9:30 am | Breakout Session

The State of the Internet of Things (IoT)

According to IDC and Intel, there are projected to be 200 billion — yes, billion — internet-enabled devices by 2020, which equates to about 26 smart objects per person globally. Connected devices, smartwatches, virtual assistants, sensors…we’ll discuss the intersection of CX and IoT, where we are now and what’s on the horizon.

Panelists:
• Briton Smetzer | Vice President of IT Operations | Fuzzy’s Taco Shop
• Paula Suarez | VP of IT and Development | Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants
• Ashish Tajpuria | SVP, Head of Emerging Payments & Commerce Partnerships | Bank of America

Moderator:
• Ken Hosac | VP, Business Development | Cradlepoint

9:30 am | Breakout Session

Don’t Just Build a Store, Build an Experience

There are plenty of restaurants and stores that fulfill their purpose, but unless you create an experience, the store just becomes another face in the crowd. This session will talk about moving from the simply transactional to the experiential. Once you do this, you create a shareable experience and rise above the price-only factor.

Panelists:
• David Kepron | VP – Global Design Strategies | Marriott International
• Ken Nisch | Chairman | JGA
• Lee Summers | Chief Executive Officer | Reflect

Moderator:
• Christopher Hall | Managing Director | ICX Association

11:00 am | Breakout Session

CX ROI: Measuring Customer Experience

There is an adage, “if you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” So how can we measure an experience? We’ll talk about moving from gut feelings to metrics, benchmarks and tools you can use to determine if your experience is hitting the mark or falling below your bottom line.

Panelists:
• Kris Bartel | VP of QSR + Strategy | ZIVELO
• Matt Marotta | Manager, Digital Media Services | Six Flags
• Albert Vita | Director, Strategy & Insights | The Home Depot

Moderator:
• Raj Maini | Worldwide Director of Marketing, Visual Retail | Intel Corporation

11:00 am | Breakout Session

Data Analytics & Personalization: Those Who Know Me Win My Business

In the online world, Amazon was one of the pioneers in using data based on customers’ searches and purchases. Significant amounts of data also can be collected in store and used to know your customers, provide relevant offers and anticipate their needs and wants, perhaps even before they know they have them.

Panelists:
• Eric Schongalla | Manager, Retail Systems | Carhartt
• Roger Starkweather| SVP Sales & Experiences | OpenEye Global

Moderator:
• Chris Devlin| Director of Sales | Omnivex Corporation

1:00 pm | Breakout Session

Customer and Employee Adoption: Getting Buy-In

You and your team have spent countless hours developing an amazing in-store digital experience. That’s all well and good, but if your customers don’t use it or don’t notice it or if your employees don’t embrace it, all that work is for naught. As important as it is to have a great technology strategy, you also need a strategy to ensure adoption. We’ll hear from a panel of experts who have been there and done that and have the battle scars to prove it.

Panelists:
• Anna Duffy | Marketing Strategist | Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
• Rick Moreno | SVP, Innovation & Distribution | Little Caesars
• Richard Schneider | COO, Sportservice | Delaware North

Moderator:
• Kent Savage | Founder & CEO | Apex Supply Chain Technologies

1:00 pm | Breakout Session

Customer-Facing Robots

The idea of robots has fascinated the public since they were dreamed up by science fiction writers decades ago. Today, science fiction is fast becoming reality. From Pepper, the human-like robot, to Lowe’s “LoweBot,” it’s becoming increasingly likely you’ll see a robot at a store near you. While existing online, chatbots are going mainstream. Of course the mention of robots and automation cause concern over the loss of jobs. Are robots ready for prime time? Is the public ready to accept them?

Panelists:
• David DiMeo | Co-founder | Robo Retail
• Sarah Furnari | VP, Retail Experience | BEHR
• Ken Moy | VP – Subway Digital | Subway

Moderator:
• Kass Dawson | Head of Marketing and Communications | SoftBank Robotics

2:30 pm | Breakout Session

Designing the Store with Digital in Mind

There are many reasons for incorporating digital into the store: Digital can add excitement, create action and movement in the space, and be refreshed often to reflect the latest brand messaging. Some companies are now viewing stores at the physical manifestation of their e-commerce business. We’ll discuss integrating digital into the store design without overwhelming it, as well as future proofing technology decisions.

Panelists:
• Brandon Elliott | Sr. Director, Digital Products | HMSHost
• Scott Emmons | Head of the Innovation Lab | Neiman Marcus
• Phillip Raub | Founder/CMO | b8ta

Moderator:
• Richard Ventura | VP, Business Development & Solutions | NEC Display Solutions of America

2:30 pm | Breakout Session

Your Venue as the Community Gathering Place

People once gathered around the fire; now they gather around the bright lights of display screens. Not everyone who walks into an Apple store buys something, but the foot traffic the store creates is enviable and ultimately leads to sales. Is your venue a destination? If not, we’ll examine what companies like Apple and Whole Foods can teach us about connecting with the community and drawing people in.

Panelists:
• Paul Blackburn | Vice President, Concept Design, Construction & Merchandising | L’OCCITANE en Provence
• Andrew Winninger | Business Development Manager | Capital One

Moderator:
• Tobi Schneidler | CEO | Bouncepad

4:00 pm | Breakout Session

Using Storytelling to Create Memorable Experiences and Increase Profits

A good story captivates us like nothing else. But what does that look like in a brick-and-mortar retail world? We have a tendency to give people the facts about our products and services without trying to capture their hearts and imaginations. We use logic. But is it logical to pay $5 for a cup of coffee? No, but we buy into the brand story and rationalize it. Learn how you can create a profitable narrative in your own brick-and-mortar space.

Panelists:
• Jaime Bettencourt | SVP of Premier Sales & Account Management | Mood Media
• Christiana DiMattesa | Senior Retail Marketing Manager | Under Armour
• Ed King | VP of Strategy | MaxMedia

Moderator:
• David Drain | Senior VP of Events | Networld Media Group

4:00 pm | Breakout Session

Build a Loyalty Program that Actually Creates Loyalty

The best rewards programs are the ones that actually impact loyalty rather than simply giving products away or discounts to customers who otherwise wouldn’t come back. Ultimately, your loyalty program has to add value — to the customer and to the company’s bottom line. Customers are members of dozens of programs, but only active in a few. Simple wins the day. So what technologies can you implement to make your rewards program the one they keep?

Panelists:
• Michael Erdman | IT Director – eCommerce & Digital Marketing Technology | Brinker International
• Douglas Kwong | Digital Director | Cicis Pizza
• Kevin Lee | CEO | Sushiyaa

Moderator:
• Mark Brooks | National Sales Manager, Food Service Solutions | Panasonic

8:00 am | Breakout Session

Mobile Ordering and Gratification

Speed and convenience are two primary reasons consumers increasingly choose mobile ordering. Retailers, restaurants and other merchants are overcoming early hiccups and learning the key elements of a program that delights, rather than disappoints, customers. This panel will discuss building a great customer experience, with world-beating UX, timely mobile messaging, great physical signage, efficient and accurate fulfillment, and accurate reporting to deliver on the promise nationwide. Current consumer trends point toward mobile ordering with same day local service as the most significant growth driver of the retail economy.

Panelists:
• Rohit Kapoor | VP of IT | Pizza Hut International
• Ken Moy | VP – Subway Digital | Subway
• Dennis Schleicher | Customer Experience Design | Kohl’s

Moderator:
• Sean Moran | Chief Revenue Officer | Curbside

8:00 am | Breakout Session

Adding Up the Total Cost of Ownership

ICX technology can be no small investment. In doing your due diligence, you should not only consider the cost to implement, but the ongoing costs as well. The lowest price on the surface may not be the lowest price in the end. We’ll discuss ROI/TCO calculators as well as how to select the right products, solutions and partners that will pay off for years to come.

Panelists:
• Jordan Fraser | Dir. of Business Development, GameStop TV | GameStop
• Chris Lydle | Global Lead of Digital Signage and Kiosk | Google
• Aaron Pompey | Director, Digital Consultancy and Marketing | AOPEN

Moderator:
• Jeff Martin | President & CEO | Right Media Solutions

9:30 am | Breakout Session

Activating our Senses using Neuroscience: How music & digital engagement light up our brains

Neuroscience tools allow us to capture and measure someone’s immediate reaction to digital signage, and other immersive experiences. We are able to collect information about their emotional engagement, including measuring the impact of activating the senses (things like sight, sound, scent).

Prior research has shown associations of things like music on consumer behavior, but we wanted to see how our brains responded to each sense. Learn insights from Marketing Brainology’s latest Neuroscience study to see how our brains respond to the digital world. We will share best practices in creating true immersive experiences that engage consumers and grow emotional connection. Our panel will highlight various parts of this unique study; and how companies can also incorporate key learnings.

Panelists:
• Michelle Adams | Founder | Marketing Brainology
• Tamara Deike | Vice President of Global Brand Development | Imagesound Group
• David Kepron | VP – Global Design Strategies | Marriott International

Moderator:
• Roberta Perry | Vice President Business Development | Fresh Juice Global

9:30 am | Breakout Session

Virtual and Augmented Reality – Even Better Than the Real Thing?

Virtual reality devices such as Oculus Rift have the potential to take immersive experiences to an all-new level, while augmented reality is perhaps VR’s more practical cousin. In this session, we’ll look at examples of retailers who are using these technologies to create engagement and drive sales.

Panelists:
• Steve Chen | Managing Director| Float Hybrid Entertainment
• Alan Hughes | Founder / Chief Creative Officer | NEXT/NOW

Moderator:
• Brandon Elliott | Sr. Director, Digital Products | HMSHost