Consumer markets

Retail

Master digital innovation: Transform customer experiences in retail

Reimagining retail begins with focusing on the customer — with insight into their behavior and spending shift patterns. At PwC, we empower you to enhance these insights with AI-driven personalization, crafting compelling shopping experiences that captivate today’s consumers.

Revamping your in-store technology is crucial as customers blend their online and in-store shopping habits. With 46% of consumers valuing the ability to see and touch products, and 40% appreciating the immediacy of in-store purchases, physical locations remain key to product discovery and purchasing decisions. Rethinking in-store experiences and workforce strategies is vital to align with these behaviors, boost customer satisfaction and keep operations agile in response to shifting market dynamics.

Take action to refine your margins through more advanced pricing strategies using AI and enhanced supply chain efficiency — key steps to safeguarding your competitive edge. Additionally, investing in cloud technology and ERP upgrades can help establish the infrastructure needed for enhanced operational planning and seamless integration across systems.

Put these strategies to work to help your retail business adapt swiftly and stay competitive. 

Embrace the future of retail >

Hospitality and leisure

Deliver memorable guest experiences while staying resilient

Leading in hospitality means constantly evolving with consumer preferences and consistently elevating the guest experience. Integrating AI and digital contact solutions (like chatbots and digital concierge services) into your operations is key as guests increasingly demand personalized and seamless interactions. This technology helps customize services and improve operational efficiency, enabling you to better predict and meet guest needs.

Amid economic uncertainties, your strategic agility and foresight are important. Focusing on efficient resource management and innovative guest offerings helps your business maintain stability and grow, even with market fluctuations.

Workforce trends are also reshaping the industry. The sector employs about 17 million people, over 10% of the American workforce. Investing in fulfilling work environments and providing growth opportunities is important for attracting and retaining top talent. Transforming back-office operations also helps support your staff in their roles, streamlining tasks that are crucial for day-to-day operations.

For those managing franchise operations, implementing streamlined billing processes is essential. They promote consistency and transparency across locations, simplifying operations and enhancing franchisee satisfaction.

Embrace these strategies to keep your hospitality business agile, innovative and competitive in today’s evolving market.

Upgrade your hospitality operations >

Travel, transportation and logistics

Chart your course: Streamline and innovate in global transport

Airlines: You are at the forefront of tackling fluctuating fuel costs and stringent regulatory demands by leveraging data analytics and sustainable aviation fuels. This proactive approach helps enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency and can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. In the era of AI, embracing advanced technology to streamline operations and run a smarter operation is imperative for maintaining a competitive edge as customer expectations for personalized travel continue to rise.

Courier and delivery services: You are navigating the complexities of last-mile delivery amid escalating consumer expectations. Innovations like route optimization and real-time tracking are fundamental to managing costs effectively and enhancing service delivery within the e-commerce boom. Your strategic focus on these areas is crucial for sustaining service excellence and profitability.

Rail operators: You face the dual challenges of aging infrastructure and intense intermodal competition. Investing in ecosystems and modernizing your infrastructure are essential steps to enhance intermodal transport solutions and leverage public-private partnerships. These investments are key to improving efficiency and expanding your market share in a rapidly evolving transportation landscape.

Travel and tourism: You are innovating and competing fiercely to secure customer relationships. There’s a growing need to offer personalized experiences and adopt eco-friendly tourism practices. Supported by targeted digital marketing strategies, these initiatives are essential to attract and retain tourists and help your sector thrive in the new normal.

Trucking: You are contending with driver shortages and high fuel costs, both of which critically impact profitability. The industry is experiencing significant fragmentation and consolidation, requiring strategic moves like investing in autonomous vehicles and enhancing supply chain visibility. Unified digital platforms are essential for boosting intermodal coordination and achieving operational efficiency.

Vehicle rental: You are focused on digital transformation to elevate operational efficiency and customer experiences. Optimizing fleet utilization and exploring emerging markets are key strategies. Additionally, preparing for the integration of autonomous vehicles will position your company as a leader in the evolving automotive rental landscape.

PwC can help you navigate regulations, shifting markets and data-driven decisions to confidently choose your next steps in the travel, transportation and logistics sector.

Elevate your operations and build effective ecosystems >

Restaurants, wholesale and agriculture 

Cultivate lasting growth: Reinvent your business and meet the future

Restaurants: As cost pressures impact consumer traffic and food prices, restaurant competition continues to evolve. GLP-1 weight loss drug users, for example, report an 11% reduction in food purchases, especially in indulgent categories like high-calorie snacks and alcohol, indicating a shift in consumer eating habits.

This change presents an opportunity for restaurants to adjust their menus to include more low-calorie, nutrient-rich options — in line with the Trump administration’s push for improved food standards. Partnering with health organizations to certify these healthy choices could further attract health-conscious diners. Beyond the menu, value creation opportunities span the entire enterprise, from enhancing operational efficiency to boosting customer engagement through advanced technology.

• Enterprise: Drive growth by optimizing your business portfolio, scaling operations and expanding into new regional or global markets.

• Restaurant profitability and ROI: Rethink your menu offerings, streamline operations, optimize costs of goods sold (COGS) and refine construction methodologies to improve returns.

• Customer: Use advanced technology (like AI) to improve the customer experience, strengthen brand loyalty and differentiate your brand.

• Tech: Cut labor and operational costs, accelerate service delivery and efficiently scale your technology deployment.

Wholesale: The wholesale food sector demands strategic focus on growth, cost management and navigating complex market dynamics. Consider expansion through acquisitions or streamlining through divestitures. Strategic investments in technology are crucial for refining pricing strategies and optimizing logistics, keeping your business competitive.

Agriculture: Your agriculture business faces the dual challenges of meeting regulatory demands and consumer expectations. Enhancing manufacturing and supply chain efficiency, driving innovation and improving traceability and compliance is critical for success. It’s essential to maintain high quality and adhere to ESG standards, while strategic partnerships can optimize your product offerings for specific markets.

At PwC, we use our industry knowledge and strategic insights to collaborate with businesses like yours. We’re dedicated to helping you develop effective strategies and build capabilities to achieve sustained growth and navigate future challenges with confidence.