Our ways of working
Our principles may seem simple, but they are powerful and will deliver the right results.
After all, retail is a simple business that is often overcomplicated.
Detail
We have an obsessive focus on detail.
We aim to delight every single client and offer fresh and unique perspectives on your challenges.
Truth be told
This is crucial. We don’t sugar coat; we can’t afford to.
We lift rocks, we visit stores, we observe and capture what we see. We challenge and agitate to provide the unvarnished truth.
Curation
Our images are everything.
We have a library of over 250,000 and we curate the very best examples and insight for you.
Back to basics
We don’t provide complex frameworks, methodologies or algorithms.
We focus on the basics when we visit stores, and relentlessly question both why we see things and the impact of what we see on the customer.
Always another way
There is always another way.
There is always an example, somewhere, of something that we can suggest to improve your business.
Trusted
We are trusted to visit stores and provide an objective view of what we have seen.
We then feed this into our wider perspectives and thoughts on the retailer.
Working Together
Excited by what you have read so far?
Intrigued as to how we convert images and observations into a tangible product (or three)?
Our core offerings are below but we’re not confined by this; bespoke requests are welcome too.
Insight on demand
Our research store features reports from supermarkets we have visited around the world, best practice from seasonal events, and industry trends.
Advisory and guidance
Benefit from our trusted, balanced, and honest perspectives on your business, the market, best practice, wider market trends, and anything and everything in between.
Insight by email
Our email service features exclusive in-depth insight and analysis from across the retail space.
We feature reports from our store visits, analysis of the latest trends, and a focus on retailers’ financial reporting throughout the year.
Solving retail problems
Work with us to solve your problems.
We have a defined process that we use to decipher the challenge and work together on solutions using our vast archive of ideas and imagery.
Tailored and bespoke
Do you need something on a larger scale, something more regular, or some additional expertise?
Are you new to your role and need an honest perspective?
Do you have an obscure challenge or request and are unsure who to turn to?
We can help.
Our portals
We have a huge image database, featuring hundreds of thousands of images, all beautifully organised and curated.
Alongside this we have our insight platform, which offers weekly updates on wider areas of retail on a fully-customised basis.
Entirely in line with your requirements and internal categorisation.
Testimonials
I have known of Steve and his work for a number of years and I found his observations to be of great benefit when driving change, wanting evidence-based perspective to drive improvements and remind our internal teams of the ‘reality’ that customers can face in store.
Since moving to the US, I have maintained an interest in Steve’s observations and his way of working translated seamlessly to visiting stores in the US and providing his expertise on best practice and guidance for senior executives.
Mark Ibbotson – Asda COO, Walmart EVP Central Ops and Realty (2013-2020)
Your integrity and honesty was deeply appreciated by me and the entire Tesco team.
Dave Lewis, former CEO of Tesco
Working with Steve definitely made Walmart better.
Greg Foran, former CEO of Walmart US
