12 - 13 February, 2019 | Rydges Sydney Airport, Sydney, NSW

Conference Day One: 12th February 2019

8:30 am - 9:10 am COFFEE & REGISTRATION

9:10 am - 9:20 am Conference Opening – Remarks from the Conference Chairperson

9:20 am - 10:00 am Authentic Placemaking and Creating Enduring Value for Communities, Partners and Clients in an Era of Pervasive Disruption

QICGRE owns and manages a $20 billion portfolio of retail and commercial properties across Australia and the US and is in the midst of a multi-billion dollar asset creation program.  In an era of pervasive disruption, Kate will unpack the approach QICGRE is taking.
 
In This Session…
·         Unleashing the power of authentic place making and creating enduring value for communities, partners and clients
·          Producing places that express the essence of the communities they serve, increasing visitation and dwell times and activating spaces beyond traditional concepts of retail
·         Working with retail partners to co-create experiential destinations, and putting local communities at the heart of decision-making
Kate Casserly, National Retail Design Manager at QIC

Kate Casserly

National Retail Design Manager
QIC

10:00 am - 10:40 am How Honey Birdette is Creating the Ultimate Boutique Experience Online and Instores

Honey Birdette boutiques are flirty, playful and unapologetically sensual, with lush décor and champagne served to guests. Their “honeys” also play a big part in completing the unique and personalised service that add to the store experience. They have also expanded massively online with an ecommerce platform that aims to enhance this. With a substantial footprint in Australia, UK and US, Honey Birdette continues to expand with new stores with unique designs and a massive focus on digital presence.

In this Session…
  • Developing a vision that aligns with the targeted market’s expectations to ensure brand loyalty
  • Producing and instore strategy of design and personalisation to entice customers
  • Driving a customer driven seamless cross channel experience
Eloise Monaghan, Managing Director at Honey Birdette

Eloise Monaghan

Managing Director
Honey Birdette

10:40 am - 11:10 am SPEED NETWORKING

11:10 am - 11:40 am MORNING TEA

11:40 am - 12:20 pm Intelligent Stores: The Integration of Mixed Reality to Provide a Seamless and Engaging Experience

Physical retail stores are here to stay but only if they can keep up with changing demands and create experiences that can surprise and delight customers. The role of technology needs to support this rather than implemented with no customer focus. It has the potential of creating more convenience and a shopping trip more immersive.

In this Session…
  • Using technology to lower checkout friction and create ease
  • Identifying your target audience and knowing their technology preferences
  • Elevating customer experience and deepening the relationship to increase loyalty

Gareth Jude

Former Retail Industry Executive
Former Telstra

12:20 pm - 1:00 pm Big Firsts for a Small Business: How The Party People Keep Innovating in the Retail World

The Party People business was named 2018 Online Retailer of the Year and also Independent Retailer of the Year,
demonstrating their massive success despite only having two bricks and mortar stores. They give their customers what they want before they even know when they want it, giving them a sharp competitive edge. An recent example of this is their use of checkout free technology in stores.

In this Session…
 Exploring wins and challenges in being
early adopters
 Implementing new technology to give a superior customer experience
 Adapting to the constantly changing retail market and staying ahead of the curve for competitive advantage
 Utisiling the omnichannel strategy to drive sales and growth
Dean Salakas, Chief Party Dude at The Party People

Dean Salakas

Chief Party Dude
The Party People

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm LUNCH BREAK

2:00 pm - 2:40 pm How David Jones is Reinventing the Department Store Concept

David Jones is undertaking a $200m refurbishment of its Sydney CBD Elizabeth St store which will transform its flagship into one of the world's most glamorous department stores. They are looking to create a world-class shopping destination by bringing the best brands and experiences together in one store across six key worlds and creating a truly unique shopper experience which is an Australian first.

In this Session…
  • Developing a more experience based customer journey
  • Utilising architectural aspects to reinforce consumer engagement
  • Creating new retail formats and focusing on future developments
Nicholas Criticos, Head of Store Design at David Jones

Nicholas Criticos

Head of Store Design
David Jones

2:40 pm - 3:20 pm Big Lives Brings Big Experiences to Retail

Big Lives’ mission is to cultivate emerging designers in new markets through highly curated retail experiences. Our core believe is that the future of retail is about crafting experiential moments that transmit designer narrative in a meaningful way, and inspire customers to be a part of a brand’s story. This focus on human connection and relationship translates into a powerful way to drive long-term sales and brand differentiation in a competitive retail environment.

In this Session…
  • Glimpse an innovative approach to customer experience and experiencebased retail
  • Understand the ROI potential on client experience / clienteling and learn about specific strategies to enhancing relationship-based skills in retail teams
  • Envision an embodiment of the perfect experiential retail moment for your brand/customer
Samantha Alston, Founder at Big Lives

Samantha Alston

Founder
Big Lives

3:20 pm - 3:50 pm AFTERNOON TEA

3:50 pm - 4:30 pm How Service NSW is Achieving a 99% Satisfaction Rating Through a Digital Store Transformation

In early 2019 Service NSW will open the doors on a new retail concept store in Woy Woy. In developing the store concept Service NSW considered new CX design principles. The store will be cashless and will test new technology products.
 
In this Session…
·         Encouraging customers back in stores with 800 interactions at the site each week
·         Delivering a revolutionary customer service which compliments other service centres
·         Creating a seamless journey and providing a variety of options for customers to transact
·         Catering to local needs now and in the future through listening to customer feedback
Kristie Clarke, Director Channel Planning, Release Management and Registry Network at Service NSW

Kristie Clarke

Director Channel Planning, Release Management and Registry Network
Service NSW

Champagne Roundtable

This is your chance to make your conference experience truly interactive and collaborative. Each IDG is set in a roundtable format and will be facilitated by an expert practitioner in the space. In two rotations, each IDG will last for 30 minutes, allowing you to pick the two top of minds topics you wish to discuss and solve.

Roundtable A

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Using In Store Advantages to Engage Customers

Roundtable B

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Defining Store Design Aspects to Drive Traffic

Roundtable C

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Assessing Store Strategy to Determine Future Relevance

5:30 pm - 5:40 pm Conference Closing – Remarks from the Conference Chairperson

5:40 pm - 5:40 pm Networking Drinks