Google creates mock store to showcase tech used by AllSaints and Ocado

The tech provider has created a store experience at a location in London called the Retail Agility Challenge – an initiative designed to promote its technology to retailers.

The tech provider’s mock store experience, which does not process any transactions, demonstrates scenarios where retail employees could use Google’s technology to overcome day-to-day operational challenges.

Google said that its pop-up experience is being attended by 45 leading UK retailers, who are bringing employees ranging from senior executives to staff from tech and HR divisions.

The initiative has been created by Google to showcase its Apps for Work technology, which is currently used by AllSaints and Ocado, to prospective retail partners.

Engaging talent

AllSaints chief executive William Kim said the fashion retailer was using Google’s technology to “futureproof” its business and engage younger employees.

The fashion retailer uses Google’s tech to share images from across its international stores, share video content showing best practice and host Google Hangouts for its 3,200-strong staff worldwide.

Kim added that Google’s suite of tools allowed his staff to better communicate across different countries, languages and functions.

He said: “You have to engage your talent pool if you want to succeed – if you wouldn’t communicate with your friends via email, why are you communicating with your colleagues that way?”

Ocado’s chief technology officer Paul Clarke said the etailer used Google technology for its cloud integration with Morrisons, and added that it was “unusual” for the online grocer to use third-party suppliers for its tech rather than building it in-house.

“Talking about digital transformation is like trying to learn how to swim when you’re standing at the edge of the pool”

Paul Clarke, Ocado

Ocado was an early adopter of Google’s workplace technology and Clarke said that it had helped employees to share new technology ideas.

“If someone from across the business goes and finds another great tool to solve a problem, we want to be able to spread that as easily as possible,” he said.

The IT boss of the grocery etailer added that other retailers had a way to go in embracing risk to drive their digital strategies forward.

“Talking about digital transformation is like trying to learn how to swim when you’re standing at the edge of the pool – you need to take that leap of faith and just jump in, because amazing things will happen for your business if you embrace it fully,” he said.

Google’s pop-up experience lasts an hour and involves a tour of the mock store environment, which will demonstrate various day-to-day operational challenges, such as visual merchandising, signage and communicating with employees across different store and locations.

This demonstration is followed up by a boardroom discussion with Google for Work’s head of retail Andrew Burgess and country manager Nina Bjornstad about how the supplier’s technology could help retailers with their in-store operations.

The technology supplier’s initiative opened on May 9 and will run until May 20.