Shikatani Lacroix Design (SLD) was invited to speak at the ebankIT Summit in Portugal on the future of seamless advice and its impact on customer loyalty in the banking sector. The presentation was based on a consumer study with a detailed comparison of the banking industry in North America and the EU/UK. It revealed nuanced […]
The Future of Seamless Banking and Financial Advice: EU/UK vs. North America Read More »
Starting a business is like building a house – there are some fundamentals you must get right to ensure it stays standing and provides a foundation for the future. From building a business case to naming and branding, this toolkit will help entrepreneurs and indie brands build a solid foundation. This easy-to-follow worksheet will help
Indie Brand Launch Kit: How to Set Your Brand Up for Success Read More »
In the world of brand strategy, there are norms in each category that are considered to be the wisdom of the day. These rules are in flux, responding to changing market dynamics and consumer expectations, but it is uncommon for brands to deviate from norms. Occasionally, however, someone decides to go against the flow. In
Breaking Category Norms: 6 Brands That Went Against The Flow Read More »
The pandemic deprived many of engaging in physical experiences for too long, driving a heightened need for customers to connect with live people and physical experiences. However, this hunger highlighted the importance of brands in delivering a high level of service and overall positive customer expectations. A key challenge in meeting these needs is the
How do you meet the needs and aspirations of your customers? How do you differentiate your brand to start successfully selling products and services? It’s best to start by determining your company’s needs and priorities. Many brands fail to define their value proposition, even though it may appear obvious to some. A positioning process can
How To Define Your Company’s Value Proposition (With Free Guide) Read More »
This three-part blog series on the future of the store focuses on insights from the Future Stores Conference in Seattle, Washington. In the first two parts, we discussed the changing role of retail and how retailers need to shift from focusing on the consumers to front-line associates. The third and final section will focus on how brands
Part 3: The Future of the Store Read More »
This three-part blog series focuses on insights from the Future Stores Conference in Seattle, Washington. Part 1 of The Future of the Store discussed the renewed value of brick and mortar locations as part of retail’s growth strategy, as well as the importance of tailoring the store experience to the given trade area while creating a strong
Part 2: The Future of the Store Read More »
After over two years since the last live gathering of senior retail executives in operations, design, digital, and technology, this year’s Future Stores Conference took place in Seattle, Washington, on July 14 and 15. The seminar explored various topics and opportunities in retail and featured sessions on how leading retailers integrate a hybrid approach to their in-store
Part 1: The Future of the Store Read More »
One of the most promising strategies for established CPG brands attempting to grow their direct-to-consumer online business is in giftables. M&Ms started the trend many years ago when they offered consumers the chance to personalize their classic candies: bridal showers, weddings and baby showers in the early 2000s just didn’t seem complete without a tulle-wrapped
CPG Brand Gifts that Drive Direct-To-Consumer Growth Read More »
The customer journey is closer to becoming seamless with the convergence of brand focus on UX, omnichannel, and overall shopping experience. However, much will change as a new sales channel emerges with the advent of the metaverse and augmented reality. What seems like a novel platform gained momentum with the recent announcement that Apple’s creation
Creating the Right Omni-Channel Experience Journey in a Metaverse World Read More »
The pharmaceutical retail industry and their traditional service design have been met with a number of disruptions – from the COVID-19 pandemic plateauing retail sales to the uprise in digital pharmacy companies. Digital start-ups like Pillway and Capsule are providing prescription drug fulfillment deliveries, Direct-To-Consumer brands like Persona Nutrition and Ritual are supplying vitamins, and
Service Design for Pharmacies Read More »
As electric vehicles slowly overtake the roads, EV charging stations will become a must-have for gas stations. If you need to install specialized electric vehicle charging points on your premises, you will ideally need some electric parking bay markings from https://evchargingbaymarkings.co.uk/ to help identify the areas. Even though the infrastructural demands, market uncertainty and regional
How will EV charging transform fuel retail? Read More »
The globe is being disrupted due to the rapid transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, retailers and financial institutions have initiated social distancing strategies to minimize the spread of the virus. These initiatives include marking safe distances within waiting queues, limiting the number of customers in the store, adding plexiglass screens to separate staff
Strategies for Retail Banks Amidst COVID-19 Read More »
Purchase behaviors are often recurring in nature and performed in specific places. Over time repetitive buying behaviors are less driven by goals and intentions leading us to develop purchase habits. When habits have been formed, environmental cues can activate practiced responses in the absence of conscious decision-making. Purchase decisions can also be influenced by elements better
How to Strategically Design Purchase Drivers Read More »
The new year ushers in a need to confirm and reassess an organization’s business plan to determine how to reach their overall goals. While these key success factors in business are commonplace, business leaders often take for granted some of the basic things found within them, such as the difference between strategies and their supporting tactics. We
The Differences Between Strategies and Tactics Read More »
Is your delivery process enhancing feelings of excitement or is it making customers feel worried, frustrated and/or upset? How and when products are received has a strong impact on the overall experience a customer has with your brand. An order that arrives late or damaged, is incorrect, goes missing or stolen, or is handled by
The Future of Shipping and Delivery Read More »
Part of SLD’s team recently had the opportunity to attend a Capital Markets workshop hosted by CIBC. The event focused on the current global economic cycle and discussed whether a new financial crisis could be on the horizon. CIBC’s top analysts also provided great insights and trends on the Merge & Acquisitions market. Here are our
Highlights from CIBC’s Capital Markets Workshop Read More »
The companies that truly succeed are those that get off the “follow the leader tread mill” and focus on what truly is relevant to their customers. It’s not about omni-channel or what you think you know. It’s about the insights your customers are not telling you. Those deep emotional needs that current companies are not
Does Your Brand Have A Lasting Legacy? Read More »
In the last decade, an ever-increasing share of the consumer market has been moving online. Although e-commerce sales have yet to eclipse brick-and-mortar retail transactions, the integration of young millennials and Gen X consumers into the market has pushed the trend further into the digital world. While many core marketing principles still remain the same in the
Marketing in an E-Commerce Era Read More »
