Bridging the digital divide between consumers’ expectations and their physical in-store journey has become a key objective for retailers. We’ve talked about omnichannel for years without ever really understanding or defining it; consumer behavior and our fickle nature are changing all that. One business that understands this is Currys, a U.K.-based electrical retailer, ranked 344 on the Fortune 500 Europe.

Back in May 2024, Currys announced that it had selected Accenture and Microsoft to deliver its core cloud technology infrastructure that will enable the retailer to leverage the latest AI technologies to enhance operations, elevate the shopping experience, and improve the colleague experience.

Andy Gamble, Currys Group Chief Information and Transformation Officer said: “We’re already seeing firsthand the incredible power of new technologies such as AI in making Currys easier to shop for our customers. We’re fully embracing these technological advances throughout Currys, ensuring we remain at the forefront of digital transformation”.

Accenture and Microsoft, together with their joint venture Avanade, will work closely with Currys to modernize, secure, and simplify its technology estate, enabling Currys to accelerate the adoption of Microsoft AI technologies such as Azure OpenAI Service.

Amongst the customer benefits they anticipated from such a move are:

• Making it easier to shop: Through personalized relevant product information and suggestions tailored to the consumer’s needs in the moment.
  
• Building customers for life: By providing Currys’ customers with an improved post-sales experience and warranty services.
  
• Enhance the colleague experience: By equipping colleagues with faster and easier access to information such as product availability, delivery costs, and add-on services while also identifying potential cross and upselling opportunities.

Digital transformation at Currys also includes switching from paper product pricing to electronic shelf edge labeling. The retailer plans to roll this out to 100 U.K. and Ireland stores by April 2025. It hopes that with clear labeling and easy-to-scan QR codes for further information, the customer journey will be a lot smoother.

To further improve the in-store experience, Currys is planning to introduce a digital queuing system. This new process will be fronted by dedicated ‘Sales Floor Leaders’ who will be on-hand to give customers a ‘warm welcome’ and be identifiable to customers with ‘Here to Help’ hi-vis.

Integrated into colleagues’ ‘store-mode’ tablets that are used to process customer orders, shoppers can now join a digital line to speak to a tech expert – improving the in-store experience, better managing their wait time expectations, and freeing them up to browse the store until a colleague is ready to serve them.

Gamble continued, “We are also trialing exciting new generative AI opportunities in store, utilizing this to provide our customers and colleagues with tools and data to power the expert advice we’re proud to provide, as well as to enhance our aftersales journeys and deliver store efficiencies. We’ve got an ambitious plan going forward and will continue to innovate and invest in making Currys the best place for us to help everyone to enjoy amazing technology.”

Of course, none of these initiatives themselves provides the silver bullet to transforming Currys’ in-store customer service, and this is one of the challenges facing retailers as they continue to develop and evolve their digital strategies. The ingredients may be known, however, it is how they are mixed that determines the outcome.