Shopping centres will continue to draw upon the power of this pair in 2018. Whether we are talking real-world or digital, it is impossible to avoid hearing about the importance of retail community, but how can centre managers, marketing managers or asset managers cultivate community and commerce in 2018?
Consolidate
A shopping centre’s biggest competitor is arguably the customer’s time, so quite rightly a lot of effort is spent creating cultural hubs with shops that supply both products and experiences all under the same roof. Our experience shows that community goes far beyond the shop floor. By consolidating databases, and collecting data from site and numerous other systems, an intelligence solution can help managers across the business create community. Do away with multiple spreadsheets that require constant attention from staff. Live, accurate data and the right retail intelligence solution opens opportunities for collaboration.
Look at resources differently
Exploring the value of an investment is far easier with a more transparent view on progress and the results of each initiative. Clients using our dashboard-driven management software Retail Advantage are enhancing tenant coaching. Marketing managers are using it to measure community-building activities through a variety of perspectives with intelligent, interactive tools.
Communicate Ideas
Grow community by making it easy and instantaneous to share ideas and information and further engage with a transparent view of who has seen what and when. With a connected retail management solution, coordinating the distribution of key ideas, data or documents with managers and staff is a straightforward process with secure digital delivery.
We have said it before and you will have to forgive us, as we are likely to say it again. As technology advances, the goal is not to remove humans from the equation, but to empower them. We look forward to a year ahead of rewarding exchanges between commerce and community.
