Has Customer Service Become Too Automated? Peter Cross on How Retailers Can Fix It

Half of UK consumers say customer service feels overly automated, joyless, and exhausting. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Peter Cross — consultant, speaker, and author of Start with the Customer — joins Natalie Berg to explore how retailers can bring back the human touch. Peter reminds us that "customers would rather wait for good service than get instant bad service," and reveals what leaders must do to build truly customer-obsessed, employee-centric organizations. Expect insights on: The golden rules and cardinal sins of customer service How great CX starts with company culture The danger of blind faith in technology The future of AI, empathy, and human connection in retail About Peter Cross: One of the UK's leading authorities on customer behaviour, Peter is former Customer Experience Director for John Lewis and Waitrose, and was Mary Portas' business partner for ten years. He is Vice President of the Institute of Customer Service, a global Ambassador for the Retail Trust, and Vice Chairman at the Fragrance Foundation. 📘 Learn more about Peter's book Start with the Customer

Live shopping is transforming e-commerce. It's a $120 billion global market that's expected to hit $2 trillion by 2030. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg speaks with Daniel Fisher, Head of Categories, Europe, at Whatnot - the largest live shopping platform in North America, the UK, and Europe. Every week, shoppers watch 340,000 hours of live content on Whatnot, helping sellers generate up to 4x more sales versus traditional e-commerce. It just may well be the "biggest business you've never heard of", in CEO and co-founder Grant LaFontaine's own words. In the US, Whatnot is the second most downloaded iPhone app in the shopping category, just behind Temu (it's ranked number 4 in the UK, at the time of recording). Tune in to learn how entertainment, community, and authenticity are redefining retail - and why live shopping could soon make up 20% of all online sales.

In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with global retail futurist Ariel Haroush, founder of Outform and the visionary behind Future Stores on Oxford Street. Natalie and Ariel discuss how physical retail should be reinvented for the digital age—where stores move at the speed of culture, powered by data, AI, and immersive experiences. Ariel also shares insights on brand activations like the Shein and Tesla pop-ups in the Future Stores space. Expect bold insights on experiential retail, pop-up spaces, and how technology is reshaping the way brands connect with consumers.

TikTok is reshaping how people discover, explore, and buy products — and retailers are taking note. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, host Natalie Berg speaks with Paul Mears, Group Vertical Director for Retail & E-commerce at TikTok UK, about how discovery commerce is changing the path to purchase. Together they unpack the findings from TikTok's first UK Shopping Report, discuss how entertainment and commerce are converging, and explore what brands can learn from the creators driving this new era of shopping inspiration. 🎧 Tune in to learn: How TikTok is redefining e-commerce Why discovery-led shopping is the future Which brands are doing social commerce well What retailers can do to engage the next-generation consumer 👉 For more retail insights, make sure to subscribe to the podcast! https://retaildisrupted.com 

Recorded at Manhattan Exchange 2025 in Antwerp, this episode dives into how AI is transforming retail — from search and discovery to customer service and the in-store experience. Host Natalie Berg and guest Ben Sillitoe unpack the biggest tech trends shaping retail's next chapter: agentic AI, post-purchase innovation, gamification, employee empowerment, and customer-controlled fulfilment. Expect fresh insights, real-world examples, and a glimpse into the future of how we shop. This episode is brought to you by Manhattan Associates, the global leader in supply chain and unified commerce. Ben is the Editor of Green Retail World. For more: https://greenretail.world  🎧 And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more retail insights! 

Marks & Spencer has just launched its first dedicated resale service on eBay — powered by Reskinned. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg is joined by Katharine Beacham (Head of Sustainability for Fashion, Home & Beauty, M&S), Jemma Tadd (Director of Fashion, eBay), and Matt Hanrahan (Co-Founder, Reskinned) to unpack this landmark move. 📺 This is a video episode so if you'd prefer to watch the episode, head over to the Retail Disrupted YouTube channel. There is a consensus that retailers need to make buying resale as easy as buying new. We explore this, as well as the importance of collaboration when it comes to fashion circularity. From digital product passports to evolving consumer expectations, discover how leading retailers are reshaping the future of sustainable fashion. 🛍️👗 More on the M&S x eBay store. 🎧🔥 And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more retail insights! https://retaildisrupted.com/ 

Amazon is shutting down its 19 Amazon Fresh stores in the UK — but is this a failure or part of the innovation journey? In this episode of Retail Disrupted, host and retail analyst Natalie Berg breaks down what went wrong, whether Amazon ever really intended to become a supermarket, and what this means for the future of checkout-free stores and grocery e-commerce. Expect sharp insights on retail innovation, Amazon's strategy, and the lessons for the wider grocery industry. 👉Subscribe to the podcast: https://retaildisrupted.com  👉Follow Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-berg-ba20931/  👉Follow Natalie on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nataliebergonretail 👉Follow Natalie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉Follow Natalie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliebergonretail/   

How often do you notice the background music when you're shopping? 🎶 It's not just "noise" - it can shape how long we browse, how we feel, and even how much we spend. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with Ola Sars, music tech entrepreneur and founder of Soundtrack Technologies, the world's leading B2B music streaming service. Ola's journey spans co-founding Beats Music (which became Apple Music) to building Soundtrack into a platform powering 80,000+ businesses across 74 countries. You'll discover: •    How music influences customer behavior and dwell time •    Why brands should treat music as a strategic asset, not background noise •    The role of AI in creating "sonic identities" for retailers •    Real-world examples of brands boosting sales with the right soundtrack •    The future of audio in retail and customer experience If you're curious about the intersection of retail, music, and technology, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss.

Menopause impacts 1 billion women worldwide — but retailers are still failing to meet their needs. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, host Natalie Berg speaks with Heather Jackson, CEO & co-founder of GenM, about how brands can better serve menopausal consumers. Discover how the MTick symbol is transforming the way women shop for menopause-friendly products, why this overlooked market represents a huge commercial opportunity, and what retailers must do to build trust, visibility, and loyalty. If you work in retail, marketing, or product development, this conversation will show you how to turn menopause from a taboo into an opportunity to create meaningful change for consumers. 02:52 The Birth of GenM and the MTick Symbol 05:32 Understanding this Overlooked Demographic 08:50 The Role of Retailers in Supporting Menopausal Women 11:49 Building Trust and Transparency in Menopause-Friendly Products 14:40 Partnerships and Retail Innovations 17:25 Global Expansion and Future Opportunities 👉 Listen to Retail Disrupted on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 or Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM?si=91ee924b951d4894 🌐 Learn more at: https://retaildisrupted.com 📩 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-berg-ba20931/

Big changes are happening at Matalan. The 40-year-old British fashion and homeware retailer is making major investments in its stores, products, and digital capabilities as part of a multi-year transformation programme. On this episode, Natalie is joined by Phil Hackney, Chief Operating Officer at Matalan; Katherine Davis, Chief Retail Officer at Matalan; and Martin Ward, Head of Software for the UK & Ireland at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions. The panel unpacks Matalan's strategic shifts and shares their views on wider industry trends. They explore: 02:29 Matalan's Strategic Direction and Transformation Programme 05:35 Understanding Customer Identity and Market Positioning 08:58 The Evolving Role of Bricks and Mortar Retail 11:54 The Future of Self-Checkout and Technology Integration 27:17 Empowering Frontline Staff for a Better Customer Experience 35:34 E-commerce Trends and Customer Engagement 40:27 Future Trends and Innovations in Retail 📺 Prefer to watch the conversation unfold? Check it out on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8-Mdbpn28k  This episode is brought to you by Toshiba. For more, visit https://commerce.toshiba.com