Shownotes
In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, Chris and Anne were live from eTail West in Palm Springs as they discussed:
- Carrefour signing a sweeping strategic partnership with Vusion to digitize all of its hypermarkets and supermarkets in France by 2030 (Source)
- Kohl’s rolling out its new Deal Bar concept to all 1,100+ stores nationwide (Source)
- Walmart launching Scintilla In-Store, a new real-time mobile data platform for supplier field reps (Source)
- Gap Inc. officially launching Encore, a unified cross-brand loyalty program spanning Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta (Source)
- Burger King President Tom Curtis personally fielding calls and texts from customers at his work number (Source)
There’s all that, plus mysterious ghost sightings, Thin Mints in the freezer, and a nerd laugh that Anne was not quite ready to deliver on camera.
Music by hooksounds.com
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Transcripts
This episode of The OmniTalk Retail Fast 5 is brought to you by the A and M Consumer and Retail Group.
Speaker A:The AM Consumer and Retail Group is a management consulting firm that tackles the most complex challenges and advances its clients, people and communities toward their maximum potential.
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Speaker A:That's M I R A K L.com and Corso.
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Speaker A:Visit corso.com to see Intelligent management in motion and Infios.
Speaker A:At Infios, they unite warehousing, transportation and order management into a seamless, adaptable network.
Speaker A:Infios helps you stay ahead from promise to delivery and every step in between.
Speaker A:To learn more, visit infios.com and Ocampo Capital Ocampo Capital is a venture capital firm founded by retail executives with the aim of helping early stage consumer businesses succeed through investment and operational support.
Speaker A:Learn more@ocampo capital.com and finally, Voloc Volock is a proven e grocery technology built by grocers for grocers.
Speaker A:Exactly the type of technology we like here at Omnitalk.
Speaker A:They unite proprietary software with right size automation to make same day delivery profitable.
Speaker A:To learn more, visit Veloc.com that's V E L O Q.com hello, you are
Speaker B:listening to Omnitalk's Retail Fast 5, ranked in the top 10% of all podcasts globally and currently the only retail podcast ranked in the top 100 of all business podcasts on Apple Podcasts.
Speaker B:The Retail Fast Five is the podcast that we hope makes you feel a little smarter, but most importantly a little happier each week too.
Speaker B:And the Fast 5 is just one of the many great podcasts you can find from the Omnitok Retail Podcast Network alongside our Retail Daily Minute which brings you a curated selection of the most important retail headlines every morning and our Retail Technology Spotlight series which goes deep each week on the latest retail technology trends.
Speaker B: -: Speaker B:I'm one of your hosts, Ann Mazinga
Speaker A:and I'm Chris Walton and we are
Speaker B:here on the road again bringing you some of the most important topics that are top of mind from retailers coast to coast.
Speaker B:Kicking things off this week at iTelwest in Palm Springs.
Speaker B:This has been a pretty exciting week out here at Itel West.
Speaker B:We've both been on stage already.
Speaker B:Yesterday I kicked off the keynote for the event with Walmart's EVP of fashion, Denise Incandela.
Speaker B:You wrapped up the day yesterday with Experian.
Speaker B:We have also been releasing some really incredible interviews, one on one interviews here thanks to Net Elixir with the likes of Kristen Shane at rei, Chief Merchandising Officer there, Denise and Candela, the EVP at Walmart who I mentioned.
Speaker B:And we have even more coming up today, including David's bridal CEO Kelly Cook.
Speaker B:So lots more to come.
Speaker B:Chris, what's been your like read on the vibe at Etail so far?
Speaker B:What have people been talking to you about?
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm curious.
Speaker A:Yeah, I mean we've both been so busy we haven't even really had a chance to confab about that.
Speaker A:And you know, from my perspective, like, you know, Etail seems a lot busier than it's ever been.
Speaker A:I mean the expo hall is more crowded than I can remember it.
Speaker A:The hallway leading into the expo hall is more crowded than I can remember.
Speaker A:It just seems like there's a lot more people here at this conference.
Speaker A:So this conference is kind of, kind of coming into its own is is what I would say.
Speaker A:But you know, it's definitely the other point I make.
Speaker A:It's definitely an E commerce focused conference.
Speaker A:Like you know, walk in the expo hall, it seemed like there are a lot of people doing very similar things in the E commerce space particularly.
Speaker A:So you know that was, that was, that's kind of my take on it so far.
Speaker A:But what do you think?
Speaker B:You know, I've actually been hearing more of the opposite.
Speaker B:I feel like it's been a lot of conversation about, you know, one, how people are discovering product.
Speaker B:But then like when I talked to Kristen Shane yesterday, I talked to Denise.
Speaker B:It's really about figuring out how to create an experience that once people are searching for, maybe starting their search online, really making sure that they're working on content, they're working on store formats that are consistent with the vibe that people are getting online.
Speaker B:And so to me it's been, you know, I've been hearing a lot more about like how they're trying to unify all of those experiences and, and the teams Inside of the retail organizations too, that's been another big topic that a lot of people here have been talking about is, you know, as we start to deploy AI in more of the operational functions of each of the businesses, how they're working together to kind of design this new way of working and new kind of culture to start to see the value from tools like that both in store and online.
Speaker B:So it's been a pretty, pretty exciting time so far and lots of experimentation going on.
Speaker B:So that's been my most exciting takeaway for sure.
Speaker A:Yeah, AI is literally everywhere too.
Speaker A:It's like in every.
Speaker A:I sat through a lot of sessions yesterday too, which I don't always get to do at these conferences.
Speaker A:And yeah, AI was palpable.
Speaker A:And for those watching on, for those watching on video, it looked like you had a ghost go behind you who just walked behind you there.
Speaker B:I didn't see them, so maybe it was a ghost.
Speaker A:Oh my God, it's a.
Speaker A:You've got a ghost in your hotel.
Speaker A:Literally somebody just walked behind you.
Speaker A:It was crazy.
Speaker A:All right, well, in this week's Fast 5, we've got on that note, in this week's Fast 5 we've got news on Burger King putting its president's actual phone number into customers hands.
Speaker A:Maybe I just can't see things.
Speaker A:I can't even read this.
Speaker A: g out its new deal bar to all: Speaker A:Walmart giving supplier field reps a powerful new deal.
Speaker A:Powerful new not Newell new real time store data platform.
Speaker A:And Gap Inc.
Speaker A:Launching a bold new cross brand loyalty program called Encore.
Speaker A:But we begin today with what could be big, huge retail news out of France and France.
Speaker B:Headline number one.
Speaker B: billion euros in: Speaker B:Vusion, one of our regular Omnitoch partners.
Speaker B:So excited to share this great news about this partnership.
Speaker B: and supermarkets in France by: Speaker B:The deployment covers three core technology layers.
Speaker B:The Vusion IoT infrastructure for real time price updates and light guide to pick light guided pick to light employee assistance, Edge sense, Bluetooth connected smart rails for automatic product geolocation to optimize e commerce order prep and shelf restocking and Captana AI micro cameras that continuously detect out of stocks, price discrepancies and planogram errors.
Speaker B:Carrefour will join Vision Group's international advisory board helping to define future technology standards for the sector.
Speaker B:The two companies will also co develop a quote, next retail experience center and quote focus on AI agentic commerce and in store data activation.
Speaker B:This follows Vision Group's large scale deployment with Walmart in the US making Carrefour the first major European retailer to commit to the full fusion platform at scale.
Speaker B:Chris, I have to know, what does the Carrefour Fusion partnership mean for the global trajectory of smart store technology and what should US retailers be taking away from this?
Speaker A:Oh man, that's a really great question.
Speaker A:Really heady question to start off the podcast.
Speaker A:I mean to me it shows that we are very, very close to the dream, which is why we actually started Omnitalk back in the day.
Speaker A:It was like talking about the dream of a smart store becoming a reality.
Speaker A:That's what this announcement tells me.
Speaker A:That's why we're leading with this announcement in my opinion, because it's big and the best analogy I can use to describe how I'm thinking about this is it's like a cocktail.
Speaker A:Ann, you and I like a good cocktail.
Speaker A:We know the ingredients of said cocktail.
Speaker A:We know what the ingredients are at least Walmart and care for do you know, they have a good idea of how they're going to mix the cocktail.
Speaker A:But now it's all about finding that right mixture of the cocktail for each individual retailer's tolerance because as we all know, we all have different tolerances for cocktails.
Speaker A:So with that said, I think smart stores are definitely coming.
Speaker A:This is the signal to that.
Speaker A:And setting up your operations atop a smart store platform is going to become a major point of differentiation and therefore US retailers need to be experimenting with their own version of this type of thing faster than they probably are.
Speaker A:That's my take.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I mean I think it goes back to what have we been hearing time after time from retailers.
Speaker B:It's in order to adopt any of this new technology to see the value of it, they have to focus on retail fundamentals from which to build off that build that technology off of.
Speaker B:And I think with this fusion deployment they have better inventory visibility right away.
Speaker B:It allows them to have more efficient operations processes and there then become more revenue opportunities with some of the in store media that they talked about like the shelf shelf rails from this deployment.
Speaker B:I think once that's set in motion you hopefully have more revenue then to invest in the technology that you want to roll out.
Speaker B:In other areas of the store more time, most importantly for your associates to be able to learn how to use this new technology and then you know how that will help them be more efficient and that all trickles down to, you know, how it helps the customer.
Speaker B:So I my question for us retailers is who is the next one that we're going to be able to see starting to adopt this technology store wide after Walmart.
Speaker B:What what does that look like in in the US market?
Speaker B:So I don't know if you have any bets, but.
Speaker A:No, no, no bets on.
Speaker A:No, no bets right now.
Speaker A:No bets right now.
Speaker A: s to launch a deal bar in all: Speaker A:According to Retail Dive, Kohl's last introduced the deal bar to all of its stores.
Speaker A:A front of store curated collection of Items priced under $10 including gifts, seasonal selections, everyday essentials and kids activities.
Speaker A:The concept launched in early February and has already cycled through super bowl party supplies, Valentine's Day and Easter themed merchandise with assortments refreshed throughout the year.
Speaker A:Gimme Credit Analyst.
Speaker A:Gimme Credit Analyst.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Shout out to him.
Speaker A:Evan Mann told Retail Dive the deal bar is, quote, a clever idea that might help spur some impulse buying, but I don't believe it will move the needle in any meaningful way.
Speaker A:End quote.
Speaker A:And is the Kohl's deal bar a smart value play or is it just a tired old concept with a different name from a struggling retailer?
Speaker B:Look, it's definitely not a new play, but there's a reason that we're seeing everyone from Advanced Auto Parts to Nordstrom Rack to now Kohl's putting impulse deals near the entrance.
Speaker B:It does drive sales.
Speaker B:The data supports that.
Speaker B:But is it enough sales to save the brand?
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:What I'm hopeful that this may indicate here for Kohl's is that they're starting to have a more clear point of view on what the store design will look like in future Kohl's stores where you know what the what they're going to want this to look like because if you do look at the photos like it looks clean, it looks fresh.
Speaker B:And I think that the rest of the Kohl's store could use, could use some of this inspiration.
Speaker B:So my hope is that they see the sales lift that they get from this deployment and they start to see and think about what that might mean if they start to rethink the entire store design at that point because they're losing a lot of customers to places like Walmart as We heard from Denise and Candela yesterday, and I think if Kohl's wants to steal back share, you know, they're going to have to move beyond this deal spot and really think about what the store shopping experience looks like to compete with the Walmarts that are being remodeled everywhere and really, really starting to pull their customers.
Speaker B:But what do you think?
Speaker B:I have an idea, but my guess is that.
Speaker B:That this is not going to be enough in your mind to save Kohl's.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So wait, I want to make sure.
Speaker A:So do you think it's a good move or do you think it's just like, you know, kind of.
Speaker A:You do.
Speaker A:You do.
Speaker B:So I think it's going to show a sales lift.
Speaker B:And my hope, as I said, is that, you know, this starts to prove out to Kohl's the, The need for investing in what the rest of the store experience looks like and cleaning that up so that they can compete with.
Speaker B:With people like Walmart who are redesigning stores and the store experience.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:That.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So you're right.
Speaker A:You do know what I'm going to say on this?
Speaker A:I mean, that, to me, is a big assumption if that's where it's going to lead.
Speaker A:Because if you need to do this to help design your future store, you're.
Speaker A:You're definitely struggling.
Speaker A:You know, I got to get to Kohl's to check this out, number one.
Speaker A:And, like, I'm curious, like, how it works, even with their pricing scheme.
Speaker A:Like, what is everything?
Speaker A:Originally $40, but now it's under $10 because it's 70% off.
Speaker A:Like, I can't even fathom how that works from a merchandise standpoint.
Speaker A:But the other thing about it to me is like, yeah, at the end of the day, everybody needs a seasonal position on merchandising.
Speaker A:So I guess if this is helping you to do that, Kohl's 100%, yes, do it.
Speaker A:Is it going to turn the tide, though?
Speaker A:No, because you should already be doing that.
Speaker A:That should already be in your base.
Speaker A:So I don't think.
Speaker A:I don't.
Speaker A:I don't see this as a. I don't see this as a.
Speaker A:As a sizable move in any way, shape or form.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean, I think if there it is a positive move, is it going to be a turnaround?
Speaker B:I think that's.
Speaker B:That for the.
Speaker B:All the reasons you just said we'll have yet to see.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:But it is showing some, Some momentum or some movement forward in a right direction.
Speaker B:So, yeah, it's up to the team at Kohl's to see where they, where they take it after this.
Speaker B:All right, let's move on to headline number three.
Speaker B:Walmart plans to equip supplier field reps with real time store level data via Scintilla in store.
Speaker B:According to chain storage, Walmart Data Ventures has launched Scintilla in Store, a mobile platform for supplier field representatives that unifies real time inventory data, actionable metrics, modular shelf information and supplier assigned tasks in a single app.
Speaker B: minate, which was launched in: Speaker B:Key capabilities include real time identification of items that are running low, the ability to correct inventory discrepancies from shelf quality shifts during busy periods, and planogram compliance checking, all from the field reps mobile device.
Speaker B:Future updates will include AI driven task prioritization and deeper integration across in store systems.
Speaker B:The Coca Cola company called it, quote, redefining our operations in Walmart stores.
Speaker B:End quote.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker B:Citing improved efficiency and data driven decision making.
Speaker B:Chris, what does Scintilla in Store say about Walmart's broader data strategy?
Speaker B:And should other retailers be watching this closely?
Speaker A:And to answer your question, I find this headline scintillating.
Speaker A:It is Scintilla.
Speaker A:I think it's such a smart move from Walmart.
Speaker A:It is just so, so, so sharp.
Speaker A:I mean, you look at it, labor's getting more expensive, but the suppliers are out there and they want this data, they crave this data.
Speaker A:And if something isn't right on the shelf, the suppliers are going to deploy people to fix it quickly.
Speaker A:And I can give a personal example of this, a personal anecdote.
Speaker A: Target, this was back in like: Speaker A:Do you remember Bertolli frozen meals?
Speaker A:You guys ever eat Bertoli frozen meals?
Speaker A:Well, we had this huge reset.
Speaker A:They had just launched all these new products and for whatever reason, I don't remember what it was, but we set the planogram in reverse.
Speaker A:And so like all,ousand plus stores got the planogram in reverse and there was no way for Target to fix it because the way you do your big planogram resets is you get one shot at them.
Speaker A:Otherwise the labor goes to some other planogram reset in some other part of the store throughout the year.
Speaker A:And so I said to Unilever that runs Bertoli, I was like, we're stuck.
Speaker A:We can't do anything.
Speaker A:And they're like, we're gonna fix it, we're gonna go in, we're gonna pay for it, we're gonna get it fixed because it's that important to us.
Speaker A:And so this kind of idea unlocks that on a tremendous scale.
Speaker A:So basically Walmart has just unlocked a thousand Bertoli examples and shell fixes throughout their entire organization.
Speaker A:So that tells me that Walmart is very smart about their data strategy and buying into the idea that all boats rise with the tides in this new age of commerce.
Speaker A:And this is also even, and this is crazy, this is also even before AI gets a hold of this.
Speaker A:Imagine what you can do when you unlock and share data like this and you create the tools with AI to make the process even more efficient.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Got it.
Speaker A:I love this headline.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean I think the thing, the other thing that was announced this week, Chris, that supports the, this is Walmart's 72% grocery penetration right now in the US and that what you just described is going to be so critical to them continuing on that path and making sure that they have the product when and where the customers are looking for them, when and where Walmart associates are pulling products.
Speaker B:Like if they don't have the data, they don't have the product in stock and it's not just in food.
Speaker B:I mean we, I talked to Denise in Candela yesterday and just hearing like the fashion that they're blowing through all the apparel like all of these categories within the store now having, you know, as you always say Chris, the same sheet of music to work off of and knowing exactly where, who to deploy in what sectors to fix and make sure that the product is in stock and on shelves for the growing number of Walmart customers.
Speaker B:I think like, like we've said everyone wins here.
Speaker B:Suppliers sell more things, are more efficient at Walmart.
Speaker B:They stay in stock for new and returning customers and, and contest customers at the end have continually great experiences shopping the brand.
Speaker B:So I applaud Walmart for yet another smart strategic operations move with this.
Speaker A:Yeah, the one caveat is it could unleash Pandora's box into the Walmart store.
Speaker A:Like you don't want to have all of your suppliers coming in all the time willy nilly trying to fix things and update planograms and you know, make sure everything's looking good.
Speaker A:So, so Walmart's going to have to think about that on the backside.
Speaker A:Like in terms of how do you control this, how do you put processes around it to manage it?
Speaker A:You know, does everyone get this data or do you have to buy into it to, you know, acquired it to a certain level and then get the permission to go in and take action on it?
Speaker A:Like I'm sure Coke, who you know, you cited in the headline, I'm sure they're one of the vendors that has that permission.
Speaker A:But like, you know, does, does Joe Smo almond butter brand get that same permission?
Speaker A:I don't know, but you probably do want them in there.
Speaker A:But you've got to, got to keep tight controls on that too.
Speaker A:All right, headline number four.
Speaker A:Gap Inc. Has launched Encore, a new cross brand loyalty program spanning Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:Building on a house file of nearly 40 million active members, Encore introduces three tiers.
Speaker A:Core Premier and All Access.
Speaker A:I always love its three tiers.
Speaker A:It's never like seven tiers or 13 tiers.
Speaker A:It's always three.
Speaker B:That's just your, that's the business school motto, right?
Speaker B:You always have to break things out into three.
Speaker B:It's probably coming from someone, one of your peers at your business school.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's a consultant thing.
Speaker A:You give them two options that are good and one that's horrible.
Speaker A:So that's kind of what they're doing here.
Speaker A:Probably.
Speaker A:Most likely.
Speaker A:But anyway, they're introducing three tiers with the updated earning thresholds, extended returns, birthday bonuses and new Encore Master, and a new Encore MasterCard that earns five times your points at Gap Brands and three times on eligible apparel purchases elsewhere.
Speaker A:The program leans heavily into experiential rewards as well, which means exclusive fashion drops, early access to product launches and entertainment experiences.
Speaker A: ertainment Officer In January: Speaker A:And all four brands share a single points bank, giving Gap a unified cross brand view of consumer and customer spend.
Speaker A:And what do you think of Gaps Encore launch?
Speaker A:Is this the loyalty play that finally gives the brand portfolio a genuine growth engine or is it just glossed up loyalty points?
Speaker B:I, I don't know that we will.
Speaker B:I don't know yet.
Speaker B:That's the question.
Speaker B:I do love this.
Speaker B:As a loyal Gap customer, I do love this.
Speaker B:For the points consolidation.
Speaker B:It never made sense to me that there were three different credit cards and three different loyalty programs.
Speaker B:You had Gap cash that you could use at some but you couldn't.
Speaker B:Like you're all you're all feeding into one larger Gap Inc.
Speaker B:So number one, I think that, you know, while it's just a loyalty program for now, my hope is that this means consolidation in other areas of the store and just making it one unified brand that I can shop.
Speaker B:And the credit card is another good example, like having one credit card that you can use across brands and gain five times more points.
Speaker B:Because those points really do add up and I've been using them for a long time, so I'm really excited to see them all come together.
Speaker B:I also think that it could encourage some crossover in.
Speaker B:Maybe I'm an Athleta shopper, but I've never shopped at Old Navy.
Speaker B:But now I have these points that I can use across all the labels.
Speaker B:It might prompt me to go into a store that I maybe haven't been to in a while, like an Old Navy or like a Gap.
Speaker B:So I think, you know, all boats rise, right?
Speaker B:If, if customers are keeping their money in the family, they're, they're driven to try another Gap banner instead of going to another store.
Speaker B:I think this could lead to probably some slower but some positive growth for, for Gap Inc. And that's on the, the loyalty part, the fashion tainment component.
Speaker B:I'm still kind of pausing on that one.
Speaker B:I'm going to reserve judgment until I see what really happens with the new ex Paramount woman leading that up.
Speaker B:So we'll see.
Speaker B:I'm going to reserve judgment on that.
Speaker B:But for now, I really like the combined loyalty program part of this, but how about you?
Speaker A:Yeah, I think that's a great, I think those are great points.
Speaker A:I mean, I think, you know, at the end of this is just good smart retailing, you know, and I think back to having worked at the brand too, I thought, you know, I never thought about this until you just mentioned it.
Speaker A:You know, I think, you know, if you look at Gap 20 years ago, there was, there was a good cohesion across all those brands.
Speaker A:Like, I felt like people knew that the same company was running all of them.
Speaker A:And I feel like that's kind of died off a little bit.
Speaker A:And to your point, it is a very frustrating experience to have to use different credit cards at all the different brands.
Speaker A:And, and why is that?
Speaker A:So if that's what they're going for here, I think it's a big win and it potentially does get me cross shopping more and makes it easier for me too and makes me more.
Speaker A:Have more affinity to the brand.
Speaker A:But I'm with you.
Speaker A:I'm not buying into the entertainment connection just quite yet.
Speaker A:I think there's a lot more proof that needs to be put into that pudding, so to speak, because that's just something that's really hard to scale.
Speaker A:It's really hard to make it impactful to a large degree to a large number of consumers.
Speaker A:You've got to really figure out the marketing side of that.
Speaker A:So, so I'm, I'm hesitant on that, but I think it's just, it just seems like a good, smart move.
Speaker B:All right, well, let's close it up with headline number five.
Speaker B:Burger King President Tom Curtis is taking calls and texts from customers.
Speaker B: -: Speaker B:Curtis, who Leads Burger King, U.S. and Canada, said the initiative will run intensively for two weeks with calls recorded for a marketing campaign, and then continue on a lighter schedule indefinitely with other leadership team members rotating in.
Speaker B:BK has outperformed the broader fast food sector for nine of the past 12 quarters, with US same store sales rising 2.6% in Q4.
Speaker B: en Z customers since its July: Speaker B:Curtis said the goal is to find priority areas across the restaurant experience, technology, image accuracy and marketing, and that feedback will directly inform franchisee remodel decisions and value platform adjustments.
Speaker B:Chris, this is also the A and M Put yout on the Spot question.
Speaker B:A and M wants to know when a senior executive personally fields customer complaints.
Speaker B:How do you ensure that you're both role modeling customer centricity while not overreacting to loud squeaky wheel one offs?
Speaker A:Oh, wow.
Speaker A:That's a really, that's a really thoughtful question.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I mean, having done this firsthand, like I can remember as a district manager at Target, I would oftentimes have to field customer complaints that made their way up to me.
Speaker A:And you know, sometimes you're just like, you're just listening.
Speaker A:You know, you're just listening and you can't act on everything.
Speaker A:And that's because you'll drive your teams absolutely crazy if you do that.
Speaker A:So I think, you know, my advice to Mr. Curtis would be listen, be empathetic, and then, you know, take notes and process everything that you took away from each of these phone calls and have a system for recording it and recapping it and finding the themes that matter most, and then, you know, have an outlet to discuss them with your team, too.
Speaker A:Of like, here's what I heard.
Speaker A:Do you feel like this is in line with other things you all are hearing?
Speaker A:And then it sounds like he's going to broaden this out throughout the organization, too, for further to.
Speaker A:In an attempt to put people in further connection with the customers directly, too.
Speaker A:So I think, you know, you got to design the process around it, but for both him and then for the other Burger King team members that end up doing this as well.
Speaker A:So, I mean, I just, I think it's a brilliant, brilliant move here too.
Speaker A:I mean, you get.
Speaker A:It puts you close to the customer.
Speaker A:You get the pr.
Speaker A:You also align your whole organization around the customer being important.
Speaker A:Like you can imagine.
Speaker A:You can imagine some of the execs out there fielding phone calls.
Speaker A:It's enough just to try to get them to work in stores.
Speaker A:You know, that's hard enough.
Speaker A:But to.
Speaker A:To get them fielding phone calls, like, that's a pretty bold move.
Speaker A:And so, you know, I've always said on this show that I'm a big advocate of working in the store, of working in the call centers.
Speaker A:I think those should be mandatory activities.
Speaker A:So kudos to Mr. Curtis for eating what he cooks.
Speaker A:And that's my big takeaway on this.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean, I, I agree.
Speaker B:I love the ideas.
Speaker B:The idea of executives spending more time in front of the customers or on the phone with them, I will always be a proponent of that.
Speaker B:But this is but 100% a marketing play and a really smart marketing play.
Speaker B:That's what this is more than anything else.
Speaker B:Do I think this is going to be a thing ongoing beyond two weeks from now, maybe to get a sound bite from a customer and then turn that into a campaign to say, Joe, you know, wanted more whopper sauce on the side.
Speaker B:So now we have a new product because they show that they're listening to their customers.
Speaker B:So wonderful, brilliant marketing strategy.
Speaker B:Do I think this is really the.
Speaker B:The key to executives hearing and responding to what the.
Speaker B:The actual Burger King customer thinks for an ongoing basis?
Speaker B:No, I don't.
Speaker B:I think they're going to get much more value from actually being in the stores, having executives work a shift in the store, maybe listening to a few phone calls here and there.
Speaker B:But this is 100% a really smart.
Speaker B:And when Adweek gives awards at the end of the year, this is going to be a campaign that absolutely.
Speaker B:I think customers are going to love it and they'll get more, more traffic to Burger King because of it.
Speaker B:But is this like, is this the we're listening to our customers ploy and we're going to make our, our executives listen to them?
Speaker B:No, no, no.
Speaker A:So you don't, you know, you think a year from now he's not doing this anymore.
Speaker A:That's your two weeks.
Speaker B:Now he's only doing this for two weeks and then he's going to do it on a, a random basis.
Speaker B:Like, no, this is a hundred percent.
Speaker B:You're in a two week marketing, you know, experience.
Speaker B:And then, then we're gonna figure this out.
Speaker B:Like I said, he could be in the stores.
Speaker B:That, that would be great if that comes with this.
Speaker B:I just, I don't see that happening.
Speaker A:Well, if that happens, then I hate it because then you're just, then you're just pissing me off as an employee.
Speaker A:I'm like, if you're gonna do this, stick by it, make it, make it part of the culture.
Speaker A:That's, that's my take.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:All right, hot take coming in from Anne at the end of the show.
Speaker B:All right, let's close it out and go to the lightning round.
Speaker B:Chris, first question to you.
Speaker B:Six year old Daisy Scout Pim Neal from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is likely to continue and has already set a national record by selling over 117,000 boxes of girl Scout cookies in a single season.
Speaker B:What flavor should you come across?
Speaker B:Little Pim.
Speaker B:Would you buy Little Pim?
Speaker A:Shout out to Little Pimp.
Speaker A:Is it Lil Pim like li or apostrophe?
Speaker A:L like Lil Pim.
Speaker A:Just no, just little.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Daisy Scout.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, she's, she's selling Girl Scout cookies.
Speaker A:All right, that's fine.
Speaker A:You gotta wait a few years.
Speaker A:Thin Mint and for sure the Thin Mint.
Speaker A:In fact, it's funny you should ask this question because I got a box of Thin Mints for my birthday on Sunday.
Speaker A:So yes, Thin Mints were.
Speaker A:Thin Mints are a huge win in my household.
Speaker A:I put them in the freezer, get them cold and then I eat them.
Speaker A:So good.
Speaker A:So good.
Speaker A:All right, number two, Survivor is about to enter its 50th season.
Speaker A:What's your relationship with Survivor?
Speaker A:I don't think I've ever talked to you about this.
Speaker B:I've never been a Survivor watcher.
Speaker B:I know that's sacrilege to some, but have you watched an episode very first?
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, I watched the.
Speaker A:I've never seen an episode, but it's
Speaker B:been a really long time and I mean, congratulations.
Speaker B:50 seasons is in this day and age is pretty remarkable.
Speaker B:So I guess my relationship is.
Speaker B:I'm.
Speaker B:I'm in awe of the.
Speaker B:The continuation of the series.
Speaker B:And, yeah, it's 50 seasons.
Speaker B:What show has gone that far?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:Another.
Speaker A:So does that mean they're, like, putting people through, like, survival seasons twice a year then?
Speaker A:Basically because the show's been on, like, 25 years.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Pretty impressive.
Speaker B:All right, Chris, question number three.
Speaker B:Team USA invited FBI Director Cash Patel to celebrate in their locker room following the team's historic Olympic win over Canada this past week.
Speaker B:If you were on the Team USA hockey team, which living, famous person would you have invited into the locker room for a post win celebration?
Speaker A:Oh, wow.
Speaker A:That's a.
Speaker A:So living.
Speaker A:So I think he's still alive, and he probably was there, knowing him, but Michael Ruzzion, he's got to be there, you know, from Miracle on Ice.
Speaker A:And then I'd go, herb Brooks.
Speaker A:Then I was thinking, like, herb Brooks, but he's dead.
Speaker A:So I'd go Kurt Russell for the symbolism, you know, because he played her Brooks, you know.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:In the movie.
Speaker A:So I'm kind of surprised he wasn't there.
Speaker A:Maybe he was, and we just didn't hear about it.
Speaker B:You was doing the Mick Ultra commercials on the side, so he was probably there in Milan shooting those for something else, so.
Speaker A:Oh, was he really?
Speaker A:I missed that.
Speaker A:Mick Ultra, Matt.
Speaker A:Kurt Russell shilling Milk Ultra.
Speaker A:All right, this is gonna be a good one.
Speaker A:Robert Carradine of Revenge of the Nerds fame passed away.
Speaker A:Can you give our loyal omnitok fans your best nerd laugh?
Speaker B:Oh, what does he do?
Speaker B:Like.
Speaker B:Like, some.
Speaker B:Sounds like he's, like, breathing.
Speaker B:Pretty.
Speaker A:Pretty close.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Give it a shot.
Speaker A:Pretty close.
Speaker B:No, that's enough.
Speaker B:That's all I'm giving.
Speaker A:That's all we get is one place.
Speaker B:Yeah, you're in a.
Speaker B:You can do the.
Speaker A:You're in a public place.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Hence all the.
Speaker A:All the ghosts walking behind you.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Today's podcast was produced with the help and support, of course, from Ella Sirjard.
Speaker A:Ella, come on in here.
Speaker A:What won this week for you?
Speaker A:What was the headline that caught your fancy this week?
Speaker A:I have no idea which way you're gonna go.
Speaker A:You're go bk.
Speaker A:You're.
Speaker A:Have it your way, Ella.
Speaker C:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker C:And I'm kind of hitting myself because, Ann, after hearing your points about this is a smart marketing play.
Speaker C:Like, it got me.
Speaker C:I'm out here being like, oh, Tom Curtis himself.
Speaker C:He's the winner.
Speaker C:I love how personal it is, and I would pay to Be a fly on the wall to hear all these discussions that people have.
Speaker B:You should call.
Speaker B:Four hours every day is open.
Speaker B:The hotline's open.
Speaker B:We gave you the number.
Speaker B:I report back, maybe I will.
Speaker C:You know what?
Speaker C:I don't know what I would say about Burger King now.
Speaker C:I've never had, you know, a bad experience there with my big burger, but, you know, I just think it was so nice and personal and sort of inspiring in my notes.
Speaker C:But now after hearing you, I'm like, you know, what if he's gonna stop after two weeks?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker C:Great market.
Speaker B:He's got to run a major company there.
Speaker B:Is that, you know, part of it, too?
Speaker B:So, yeah, as long as you're.
Speaker B:They're being fielded by someone.
Speaker A:Yeah, except that's first.
Speaker A:First I was thinking, like, four hours a day.
Speaker A:That's a lot.
Speaker A:But then I was like, well, you're the president of a company.
Speaker A:What other job do you really have?
Speaker A:You.
Speaker A:If you have a good team of people underneath you, you should just be out listening to the customer every single day.
Speaker A:So I was like, yeah, that's.
Speaker A:You know, maybe.
Speaker A:Maybe this could work.
Speaker A:Ella, I love the quote, too.
Speaker A:I've never had an experience with a big burger.
Speaker A:That was great.
Speaker A:What a great line.
Speaker A:Quote of the show.
Speaker A:Quote of the show to end the show.
Speaker A:All right, happy birthday today to Tia L. Leone, Mark Moses, and to Gomez Adams son.
Speaker A:For those of you that may not be familiar, Sean Asin of Goonies fame.
Speaker A:And remember, if you can only read or listen to one retail blog in the business, make it Omnitok only retail media outlet run by two former executives from a current top 10 US retailer.
Speaker A:Our Fast Five podcast is the quickest, fastest rundown of all the week's top news.
Speaker A:And our daily newsletter, the Retail Daily Minute, tells you all you need to know each day to stay on top of your game as a retail executive and also regularly feature special content that is exclusive to us and that Ann and I take pride in doing just for you.
Speaker A:Thanks as always for listening in.
Speaker A:Please remember to like and leave us a review wherever you happen to listen to your podcast or on YouTube.
Speaker A:You can follow us today by simply going to YouTube.com omnitalkretail so until next week, and on behalf of all of us here at omnitalk, on behalf of Anne, producer Ella, and myself, as always, be careful out there.