Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

To better accommodate more than three million customers and 115,000 associates each week across 780 store locations, Ahold USA’s retail divisions, Stop & Shop New England, Stop & Shop New York Metro, Giant Landover, and Giant Carlisle, embarked on a technology overhaul in collaboration with Verizon Enterprise Solutions to create a ‘smarter store’ for today’s always-connected consumer. With consumers increasingly relying on smartphones and public Wi-Fi when shopping, retailers are recognizing the imperative to offer strong and reliable networks for delivering the digitally rich in-store experience that is now an expectation.

Underscoring the growing popularity of the Wi-Fi feature, in December 2016 alone Ahold USA’s divisions saw an overall 23% spike in the number of users over the previous month. 

On top of improving the customer experience, the technology upgrade includes operational enhancements across all Ahold USA division stores. All locations are now equipped with Verizon’s business-grade voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone solution which streamlines network management and cost efficiencies while extending the capabilities of the company’s existing phone system. Further, the addition of Verizon’s industry leading wireless network capabilities in each location will provide backup connectivity to help maintain business continuity in the event of outages which can be harmful to business and a company’s brand.

From mobile to social, the rapid adoption of digital technologies, devices and services by consumers is reshaping our entire economy.

We’ve observed three factors in this trend: 

-  First, industry leaders don’t seem to grasp how fundamentally transformative digital technologies are and don’t see a need for digital innovation. 

-  Second, they completely underestimate how digitally sophisticated modern consumers are—and how their expectations are increasing. 

-  Third, they seem unable or unwilling to transform their organizations to adapt to this new digital world. One such industry undergoing significant transformation due to digital is retail. Whether it’s to check reviews, compare prices or determine availability, most consumers go online before they shop. These online interactions determine what, how and where consumers shop.

Shoppers want selection, purchasing options (online or in-store), price competitiveness and excellent online service—throughout the buying process and even post-purchase. And they want it across all digital channels and on all their devices. In the coming years, we’re betting that no large retailer can thrive, let alone survive, without seriously upping their digital game and meeting the increasingly high expectations of their sophisticated customers...