As retailers and brands continue to build out both customer-facing and internal functionalities using AI, the conversation has also shifted toward what executives don’t want it being used for.This was the theme of many on-stage conversations with retail executives at the annual CommerceNext Growth Summit in New York City this week. Executives are gaining a deeper understanding of where humans need to be in the loop, where they can completely take over certain processes, and where to continue investing in AI tools and the real returns they can deliver.
Kim Heidt, chief retail officer for Tecovas, said she and others at the Westernwear brand have been talking to store managers about how AI can serve as additional headcount for tasks such as managing email. But she said it won’t play a part in the interactions with customers in stores.
“I’m pretty adamant about no cell phones on the floor,” Heidt said, adding that because tech is already so embedded in everything, she is teaching employees to step away from it and learn how to have an authentic conversation with customers. She said that over the past three or four years, as people have become more comfortable with technology, it has simultaneously become more challenging for store associates to walk up to customers and ask how their day is going.
