks shares 10 ideas to deliver smaller projects which collectively will help drive growth and profitability. These ideas range from ways to increase sales, boost customer experience, save cost and drive positive change. Listen to this epis...

Great communication is essential to land successful transformation. But despite knowing this, many still struggle to communicate clearly, concisely and with conviction. It can be daunting to find the right communications strategy, especially when looking at complex changes and projects. To help understand what we can do to be better communicators, change communications expert, Lucy Eckley joins Ol...

The retail and hospitality industries continue to face turbulent and challenging times. To help, in September 2022, Rethink Productivity and OB&Co collaborated to host the first Productivity & Transformation event. Rethink's Simon Hedaux and Oliver Banks chaired the day which was attended by top retailers from many categories. And in this episode, you'll be able to explore new talking poin...

Two of the major retail changes that have caught attention in 2022 now seem to be faltering. So does this suggest that fundamental change is not the path forward? And if these major shifts are stumbling, what does this mean for the wider industry? In this episode, Oliver Banks explores two particular examples and highlights the common challenges that cause retail transformation initiatives to fail...

Smartphones have disrupted physical stores and have enabled customers to check prices and compare products and retailers right from the shop floor. But given these behaviours are now embedded, what are the opportunities to evolve the in store experience through the smartphone. ChargeBox CEO, Ian Hobson, joins Oliver Banks to explore more. Listen to this episode of the Retail Transformation Show po...

Customer experience drives future loyalty. But understanding what your current customers feel is hard. And market research surveys like NPS (Net Promoter Score) don't give you sufficient information on what's working and what's not. So TruRating's Brian Dennis, a leading CX voice, joins Oliver Banks to explore how you can improve how you listen to what your customers actually think about your expe...

Discover more about the recent Productivity & Transformation 2022 event, hosted by Oliver Banks in collaboration with Rethink Productivity. In this episode, Oliver shares key talking points from the day. In addition, he also shares 3 takeaways plus what happened when the event lost all electricity. In this episode, you'll hear: Key talking points from the event. Which element provided delight...

The word transformation can be overused and misunderstood. So join Oliver Banks and explore the origins of transformation to help clarify. Also, you'll hear about 2 major types of change, incremental transformation and fundamental transformation, what these mean and watchouts and considerations for both. Listen to this podcast episode to hear: Exploring the differences between fundamental and incr...

Livestreaming and shoppable videos are among the fastest growing channels in retail right now. But, bringing content and commerce together in an engaging way for consumers can seem daunting. With people, process and technology considerations, it's important to plan and execute this complex change effectively. In this episode, Jason Holland from Firework, the global experts in shopping video soluti...

With huge volatility and increasing financial challenges, the upcoming Productivity & Transformation event will give insight and ideas about how to proceed. The event is focused around 4 key pillars: Customer, Colleague, Cost and Change. In this episode, Rethink Productivity's Simon Hedaux joins to explore each pillar and share more about the event. Listen to this episode to discover: More abo...

To mark the episode 200 milestone, Oliver Banks has been reflecting on what the prior 199 episodes have revealed about the retail industry. He discovered that there have been a series of trends which have existed for years. And they continue to evolve. Learn about the 8 key mega trends or ever trends. Then we'll also think about why they continue to be a focus and consider what the next step is. L...

Store colleagues or associates represent both a major investment and key point of difference. But the role of people in stores had changed significantly in recent times and continues to do so. To help us understand more, Nikki Baird, VP of Strategy for Aptos, joins to explore why it's critical to understand the role of colleagues and how to get the most from your people. Listen to this episode to...

Visual elements are hugely important for retailers and brands. But the signs and symbols that we use are not always considered, especially outside of the marketing functions. To help uncover the opportunities, semiotics expert, Dr Rachel Lawes, joins to explain how you can boost sales and provide a better and more coherent customer and colleague experience too. Listen now and you'll learn: What se...

Retail is full of acronyms and abbreviations. Of course, they are used to simplify and speed up complex language and terminology in the industry as well as company specific lingo. However, they can also lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication. And there seem to be new acronyms coming into use all of the time. Plus they can alienate those that are new to a specific company, role, function -...

We face a whole string of important decisions to be made, and with increasing frequency as the pace of change and the market developments. So it's important to consider how we make decisions, how we avoid common challenges and what we can learn from the most expert decision-makers in the world. Join Oliver Banks and look outside the retail industry to learn what you can do to become a better decis...

Decisions are everywhere in transformation, in retail and in life. And making good decisions is key to drive success in your transformation. Yet, decision making is a topic that you never really learn. And there is little indication if you are good at it, either. So in this episode, Oliver Banks looks at the anatomy of decision making to help you understand what's going on and where you can improv...

Technology is essential to bring many aspects of the shopping experience into the modern day. But there are many elements to consider. From which technology to choose, to convenience and even around the education of the consumer base. To help understand more, Oliver Banks talks to retail tech expert Christine Russo. Listen to this podcast episode to discover:  How retail tech can bring modern...

In the complex and complicated world, both inside and outside of retail, there are numerous, tough challenges to consider and overcome. But one simple approach can help you across the board: writing things down. In this episode, Oliver Banks explores why the seemingly mundane task of documenting and recording ideas and thoughts can be transformational. Listen to this episode now to hear: Why it is...

"The Customer Is Always Right" - perhaps this is the most famous retail quote. But is it true? In this episode, we'll explore some of the widely believed myths and frequently used mottos. In the build up to the inaugural Productivity & Transformation event, Oliver Banks is joined by Rethink Productivity's Simon Hedaux to test and reflect on these phrases. Listen to this episode of the podcast...