Discover what’s at the heart of the connected customer

Retail’s biggest answers

O2, in partnership with Retail Economics, are now pleased to present our new research report looking at what makes people buy. The Big Ask is about understanding why your customers come to your brand ahead of the competition, and what makes them stay.

This research represents a significant step forward for retail. The Big Ask is the first full-scale, head-to-toe examination of who the connected customer really is, and what it means for the way all of us do business.
Richard Lim, CEO – Retail Economics

The report is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how retail customers have changed – and what comes next. It details the whole customer journey from both sides of the till, from when customers first become aware of brands to the experience they want from retailers post-sale.

To access the report, simply fill in your details on the form opposite.

Read The Big Ask report

Fill in your details to download the research report.

* Required fields

Privacy policy

After submitting this form, we'll contact you with further details about the event. Your details will also be added to our business marketing database and you may be contacted by email or phone about O2 services. You can opt-out of receiving communications at any time by visiting our Preference Centre. Our Privacy Policy.

The Big Ask top five insights

Our joint report with Retail Economics revealed lots of great nuggets into how customer behaviour has changed over the past few years – including the 2020 pandemic. So, we’ve picked our top five most interesting and delved a little deeper. To see what changes retailers could make to improve their customers’ experiences. And how our connectivity could help.

Starting with the foundations

Our report found that some customers become frustrated if they can’t connect to the internet while in-store. Reliable connectivity is important, as it helps create more joined-up experiences for shoppers. Plus, it can help keep them safe with real-time social distancing guidance.

Keeping everything secure

Our research found that around half of customers now spend more time shopping online than they did this time last year. But with cyber attacks becoming more and more sophisticated, retailers need to demonstrate that they’re keeping your customers and their data safe. Find out how a secure network can help.

Making sure employees can tap into it all

Nearly half of customers surveyed say their long-term shopping habits have changed since the start of the pandemic. Which means your teams need to change as well in order to keep up. See how you can remove the obstacles in the way to creating perfect customer experiences.

The changing role of the store

With more people shopping online, stores now have to work harder to encourage potential customers to visit. Whether that’s trying new ways of getting them through the doors or making it easy to find what they’re looking for once inside. Have a look and see how we could help.

How to meet your customers’ needs, fast

With online shopping, it’s never been easier for customers to pick and choose exactly what they want, from whoever they want. Our report found that if retailers can make one or two changes to their online deliveries, customers are much more willing to part with their hard-earned cash. Follow the journey of one customer’s bedding set to see how O2 tech could help.

What's round the corner?

Take a peek at the first insights from The Big Ask research

The cross-channel conundrum

As traditional media has been overtaken by digital alternatives, so has the traditional shopping experience. While both the in-store experience and the online journey remain crucial to retailers’ success, managing the crossover between the two has become a new and equally relevant battleground.

In this article, we talk about how different audiences have adapted to the wealth of channel options available, and how you can create more seamless, inter-channel brand engagements.

Unlocking growth

What does the ubiquity of mobile connectivity and digital access to services mean for your growth? It could mean an impossible race to meet ever-increasing customer expectations. But it could also represent the biggest opportunity for your business, to make deeper, cross-channel engagements and drive long-term loyalty.

This article discusses the changing priorities of the connected retail customer, and how you can adapt your digital offerings to this shifting market.

The physical paradox

Did you know that, although some audiences spend a lot of their spare time online, our research shows they still value going into a physical retail location? Maybe even more so than others?

This article explains the interlinked relationship between digital and in-store retail experiences, from the importance of connectedness with brands online, and researching products, to the likelihood of your customers returning to physical stores after lockdown.

Constantly Connected

Today, there's an ever-growing population of consumers that have been online their whole lives. They're natives to digital technology, which may explain why they feel more comfortable than others with browsing through the online marketplace. However, did you know that doesn't necessarily translate into how important it is to be connected to brands online?

This article identifies and explains which customers appreciate connectedness most, and why retailers should arm themselves with the insight to differentiate themselves.

Talk to us

Let us know what you think. If you’ve got a question about the research, or an idea for how the findings could be relevant for your business, we’d love to hear from you.

0800 955 5590