What Keeps Retailers Up at Night

At the Digiday Retail Summit in Laguna Beach this week, several buzzwords were frequently on the lips of retailers and brands here: “omni-channel,” “multi-channel” and, of course, “real time” among them.

Execs convened in California to discuss how they are all adapting to effectively reach their consumers through new and constantly changing digital channels. Digiday asked brands and retailers in attendance about what are some of the biggest challenges. One main theme that emerged is agility and a need to sort through the confusion that results from a constantly changing business environment.

“We look at digital as a disruptive force that also poses a great opportunity,” said Dustee Jenkins, vp of public relations, Target, summing the sentiment up for many.

Keep reading for more responses from execs at brands like Kia, Jenn-Air and others below.

George Haynes, social & digital media manager, Kia Motors America
The sheer magnitude and speed of digital – creative, timing, tech, software architecture, social, mobile, device proliferation, integration, media, experiences and so on – is extremely challenging to manage especially while trying to maintain organizational readiness and remaining digitally athletic.

Brian Maynard, director of marketing, Jenn-Air
We have two biggest challenges. The first is the age-old problem of understanding what digital marketing tools best fit our challenges. While this is exciting, I get hit up more than 25 times a day from an agency willing to solve my problems, real or perceived. The second is that we are a very highly considered luxury purchase, and many of the solutions are a one-size-fits-all solution. With limited resources, it’s a challenge to sort through the best fit.

Dustee Jenkins, vp of public relations, Target
Our guests’ constant access to content increases their demand for real-time news and information, which offers Target an opportunity to turn our content into great stories. The challenge is being nimble in our approach. We’re engaging more actively with social media channels, bloggers and influencers to create a true dialogue. Looking ahead, we know the digital space is constantly evolving and we must look for new ways to innovate to stay relevant to our guests.

Michael Chao, director, social and mobile engagement, C Wonder
From a social standpoint, we are really great at creating campaigns that are innovative and engaging, but getting exponential growth in scale of participation is challenging for a younger brand that isn’t yet widely known.

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