Now in its seventh year, it had more than 200 delegates, representing the country’s top companies and brands. Cushman & Wakefield Excellerate sponsored the conference.
Nomzamo Radebe, CEO of JHI Properties, a division of Cushman & Wakefield Excellerate opened the conference. “Knowledge is power. This statement dates back to 1957 and could not be truer than in today’s rapidly changing world; particularly so in the retail space. Importantly, Albert Einstein declared that information was not knowledge. So, as we deliberate at this year’s conference it is vital that we see research not as a tool for gathering information, but as a means of developing knowledge that can be used – in this case the retail environment – to serve our target audience better. We are proud to be the official sponsors of this year’s event and we look forward to sponsoring the 2018 Research Conference as well.”
Other speakers included the duo from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Claudia De Gouveia-Macedo, strategy and transformation manager and Joven Pillay, customer and digital consulting leader presented a thought-provoking discussion on ‘Retail in 2030’. Technology will dominate retail in 2030 and the presenters shared a closer look at the 2030 shopper, shopping centres and retailers and what would be required to offer a 360-degree interaction with a brand, store or product to customers – an evolution of today’s version of the omnichannel approach.
“Technology is here to stay and as customer trends evolve, the way retailers approach them need to evolve too,” says Odette Schwegler, founder of Bl!nk Pictures. She took delegates through ‘content marketing’ and taking it to the next level. “We need to do away with traditional media platforms and provide the customer with the creative freedom to share their interaction with your brand and products in ways not explored as yet.”
One of the omnipresent themes was ‘knowing one’s customer and the different techniques used to get to know them’. The more one is informed about customers, the more equipped one is to cater for their needs. Kate Snyder, head of anthropology at Instant Grass International, says, “This is true among millennials and how they shop and influence their peers to also support a specific brand or company. Retailers need to know who these customers are, what they like, who they like and what makes them happy.”
SACSC president, Jeff Zidel expressed how tumultuous the past year had been in terms of the economy but also how steadfast the shopping centre and retail industries had been in order to cope with these challenges. “The Research Conference has definitely grown in leaps and bounds. In spite of the challenges, the industry has advanced progressively and research-driven decisions have been crucial to paint a clear picture of the market and empower the retail and property industry,” he concluded.
