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Scala, BT partner for customer engagement technologies

Global telecom BT and digital signage technology provider Scala will work together for digital solutions that can be tailored to the needs of industries that rely on in-store interactions with their customers, such as retailers, retail banking, automotive showrooms, restaurants and hotels.

February 19, 2015

Global telecom BT and digital signage technology provider Scala today announced they will work together on a global scale to supply digital solutions.

These solutions can be tailored to the needs of industry sectors that rely on in-store interactions with their customers, such as retailers, retail banking, automotive showrooms, restaurants and hotels, the announcement said. The combined solutions are designed to provide a deeper, richer, more engaging and personalized experience for customers in-store, according to the announcement.

"Retailers today understand that many customers are doing research online prior to entering a store to make a purchase. The challenge for retailers is to provide the same level of customer experience in the store as the consumer is finding online," Scala CEO Tom Nix said in the announcement. "The same is true for retail banking, restaurants and hotels. Scala selected BT as its global provider for immersive intelligent digital experience because of its global networking capabilities and its deep expertise in the retail industry. BT is already a provider of Scala-based solutions supporting customers world-wide and delivers innovation and rich content services, from media production through to fully managed multinational end-to-end support, in various sectors all around the world."

BT and Scala will provide digital solutions that enable the deployment of consistent content and messaging to "digital touchpoints" in stores ranging from a tablet in the hands of sales associates/bank tellers to multiple screen video walls. By integrating into existing customer relationship management systems, the content delivered through the digital touchpoints can be dynamically changed, updated and personalized.

"Businesses are continually looking for ways to enhance the customer experience, drive loyalty and increase sales," said Hubertus von Roenne, vice president, global industry practices, BT. "Research shows that digital technologies influence 36 percent or $1.1 trillion of in-store sales[1]. Successful retailers must therefore blend digital and physical worlds so that customers have the same amazing experience however and wherever they shop. From intelligent fitting rooms to digital displays where the content is triggered and personalized by age, race and gender, there is a lot to choose and it is a real challenge for businesses to choose the right technology, make everything work seamlessly as they expand worldwide."

[1] "The New Digital Divide: Retailers, shoppers and the digital influence factor", Deloitte Digital, 2014