New Rules of Engagement in the Digital Era

Aug. 24, 2012 - PRLog -- SAN DIEGO — Gone is the day when customer engagement was one-way, linear and easily defined. New rules in the digital era mean engagement happens anywhere, anytime, in-store and online. It’s driven by consumers and especially among consumers as they evangelize or eviscerate brands on the social Web.

Next month, retail executives from a broad spectrum of verticals will share and dissect emerging customer engagement strategies that can produce big wins (or the reverse) and lead to greater profits. The venue for this brain trust is the RetailConnections Fall Business Executive Summit, Sept. 23-25 at Hotel del Coronado near San Diego.

With shoppers driving engagement, retailers are obliged to become good listeners and to leverage new skills and solutions across various internal departments and selling channels. The Summit will provide a content-rich agenda and intimate setting where leaders will soundboard each other about the communication tools consumers prefer and how to feed their input into development of new products, services and experiences.

Essential to this equation is relevant, valuable digital content communicated on consumers’ terms. Overzealous retailers can alienate shoppers with too-frequent, unwelcome contact and that’s the topic of Monday evening’s keynote by Ed Jankowski, Senior Vice President, General Manager, North America, Godiva Chocolatier. In his talk, “Are You A Serial Communicator,” Jankowski will address engagement opportunities as well as the sensory overload:

“How many people wake up each morning, sign on to their computer and dread checking their emails all because they have received hundreds of emails overnight from every retailer imaginable?” posits Jankowski. Another speaker, Robert Graham, VP, IT, BevMo!, will facilitate discussion on what really matters when it comes to earning lasting customer loyalty. Leeann Fecho, Marketing Manager, Emerging Media, Loyalty, Follett Higher Education Group, will present on the topic of loyalty, engagement and omnichannel retailing.

Those are just a few of the topics and leaders presenting at the Summit. Senior retail executives sharing in the intense exchange throughout the Summit, include:

• Bill Bass, Co-President, CMO, Orchard Brands "Herding Cats, Goring Sacred Cows"
• Tom DeCaro, EVP, Supply Chain, Michaels Stores "Rethinking Leadership: A Diverse Formula for Success"
• Dan Smith, former CIO, Hudson's Bay Company "Redefine ROI: Recapture Millions"
• Leeann Fecho, Marketing Manager, Emerging Media, Loyalty Marketing, Follett Higher Education Group "Loyalty, Engagement & Other Omnichannel Challenges"
• Michael Cairnes, President, Artistree (division of Michaels Stores) "Framing Innovation: Reinvent Your Retail Selling Solution"
• Aashish Chandra, DVP, Application Modernization, Sears Holdings Corp. "Building an Agile Enterprise"
• "Retail Top Issues" Panel featuring Ed Jankowski, SVP, GM, North America, Godiva Chocolatier, Charlie Cole, VP, E-Commerce, Schiff Nutrition plus one more retail panelist
• Ed Jankowski, SVP, GM, North America, Godiva Chocolatier "Are You a Serial Communicator?"
• Dave Remer, CEO, Creative Director, remerinc "What's Wrong with Retail and Branding?"
• Gil Luria, Managing Director, Equity Research, Wedbush Securities "Hottest Growth Sectors in Mobile"
• Gary Preston, Managing Partner, Preston | Reffett (former CAO, Ahold USA) "Retaining Critical Talent"
• Stuart Silverman, Founder, Impact Simulations "Staff Turnover: Problem to Fix? Or Baked into the System?"
• Bob Graham, VP, IT, BevMo! "Back to the Future: Right Infrastructure, Product, Price + Location = Loyalty Success"
• Lora Cecere, CEO, Founder, Supply Chain Insights, "Role of the Store in A Digital Age"

The RetailConnections Business Executive Summit Sept. 23-25, 2012, is an interactive think-tank experience focusing on business-critical topics. In addition to customer engagement and digital content, presenters and attendees will delve into mobile marketing/commerce/payments, measuring ROI, branding, leadership and strategies to heighten the shopper experience across all channels.

Complimentary attendance for RetailConnections Business Executive Summit is limited to qualified retail executives; register via http://www.retailconnections.com. Discount rates at Hotel del Coronado expire Sept. 3, after which point requests for rooms will be accommodated on an as-available basis.

For more information, contact Denise Power, denise@retailconnections.com (773) 573-3939 or Marc Millstein, marc@retailconnections (914) 620-5947 or visit our web site. For sponsorship opportunities, contact LuAnn Hallberg, luann@retailconnections.com (814) 516-4965.