Despite retail sales hitting a record $6 trillion in 2018 (outperforming the 2007 pre-recession high of $4.4 trillion), certain trends, like store closures, are continuing to rise. For example, a staggering 5,994 stores closed in the first three months of 2019, exceeding the 5,864 that closed over the entire course of 2018. Two key shifts taking place in retail are inextricably linked: The first is technology; the second is consumer behavior. This is creating a chasm between those who are thriving and those who are, to put it simply, not thriving at all.

The themes at the 2019 Customer Relationship Marketing Conference (CRMC) in Chicago last week, where I had the pleasure of attending and representing Acxiom with several other of my Retail Industry friends, were familiar to marketers striving to succeed in this rapidly changing Retail environment. As you might expect, the need to use better and more robust types of data more wisely to deliver personalized experiences for consumers was at the top of the list.

Maintaining lasting relationships with customers is—and always has been—a priority for retailers. But with ever increasing points of connectivity, customers have greater control over which brands they engage with and how they interact with them.

From CRMC, how Lovesac and Sweaty Betty are meeting their marketing challenges

For 26 years, CRMC has continued to deliver as the premier CRM event of the year. This year, with loyalty marketing at the forefront, we got to experience once more the resounding impact of this intimate event. As the expo booths begin to come down, we can take a beat before the next stop of the conference season.

As we approach the end of the first half of 2019, data & personalization have emerged as two central themes in the retail world. That’s why it’s no surprise that the recent Customer Relationship Management Conference (CRMC) was centered around these ideas and their connection to loyalty.

In today’s retail landscape, every brand is facing some type of competition. Whether you’re faced with the pressure of non-traditional retailers and direct to consumer brands or decreasing engagement in loyalty programs, it’s the perfect time to re-evaluate your marketing strategy before the holiday season.

Another CRMC (The Customer Relationship Management Conference) has come and gone. And once again, it did not disappoint.

We heard some incredible insights from top retail executives. There were ample networking opportunities and unique entertainment options at night.

As one of the premier events targeting the customer loyalty and CRM industry, I would highly recommend CRMC for anyone in retail marketing.

It was difficult to pick just a few of the best experiences to talk about, but here is my recap of CRMC 2019 in case you missed it.

The CRMC has earned its reputation as the No. 1 networking event for retail marketers.

With nearly 200 retailers scheduled to attend, CRMC 2019 will bring together the top minds in customer engagement, loyalty, and CRM.

The retail calendar has flipped to June and the peak holiday season is still several months away.

With over 750 peers expected to attend, we’ll all have our fair share of workshops, 1:1 meetings, dinners, and cocktail receptions to attend, but here are five things not to miss at CRMC 2019.

In episode 162 of Total Retail Talks, recorded at the Customer Relationship Management Conference (CRMC) in Chicago, Kate O'Shaughnessy Jung, director of loyalty, mobile and partnerships, and Tony Zubek, manager, credit, loyalty and mobile, both of Express, discuss how the fashion retailer has revamped its loyalty program though the use of customer data.

Loyalty programs used to be simple. But consumers today expect far more from companies to gain their loyalty over the long term.

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As just about every retail executive will attest, the past few years (ok, the past many years) have been, let’s say … trying.

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Julie Roy, vice president, CRM, digital and marketing analytics, DSW, discusses the relaunch of the footwear retailer's loyalty program.

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Scott Emmons, head of innovation lab, Neiman Marcus, details how the upscale department store chain is leveraging technology across sales channels to improve customers’ experiences.

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Kent Zimmerman, vice president of digital at Shoe Carnival, discusses how the family footwear retailer is using customer data to personalize marketing communications, helping to drive conversions and, ultimately, loyalty.

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Jonathan Wardman, vice president, customer platforms, and Danelle Williams, senior director, global loyalty platform, both of Hilton Worldwide, discuss how data and technology are being used to future-proof its continued success.

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Danielle Fewtrell, Director of CRM, and Rachel Waldstein, Senior Manager of CRM strategy, both of Wolverine Worldwide, detail how data (customer, product, competitor) is used to power the company's CRM system.

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The educational programs at IRCE and CRMC, both held in Chicago the first week of June, provided insights that went far beyond just the shows’ overarching topics of e-Commerce and CRM.

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Here are our top takeaways from CRMC 2018, one of the most important annual gatherings for retail CRM and loyalty marketers.

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Last week was the annual CRMC 2018 conference and I was lucky enough to attend and pulled together a list of a few of the bigger themes of the show.

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The retail marketing world keeps changing, and in order to change with it, marketers gather each year at the CRMC conference, and SPC returned for its eighth year as a Platinum-level sponsor.

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CRMC is not just any conference- it’s an experience. One thing we love about CRMC is the way they integrate themes into the conference journey and set the example by treating attendees to impactful experiences.

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While tradeshows and conferences can be a great excuse to get out of town for a few days, being able to attend an event in your own city is pretty wonderful.

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This year’s theme for CRMC was “Staying Ahead of the Curve,” which aptly describes (possibly even diagnoses) the current zeitgeist of retail. This reflects the varied range of retailers at this year’s conference and their respective point on that curve. Be they a tried and true department store like Boscov’s, a QSR with East Coast pride like Dunkin’ Brands, or a makeover favorite like Abercrombie & Fitch—each has its challenges, successes and opportunities.

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This was SPC’s 5th year sponsoring and exhibiting at the CRMC. The CRMC was attended by more than 125 well-known retail brands including Costco, Ulta, Sephora, Best Buy, Macy’s, PetSmart, TJX and Nordstrom.

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Shawn Sweeney, Vice President of Digital Experience at Starbucks, discusses how the coffee brand is using its popular mobile application to bridge customers’ online and offline experiences, creating stronger relationships and, ultimately, loyalty.

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The event, openly billed as “designed by retailers for retailers,” was a wonderful opportunity for more than retailers to share insights on their own marketing and CRM strategies and their unique challenges with like-minded peers.

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Captivating, Responsive, Multidimensional, and Collaborative.

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Keep your customers happy — it takes a tremendous amount of time and money to get their attention in the first place.

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CRMC 2017 tackled this notion of the “retail apocalypse” head on, hosting sessions on customer experience, loyalty programs, the importance of data, and more.

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