Screenshot 2024-07-30 at 07.14.08

- 15:08 min

Interview

or listen on

The Power of Integrated Data for better Customer Experience

Paula Macaggi interviews Toru Koyama, the Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer of H2O Retailing Group, a major player in Japan’s retail industry. H2O Retailing Group is renowned for having the first-ever integration of a department store and railway terminals by the historic Hankyu Department Store in Osaka. This store first opened in 1929, underwent extensive renovations, and reopened in 2012, focusing on enhancing customer experience and value.

Today, the group has not only department stores but also supermarkets and shopping centers. Koyama, who joined the group in 2021, has been at the forefront of steering the company’s digital and IT strategies to meet the evolving needs of modern consumers.

During the interview, Koyama delves into the challenges and opportunities of leading digital transformation in a retail group with over 25,000 employees. He highlights the company’s commitment to becoming a “communication retailer,” aiming to establish direct and meaningful interactions with customers. This vision is part of H2O Retailing’s broader strategy to integrate customer data across all its retail formats creating a unified customer experience. Koyama emphasizes the importance of understanding customer behavior and preferences, which has been crucial during the pandemic as consumer habits shifted significantly.

Koyama also discusses the group’s ambitious plans to enhance its IT and digital infrastructure. By 2030, H2O Retailing aims to have 10 million active customers, leveraging a comprehensive customer database to offer personalized services and experiences. This initiative involves significant investment in customer data infrastructure, security, and governance systems. The group’s efforts are already showing results, with 80% of the infrastructure development completed. Koyama believes that a robust digital foundation will not only improve customer satisfaction but also open up new revenue streams, such as retail media.

A key takeaway from the interview is the emphasis on collaboration within the retail industry to drive innovation and efficiency. Koyama advocates for sharing non-competitive platforms and standardizing technology across the sector. This approach, he argues, will help retailers better serve customers and adapt to the rapidly changing retail landscape. Koyama’s insights provide a valuable perspective on the future of retail in Japan, highlighting the critical role of digital transformation in enhancing customer relationships and driving business growth.

Listen more

Interview

Inside Westwing’s Turnaround: The Decisions That Changed Everything

At the center of this transformation sits an unusual balance of rigor and creativity. Hoerning often describes it as the tension between data and intuition.

At the center of this transformation sits an unusual balance of rigor and creativity. Hoerning often describes it as the tension between data and intuition.

Interview

At the center of this transformation sits an unusual balance of rigor and creativity. Hoerning often describes it as the tension between data and intuition.

Inside Westwing’s Turnaround: The Decisions That Changed Everything

At the center of this transformation sits an unusual balance of rigor and creativity. Hoerning often describes it as the tension between data and intuition.

Trends

The Rise of Brand Memberships and the Future of Customer Loyalty

Brand memberships are having a moment in retail, and it is not a passing one. Across fashion, beauty, grocery, and home, brands are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs built on points and discounts and instead creating paid or value-based memberships that promise access, belonging, and emotional connection.

Brand memberships are having a moment in retail, and it is not a passing one. Across fashion, beauty, grocery, and home, brands are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs built on points and discounts and instead creating paid or value-based memberships that promise access, belonging, and emotional connection.

Trends

Brand memberships are having a moment in retail, and it is not a passing one. Across fashion, beauty, grocery, and home, brands are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs built on points and discounts and instead creating paid or value-based memberships that promise access, belonging, and emotional connection.

The Rise of Brand Memberships and the Future of Customer Loyalty

Brand memberships are having a moment in retail, and it is not a passing one. Across fashion, beauty, grocery, and home, brands are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs built on points and discounts and instead creating paid or value-based memberships that promise access, belonging, and emotional connection.

Interview

Leading With Craft: Jonathan Adler’s Next Chapter

Eight weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, Mary Beth Sheridan is already clear on what matters. Craftsmanship, customer connection, and emotional resonance are not marketing language for the brand, they are the foundation.

Eight weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, Mary Beth Sheridan is already clear on what matters. Craftsmanship, customer connection, and emotional resonance are not marketing language for the brand, they are the foundation.

Interview

Eight weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, Mary Beth Sheridan is already clear on what matters. Craftsmanship, customer connection, and emotional resonance are not marketing language for the brand, they are the foundation.

Leading With Craft: Jonathan Adler’s Next Chapter

Eight weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, Mary Beth Sheridan is already clear on what matters. Craftsmanship, customer connection, and emotional resonance are not marketing language for the brand, they are the foundation.

Retail Intelligence in Action

Black Friday Performance Data Explained. What Actually Drove Growth This Year

Across Ometria’s client base, Black Friday revenue grew 15 percent year on year, with orders, average order value, and basket size all increasing.

Across Ometria’s client base, Black Friday revenue grew 15 percent year on year, with orders, average order value, and basket size all increasing.

Retail Intelligence in Action

Across Ometria’s client base, Black Friday revenue grew 15 percent year on year, with orders, average order value, and basket size all increasing.

Black Friday Performance Data Explained. What Actually Drove Growth This Year

Across Ometria’s client base, Black Friday revenue grew 15 percent year on year, with orders, average order value, and basket size all increasing.

Interview

Why Retail Media Is Entering Its Most Transformative Phase

For years, retailers operated with managed service models that limited transparency and slowed execution. Now, brands want direct control, real-time measurement, and unified planning across media formats.

For years, retailers operated with managed service models that limited transparency and slowed execution. Now, brands want direct control, real-time measurement, and unified planning across media formats.

Interview

For years, retailers operated with managed service models that limited transparency and slowed execution. Now, brands want direct control, real-time measurement, and unified planning across media formats.

Why Retail Media Is Entering Its Most Transformative Phase

For years, retailers operated with managed service models that limited transparency and slowed execution. Now, brands want direct control, real-time measurement, and unified planning across media formats.

Receive new exclusive episodes


Sign up for our newsletter now!

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

3rd Party Cookies

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.