Building a 2028 Olympics Retail Technology Checklist for Peak Demand
What do retailers need to start doing to prepare? First, consider the kind of customer experience you want to deliver and what your store associates need to make that experience possible.
From there, evaluate the technology supporting the entire store, including:
- Connectivity. Will the network support additional traffic and transactions? Will systems communicate effectively? Is there enough computing power to handle the increased workload? And, perhaps most important, is there sufficient redundancy? A technology failure during a period of peak demand can quickly become a revenue problem. Also, don’t forget guest Wi-Fi: Foreign travelers often want to log on to local networks to avoid international cellular charges.
- Point-of-sale systems. Retailers should make sure their POS technology is up to date and operating properly and should consider whether mobile POS can help associates serve customers more efficiently and reduce checkout lines.
- Employee devices and digital signage. Store associates need the right technology to do their jobs effectively when stores are crowded and demand is high. The right signage can help retailers communicate with customers.
- Surveillance cameras. Although today’s camera technology plays an indispensable role in a store’s loss prevention efforts, it’s also vital for a modern customer experience. Artificial intelligence–enabled computer vision can provide real-time insight into store operations, including customer traffic and checkout lines.
- Inventory and supply chain planning software. Retailers need to have the right products available in the right quantities. Some may even use AI to predict likely customer behavior and determine which products to stock and how much inventory they will need.
CHECK OUT: How CDW is supporting the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Proper LA28 Staffing Is Comparable to Preparing for an Extended Black Friday
The technology checklist is only half the equation. Retailers also need to think about staffing.
During the holiday season, many retailers bring on additional employees and adjust schedules to handle increased demand. The Olympics will occur at a different time of year, so retailers may not have the same staffing plans in place.
Technology can help retailers make the most of the employees they already have. Rather than focusing mainly on automating customer-facing activities, retailers should look to automate labor-intensive, non-customer-facing tasks. The goal is to free associates to interact with customers, complete transactions and provide an experience that brings people back.
Mobile POS is one example. Giving associates the ability to complete transactions anywhere in the store reduces dependence on a traditional checkout station and can help retailers respond more quickly when demand spikes.
Computer vision can also help here, enabling stores to dispatch associates to heavily trafficked areas of the store or to checkout lines before they become too long. Managers can adjust staffing before customers become frustrated or leave.
The upcoming Olympics are a great opportunity for retailers — not just to capitalize on the increase in sales during the event but also to create the kind of impression on shoppers that turns them into loyal customers. To do that, though, they’ll have to be prepared.
This article is part of BizTech's CommunITy blog series.
