IRX 2016 The Mobile in Multichannel Conference

Ahead of this year’s InternetRetailing Expo (IRX 2016) (April 27-8, at the NEC in Birmingham) we’re running a series of previews focusing on event highlights, from the conferences to interviews with key retail speakers, and beyond. Today our focus is on the Mobile in Multichannel Conference.

Mobile is fast becoming the primary shopping channel for online purchasers. That’s brought a new urgency to understanding how mobile can best operate within the multichannel environment. Practical answers to retailers’ questions underpin the Mobile in Multichannel Conference, part of IRX 2016.

“The focus of ecommerce is moving from the ‘newness’ of the mobile device to understand the impact on staff, stores and services when the customer is holding a ‘remote control for retail’ in her hand,” said conference director Lisa Ploude. “This conference will look at where retailers can find the newest and biggest opportunities, and how they can they deploy the latest technologies to win the virtual retail race.”

The Mobile in Multichannel Conference opens with a keynote presentation from Sarah Baillie, head of digital product at House of Fraser, in which she considers how changing customer demands and increasing competition are transforming the way we buy – and sell. Her half-hour session, What retailers can’t afford not to know about how mobile is transforming customer behaviour, runs from 10.35am.

Stuart McMillan, deputy head of ecommerce at Schuh, then takes to the stage as he considers how retailers can plan mobile strategies to meet the needs of their customers. Navigating the roadmap to spin mobile into gold is at 11.20am.

Sainsbury’s Joel Robinson follows with a case study of how staff can put mobile to work in their roles, analysing the pros, cons and potential of a mobile workforce strategy in boosting the customer experience.

Mobile in-store – are your staff mobilised? is at 11.45am.

A panel discussion on what customers want from mobile follows the lunchbreak. Sam Hill, head of online architecture at Tesco, and Gerald Dawson, director of Weird Fish Clothing and Forthglade Natural Pet Foods, will be among those discussing the possibilities of mobile. What do customers really want? – funky apps, convenience and packaging products to entice and delight is at 1pm, and will be followed by a session from the track sponsor.

Then Rosie Snow, head of customer data and personalisation gets up close and person in her presentation, as she considers how to engage with customers, wherever they may be. How to talk to customers on the toilet – getting personal vs getting intrusive is at 2.45pm, and will be followed by a closing keynote address on using social media to develop customer relationships. Social media to drive deeper customer connections and business growth is at 3.20pm.

The Mobile in Multichannel conference will take place on April 28 2016 at IRX 2016, at Birmingham’s NEC. Find out more about the conference here, and more about IRX 2016 here. Register to visit the show for free here.