BT and Scala to bring digital solutions to retailers for richer in-store customer engagement

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: BT and Scala to bring digital solutions to retailers for richer in-store customer engagement.

BT, provider of communications services and solutions, and Scala, provider of intelligent digital signage technology, have announced that they will work together on a global scale to supply digital solutions. These solutions can be tailored to the needs of industry sectors that rely on in-store interactions with their customers, such as retailers, retail banking, automotive showrooms, restaurants, hotels, etc. The combined solutions are designed to provide a deeper, richer, more engaging and personalised experience for customers in-store.

BT and Scala will provide digital solutions that enable the deployment of consistent content and messaging to "digital touchpoints" in stores ranging from a tablet in the hands of sales associates/bank tellers to multiple screen video walls. By integrating into existing customer relationship management systems, the content delivered through the digital touchpoints can be dynamically changed, updated, and personalised.

Tom Nix, CEO of Scala, said: "Retailers today understand that many customers are doing research online prior to entering a store to make a purchase. The challenge for retailers is to provide the same level of customer experience in the store as the consumer is finding online. The same is true for retail banking, restaurants and hotels. Scala selected BT as its global provider for immersive intelligent digital experience because of its global networking capabilities and its deep expertise in the retail industry. BT is already a provider of Scala-based solutions supporting customers world-wide and delivers innovation and rich content services, from media production through to fully managed multinational end-to-end support, in various sectors all around the world."

Hubertus von Roenne, Vice President, Global Industry Practices, BT, said: "Businesses are continually looking for ways to enhance the customer experience, drive loyalty and increase sales. Research shows that digital technologies influence 36 percent or $1.1 trillion of in-store sales. Successful retailers must therefore blend digital and physical worlds so that customers have the same amazing experience however and wherever they shop. From intelligent fitting rooms to digital displays where the content is triggered and personalized by age, race and gender, there is a lot to choose and it is a real challenge for businesses to choose the right technology, make everything work seamlessly as they expand worldwide."