Key technology trends for retail managers in Hong Kong

Recently Amazon launched the world’s first no-checkout grocery store, which can detect what you take off the shelves before charging you through your smartphone. Similar game-changing technology innovations are going to transform how management teams structure their workforce.

Robotic process automation has the potential to add massive value across sectors. Circle K Europe, previously Statoil Fuel & Retail, has streamlined its finance, IT and customer service using this. The robots have changed the way the company structures and allocates work, allowing it to focus on improvement initiatives.

By automating routine tasks, employees have more time to focus on the more interesting and challenging parts of their jobs. This creates more satisfied employees and improves customer experience.

With the help of robotic process automation, retail management teams are improving customer service, reducing processing times and making themselves more attractive as employers.

Similarly, mobile payments are a tool that management can use to simplify its services, which improves both the work environment and the customer experience.

To date, Hong Kong has been slow off the mark on this front. While Apple Pay has been available here for almost six months, it has not radically changed payment habits – even though the city led the way with the Octopus card in 1997 and has 13 licences granted for e-payment services. Especially compared to mainland China, which is leading the world in this area, there is a lot of scope for expansion in Hong Kong.