Remarkable Retail

The Customer is the Channel with guest Rob Mills, EVP, Chief Technology, Digital Commerce and Strategy Officer at Tractor Supply Company

Episode Summary

“Silos belong on farms.” - Bob Thacker, former, Sears VP Marketing We're moving on to the 3rd of the "8 Essentials of Remarkable Retail": Harmonized, which revolves around the idea that we must drop our channel-centric thinking, processes and metrics, embrace the blur that is shopping today and see the customer as the channel. "Harmonized" retail moves us beyond omni-channel. It's not about being everywhere--or simply providing a seamless experience--we have to show up in remarkable ways in those moments that matter the customer journey. When we not only resolve discordant notes, but focus on "amplifying the wow" in our customer's experience, we can orchestrate an intensely relevant and memorable set of outcomes. With our special guest, Rob Mills, part of the senior leadership team at Tractor Supply Co. we talk about the success Tractor has had defying the retail apocalypse narrative by continuing to open stores (they now have over 1,900) and delivering both legendary customer service and superior financial performance. We also dig deep into their ONETractor strategy, which is all about meeting their customer anytime, anywhere, anyway.

Episode Notes

“Silos belong on farms.”

- Bob Thacker, former, Sears VP Marketing

We're moving on to the 3rd of the "8 Essentials of Remarkable Retail": Harmonized, which revolves around the idea that we must drop our channel-centric thinking, processes and metrics, embrace the blur that is shopping today and see the customer as the channel.

"Harmonized" retail moves us beyond omni-channel. It's not about being everywhere--or simply providing a seamless experience--we have to show up in remarkable ways in those moments that matter the customer journey. When we not only resolve discordant notes, but focus on "amplifying the wow" in our customer's experience, we can orchestrate an intensely relevant and memorable set of outcomes.

With our special guest, Rob Mills, part of the senior leadership team at Tractor Supply Co. we talk about the success Tractor has had defying the retail apocalypse narrative by continuing to open stores (they now have over 1,900) and delivering both legendary customer service and superior financial performance. We also dig deep into their ONETractor strategy, which is all about meeting their customer anytime, anywhere, anyway.


A few of Steve's related Forbes articles:

Tractor Supply Proves Physical Retail is Very Different But Far From Dead.

Omnichannel is Dead: The Future is Harmonized Retail.

Curbside Enthusiasm


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Rob Mills  is the EVP, Chief Technology, Digital Commerce and Strategy Officer at Tractor Supply Company.  He is an Executive Committee member and charged with guiding the technology, digital/eCommerce and corporate strategic/ business development functions for a publicly traded, fastest growing retailer with 1900+ stores and 30K+ employees in 49 states.

Steve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his  websiteRemarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption was recently named the best retail book of all time by BookAuthority. It's available in hardcover, audiobook or as a ebook at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a  Forbes senior contributor and on  Twitter and  LinkedIn. You can check out his speaker "sizzle" reel  here.
 

Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,  The Voice of Retail, plus   Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  and  The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  You can learn more about Michael  here  or on  LinkedIn.