ConnectRetail: Harnessing AI to enhance retail operations in South Africa

Martin Rosen, ex-marketing director of Pick 'n Pay one of the founders of ConnectRetail, has over 50 years of retail experience. He started off packing shelves, became a store manager and later the marketing director and non-exec director of two major retail chains.

"A standout feature of ConnectRetail is its AI-powered voice-to-text capability, which transforms morning floor walks into actionable task lists. This innovation ensures that essential tasks are captured accurately and addressed promptly, enhancing operational efficiency. "This is something that would have changed my life as a store manager a few decades ago," says Rosen.

"Just this week, I was shopping at one of the leading retail chains and witnessed a floor walk, or what we used to call, a mule train taking place. As brilliant as these store managers were, they each had a thick notebook filled with copious notes, all needing to be actioned no doubt. This is just one of the many pain points are solving with ConnectRetail."

The platform also excels in sentiment analysis, using AI to interpret reports across hundreds of stores. This feature provides retailers with easy-to-digest snapshot summaries, enabling quick insights into store-based feedback. By analysing data and obtaining sentiment, ConnectRetail helps store managers identify trends and areas for improvement, fostering a more responsive and adaptive business environment.

In addition to these AI-driven tools, ConnectRetail includes comprehensive communication channels, robust task management, quick tasks and self-assessment modules. The platform's knowledge base supports continuous learning, while its analytics and reporting capabilities empower retailers and head office with actionable insights. “ConnectRetail seamlessly aligns entire retail networks, driving efficiency and ensuring every store delivers optimal in-store execution”, says Warren Canning, head of Technology for ConnectGroup. “ What gets measured gets done, and what gets tracked gets improved.”

In today's ever-technology enhanced retail landscape, ConnectRetail stands out as an essential tool for retailers seeking to enhance efficiency and improve communication between head office and store managers. For more information, visit ConnectGroup's website.