5 Futuristic Use Cases for Retail CX

The retail industry is undergoing a seismic shift, with AI, analytics and automation playing a pivotal role in redefining CX.

From personalization to operational efficiency, retailers are leveraging AI-driven solutions to meet the evolving demands of their customers while staying competitive in a fast-paced market.

Here’s how 5 retailers harnessed the transformative power of AI, analytics, and automation to take their CX strategies to the next level.

5 AI, Analytics, and Automation Use Cases – for Retail

1. Brooks Slashes Phone Wait Times by 66% With Assembled

With its direct-to-consumer platform at brooksrunning.com and an omnichannel strategy connecting customers to global retailers, Brooks Running, a century-old brand dedicated to performance running gear, faced the challenge of managing efficient operations across multiple channels. Disjointed systems and limited visibility threatened to derail service levels.

In response, Brooks implemented Assembled, a workforce management (WFM) tool chosen for its intuitive interface, live dashboard, and real-time optimization features. This tool allowed team leaders to make intraday adjustments, track agent adherence, and refine scheduling for peak efficiency.

Phone wait times dropped by 66% within three months of Assembled’s implementation, falling from an average of 66 seconds to just 22 seconds. The integration of forecasting tools and arrival pattern insights enabled data-driven decisions, helping maintain service levels even as demand fluctuated.

Beyond efficiency, Assembled empowered Brooks to focus on agent wellbeing. Supervisors could encourage breaks after challenging calls without compromising staffing levels. The introduction of “WFM Fridays” allowed the team to refine scheduling practices, ensuring a balance between operational needs and employee satisfaction.

Andrew Marston, runner experience supervisor for Brooks, said, “Assembled allows us to visualize our capacity as a contact centre in a meaningful way. It’s the tool that allows us to achieve our response times and maintain service levels.”

Read the full case study on how Brooks Reduces Phone Wait Times by 66% with Assembled

2. Sony Electronics Boosts Customer Satisfaction With NICE Enlighten Autopilot

Sony Electronics, a leading name in consumer and professional technology, has transformed its customer contact operations using NICE’s Enlighten Autopilot.

Faced with frequent misdirected calls and fragmented customer feedback processes, Sony aimed to create a seamless, omnichannel experience that improved customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Sony partnered with NICE to reimagine the top of its contact funnel. By analysing 60,000 customer interactions with Enlighten XO, the company identified that 40% of enquiries were candidates for automation.

This data-driven approach informed the deployment of Enlighten Autopilot as a virtual agent to handle initial queries, route calls to the correct division, and resolve issues without live agent intervention.

15.9% of customer contacts are now successfully contained through self-service options, reducing the burden on live agents. Customer satisfaction reached historic peaks, bolstered by improved workflows, better routing, and actionable insights from omnichannel feedback tools.

Additionally, response rates to customer satisfaction surveys increased by over 40% after introducing NICE CXone Feedback Management, enabling Sony to act on more detailed customer insights.

Read the full case study to find out how Sony Electronics Achieves Highest-Ever Response Rate with NICE

3. Superdry – A Digital-First Revolution in CX

In June 2022, Superdry made the bold decision to switch off its phone lines, directing customers to live chat, self-service, and email channels. This controversial move was driven by a need to streamline service delivery and focus on channels better suited to retail, such as sharing receipts and product photos.

In the first quarter post-implementation, customer complaints about service availability dropped by 65%, even without phone support.

Superdry now handles over 466,000 annual customer contacts, with 95% of queries resolved via AI-enabled chatbots using Genesys Bold360. This system allows seamless transitions from self-service to live agents, with supervisors able to join escalations if necessary.

Superdry’s pivot to digital-first CX demonstrates the power of aligning customer needs with operational efficiency, providing a compelling example for modern retailers.

Read our site visit article to learn about some of the ways Superdry is changing how it delivers CX

4. Lowe’s Saves Over $1 Million With NICE Solutions

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s modernized its WFM operations with the implementation of NICE Employee Engagement Manager (EEM) and NICE Workforce Management.

Previously, Lowe’s relied on a cumbersome system involving six separate tools to make schedule adjustments and process agent requests. The set-up led to overstaffing – averaging 20% – and limited the company’s ability to manage hybrid agents effectively.

The roll-out of NICE EEM in December 2023 introduced automation, self-service capabilities, and compliance with state labour laws through business rules. Employees can now adjust their schedules, trade shifts, and plan time off via a mobile app and web interface, reducing reliance on workforce management administrators.

The change resulted in:

22% of agents now use self-service options daily.
Over 434,000 hours of schedule changes have been automated, saving $325,000 in administrative labour.
Combined operational savings exceeded $1 million, driven by reduced voluntary time off costs and improved staffing efficiency.
For the first time, Lowe’s achieved four consecutive months of right-sized staffing.

The company’s commitment to work–life balance and agent empowerment has been bolstered by this transformative solution, as demonstrated by positive feedback from agents who value the flexibility provided by EEM.

Read the full case study to find out how Lowe’s Saves Over $1 Million In First Eight Months with NICE EEM and VRS

5. Honeylove Increases Productivity by 54% With Assembled Assist

Honeylove tackled rising customer support challenges with the integration of Assembled Assist. With customers relying on Honeylove for pivotal events like weddings and performances, the stakes for delivering timely, empathetic support were high.

In early 2023, Honeylove’s Customer Experience team struggled with escalations to team leads, leading to increased handle times, agent frustration, and higher costs per case.

By analysing common escalation triggers, Assembled Assist provided auto-drafted replies in Zendesk, enabling agents to address customer enquiries instantly. This innovation reduced escalations by 20% and improved customer satisfaction ratings for Assist-supported interactions by 18%.

Assembled Assist’s reporting and tracking features allowed Honeylove to monitor and refine its AI performance. Over three months, accuracy improved by 35%, while there was a 54% increase in solves per hour, and average users experienced a 13% improvement.

Read the full case study on how Honeylove Sees a 54% Increase in Productivity with Assembled Assist

The Future of Retail CX Is Here

The retail industry stands at the forefront of a technological revolution, where AI, analytics, and automation are not just enhancing customer experiences but fundamentally reshaping how retailers operate.

As these examples show, it’s clear that forward-thinking retailers are leveraging technology to meet modern consumer expectations while empowering their teams.

Adopting AI-driven solutions is therefore no longer a luxury for retailers – it’s a necessity to stay competitive in an ever-evolving market. The future of retail CX is here, and the possibilities are limitless for those willing to embrace it.