Ensuring Customer Driven Retail Solutions
Mazen Kassis, Head of Data and Analytics, Foodstuffs North Island Limited
Mazen Kassis, Head of Data and Analytics, Foodstuffs North Island Limited
Tell us something about yourself; what are some of the roles and responsibilities that you have, and what does a typical day look like for you at your organization?
I head data and analytics for Foodstuffs North Island, the largest and most significant grocery retailer and wholesaler in New Zealand. We are an organization of about 25,000 employees.
Our organization is on a mission to be one of the most customer-driven retailers in the world. We use data and analytics to arm consumers with the right information so they can make a well-informed purchasing decision. That is the responsibility of my data and analytics team, and essentially, that is what we look to bring to life on a daily basis.
Businesses are taking a giant leap toward digital and virtual technologies. Do you see that having an impact on the retail industry as well? What are some of the newer things that have emerged, according to you?
A lot of the new technologies that come across my desk are related to data privacy. Biometrics, for example, is quite a topical area of interest at the moment. Factors like Inflation and macroeconomics have also led people to have more control over their expenditures. Sometimes these external economic pressures can manifest differently among some people inside the retail stores. For instance, it can increase in-store violence, theft, and more. Avoiding such situations is important for us, and we can effectively tackle it—if not altogether prevent them—with the help of the right data driven by the right surveillance technologies.
I believe that one of the most important currencies—now and in the future—is the currency of trust. To engender trust among people visiting our stores, they must feel safe. So, ensuring safety and well-being is a high priority for us.
We use technological tools that help us work from data available through CCTV footage and retail records. One of the most recent technologies we’re investigating is facial recognition to improve our in-store experience.
Can you elaborate on the role of technology in the industry and give some use cases as to how you’re creating these types of associations or programs at your organization?
We’re currently in a post-pandemic world, and there is an increasing trajectory toward digital technologies, as I mentioned. One of our key strategic objectives is to create a seamless phygital experience, a combination of physical and digital environments. We aim to create a hassle-free experience for customers with our physical store experience as well as our online presence.
We keep our customers at the center of everything we do. We use customer data that enables us to identify the key items that need to be in store to keep customers happy and coming back, and that takes a lot of effort and time. We are using customer data and technologies to bring that to life faster, turning it into meaningful endpoints.
For instance, when a customer is shopping online because they’re a regular customer, we know the brand of toothpaste they need every week. So, on a particular shopping trip, if that selection hasn’t been made, we send a recommendation highlighting that product and add an action button for easy checkout. This way, we use technology to reduce the time customers spend on shopping and make their life easier.
Factors Like Inflation and Macroeconomics have also Led People to Have More Control Over their Expenditures. Sometimes these External Economic Pressures can Manifest Differently among some People inside the Retail Stores
How do you envision the next 18 months for the retail industry?
In my humble opinion, the move to consolidate information in a cloud environment is going to continue at a steady pace. Breaking down onpremise repositories and making data available in the cloud for people to use in decision-making is going to continue to ramp up in the next 18 months.
I also see that it is insufficient to simply make data available in the cloud, which is below the threshold. Data quality and governance, in general, are going to be necessary, particularly, in a world where people are cognizant and cautious of the data they are giving away.
With increasing awareness comes increasing responsibility for organizations like ours. We must be the custodians of the personal information our customers provide. Ensuring privacy and security by design in a cloud-based environment is an imperative element for the upcoming technologies. Maintaining a constant pattern of trust between customers, vendors, and suppliers is at the core of future developments.
What would be your piece of advice for peers or colleagues in the industry on how they can create a seamless digital process for their organization?
I would suggest my peers be very ambitious, and at the same time, set expectations well. To achieve one’s goal, the foundation must be firm in terms of software and hardware infrastructure. One needs to develop an internal culture for good data management and analytics practice. Each part must be planned well to move fast in the digital space.
Planning leads to the upscaling and proper development of tools and encourages the staff. A strong technical foundation with people’s expertise will lead any organization to get maximum output for the people they serve.
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