Finally happy to settle back home after three months of back-to-back kick-off sessions, meeting great people, seing great changes in the world’s leading FMCG retail companies.
Here are some thoughts to summarize what I’ve seen, heard and shared from Lisbon to Shanghai:
– brick&mortar is not dead. It changes, like you and me, we change. Some get old, some die, some get born. Normal, never-ending process. Organised retail is only 60 years old and it follows customers like no other sector.
– big box is not dead. Hypermarket is the most product-to-consumer efficient model. People love surprises, we love gratification. More fun, more quality engagement with shoppers will be the next global trend. Spending time off mobile is great!
– every single country has its own rules of the game. There are no two identical countries, not even identical markets. French trends don’t mean much in Spain and China is a world of its own.
– finally, I have seen lots of great examples of how Auchan changes. Scores of local initiatives in different departments to make shopping convenient, attractive, seamless and fun. Whether it’s flying baskets or queueless check-outs or virtual advisors, I have seen passion and affection to customer.
We can only win when we put customer first, close to the heart.
