UK’s Top Retailers Are Reimagining Customer Interaction in 2026
On a warm June morning atop Soho House’s rooftop in London, a group of retail leaders gathered for something rare in today’s calendar; a conversation that wasn’t about selling, but sharing.
The Retail Executive Roundtable, powered by jrni, brought together senior leaders from beloved brands like Wickes, CHANEL, John Lewis, L’Occitane, Halfords, B&Q, and more to exchange ideas over strong coffee and stronger insights.
Here’s what we learned about what’s keeping CX leaders up at night; and where they’re finding real traction.
Session 1: Creating Magic – The Power of ‘Magic Moments’ in Retail
Once upon a time, exclusivity in retail meant price tags and velvet ropes. But the conversation made one thing clear: in 2025, exclusivity isn’t about what you can’t afford; it’s about how well a brand knows you.
Luxury brands like Chanel are setting the tone with activations that trade opulence for intimacy; think masterclasses with makeup artists and inclusive pop-up shops that bring their brand to new audiences like students and young professionals.
Meanwhile, Wickes is finding new ways to create high-touch, highly personalized experiences for their three core audiences; trade, retail, and showroom; using quizzes and inspiration boards to guide customers from exploration to design consultation with ease.
The takeaway? “Magic” moments aren’t accidental; they’re engineered. Through staff empowerment, smart segmentation, and unified customer intelligence, brands are creating experiences that feel personal, intentional, and delightfully unexpected.
Session 2: The Personal Touch – Driving Dwell Time Through Relevance
Our second session zoomed in on what “relevance” looks like in practice. Because as many attendees put it, loyalty isn’t bought; it’s earned through attention to detail.
We heard how:
- John Lewis is crafting respectful, value-aligned follow-up experiences post-appointment, aligned to wishlist preferences; never spammy.
- Halfords is elevating the in-store queue into a hospitality moment, complete with dedicated waiting zones and coffee for customers.
- B&Q is rethinking appointment slot flexibility to better serve DIYers on the go.
The clear throughline? Time is a currency; and customers are paying attention to how brands spend it. When experiences are tailored, flexible, and considerate, customers stay longer, engage more deeply, and come back more often.
"Exclusivity isn’t about what you can’t afford; it’s about how well a brand knows you."
AI’s Role: Human-First, Not Human-Replacing
Every conversation circled back to the very large elephant in every strategy room right now: AI.
The room was aligned; AI is here to stay. But for these brands, AI is not a replacement for service; it’s a reinforcement of it.
What they’re excited about:
- Visual product search and inspiration boards
- Virtual consultations and appointment optimization
- Real-time store analytics, like in-store heatmaps
- Complete webpage personalization to fine-tune web journeys
What they’re cautious about:
- Losing emotional nuance in customer service
- Over-automating without clear value to the customer
- AI that feels “too robotic” or transactional
There’s an emerging consensus that AI should handle the admin so humans can deliver the magic.
Pop-Ups: The CX and Brand Swiss Army Knife
One of the most energizing discussions focused on the strategic power of pop-up experiences.
More than just a trend, pop-ups are becoming a strategic tool for:
- Repositioning or reintroducing a brand to a new audience
- Localizing loyalty campaigns
- Creating event-driven referral moments
Brands like Chanel are already using them to bring luxury into unexpected places; but every brand in the room agreed: location, intentionality, and follow-up matter.
Final Thought: The New Loyalty Equation
Across every session, one idea kept resurfacing:
“Exclusivity isn’t about how much you spend. It’s about how much you care.”
That care is expressed in lifecycle interactions: remembering a birthday, tailoring a queue experience, or enabling a self-booked appointment that works for the customer’s schedule.
With platforms like jrni, that kind of care becomes operationally scalable; turning every appointment, queue, and event into a measurable loyalty moment.
Want to join the next roundtable?
We’re taking this conversation global. Let us know if you’d like to attend a future jrni Retail Executive Exchange; or if you’re curious how brands are connecting digital and in-person journeys more effectively than ever.