Music plays a pivotal role in the retail customer experience as well as retailer's success.

As Ola Sars, CEO of Soundtrack Technologies, shares with Judy Mottl, editor of Retail Customer Experience, in this episode of the CX Innovators podcast, music has become a CX strategy that can drive customer loyalty as well as revenue.

Sars was a co-founder and COO of Beats Music, a subscription streaming service acquired by Apple in 2014 in a $3 billion dollar deal and which eventually transformed into Apple Music.

The Stockholm-based serial music tech entrepreneur is a 2024 Billboard International Power Player. Initially developed in a joint effort with Spotify, Soundtrack serves over 80,000 businesses across 74 countries with a music catalog of more than 100 million tracks available for commercial use.

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In this episode of the CX Innovators podcast Judy Mottl, editor of Retail Customer Experience, talks with Dr. Steven Stovall, Ph.D., associate professor of management at Southeast Missouri State University, on how the Gen Z consumer is impacting the retail customer experience strategy.

Stovall is former corporate executive who managed a global sales team overseeing $7.5 billion in annual revenue and has continued his entrepreneurial pursuits, starting a restaurant, an antique resale business and a hops farm. His unique combination of academic expertise and real-world business ownership makes him a compelling voice on how brands can effectively navigate changing consumer values.

In this episode of the CX Innovators podcast, Chris King, CEO of Monster Mini Golf; shares insight on how the indoor family entertainment brand fulfills its 'philosophy of fun' and why it's the center piece of the brand's customer experience strategy.

Monster Mini Golf is an indoor family entertainment brand with 30-plus franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada. The entertainment centers offer an 18-hole custom designed blacklight mini golf course, state-of-the-art arcade, party and event rooms with optional laser maze, laser tag, bowling and virtual reality experiences.

Subscribe to Networld Media Group's YouTube channel to keep up with the latest CX Innovators podcasts. You can also find all RetailCustomerExperience.com podcasts here as well.

In this episode of the CX Innovators podcast, Marios Savvides, founder, chairman and CTO at UltronAI, offers insight on how AI and computer vision can educe retail shrink, optimize operations and improve the customer experience

Savvides is a leader in AI computer vision, having spent decades working on AI models that solve complex identification challenges. His research in facial and object recognition has been used by the U.S. government and recognized by major global institutions. He is the founder and director of the Trustworthy AI Biometrics Center at Carnegie Mellon University and the Bossa Nova Robotics Professor of AI at Carnegie Mellon. He has authored and co-authored over 240 journal and conference publications and has an IP portfolio that includes over 70 filed patent applications with 50 issued patents.

Subscribe to Networld Media Group's YouTube channel to keep up with the latest CX Innovators podcasts. You can also find all RetailCustomerExperience.com podcasts here as well.

In this episode of the CX Innovators podcast, Nick Nickitas, general manager, local independent grocery, at Instacart, gives the scoop on Instacart's AI-powered Caper Cart innovation and all the wins the smart cart technology provides to shoppers, grocers, retailers and brands. Caper Carts are equipped with cameras, sensors and a built-in scale, which work together with an Edge AI system to automatically recognize items as they are placed in the cart. Once added, shoppers are able to watch their running cost total — similar to an online shopping cart. The carts feature an interactive screen that tracks spending, provides access to deals and offers product recommendations based on the customer's location in the store and the cart's contents. Integrated with loyalty programs, Caper Carts allow customers to access personalized promotions and rewards throughout their shopping.

In this episode of the CX Innovators podcast, Chris Gillen, CEO and co-owner of A Closer Look, shares insight with RetailCustomerExperience.com editor Judy Mottl on how brands can drive strong customer loyalty through great experiences rather than discounts and sales.

A Closer Look helps companies create the kind of connections with customers that last longer than a promotional offer. For more than 25 years, A Closer Look has worked with brands that want to truly understand their customer experience and fix the problems that hurt loyalty and profits. It does this by combining customer feedback with detailed analysis to help brands build stronger relationships with their customers. Subscribe to Networld Media Group's YouTube channel to keep up with the latest CX Innovators podcasts. You can also find all RetailCustomerExperience.com podcasts here as well.

In the latest episode of the CX Innovators podcast, Batteries Plus COO Jon Sica shares insight with RetailCustomerExperience.com editor Judy Mottl about the brand's strong growth and customer experience strategy.

Sica joined Batteries Plus just about six years ago as the chief strategy and development officer, then moved into the role of chief business officer and became COO in early 2024. He leads a powerhouse team that includes the chief franchising officer, chief information officer, chief technology officer and chief growth officer.

Batteries Plus achieved a 23.7% year-over-year increase in total systemwide commercial sales for October 2024 and franchise commercial sales grew by 24.4%, setting a new all-time monthly record. October's systemwide commercial sales marked nearly 20% growth year-over-year. Its franchise network that has reached over 800 store locations in operation and development nationwide

Subscribe to Networld Media Group's YouTube channel to keep up with the latest CX Innovators podcasts. You can also find all RetailCustomerExperience.com podcasts here as well.

In the latest episode of the CX Innovators podcast, Mike Robinson, head of retail solutions and a founding member of The Eighth Notch, Inc., board executive at Vista Outdoor and former EVP of Macys.com shares insight with RetailCustomerExperience.com editor Judy Mottl on the value of sustainability strategy and consumer trends in retail. The Eighth Notch is a technology platform focused on sustainable last-mile deliveries and founded by Jamie Sapp.