7-Eleven

7-Eleven

Industry
Retail
Use Case
CXOperationsProduct Development
Technology
Big DataGenerative AI
Date
April 9, 2024

7-Eleven Embraces AI to Transform Convenience Retail Operations

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7-Eleven is revolutionizing its global convenience store network by harnessing AI and Big Data. This tech-driven transformation aims to elevate store operations, personalize customer interactions, and accelerate product innovation across its worldwide locations.

Executive Summary

  • 7-Eleven is leading the charge in AI adoption, revolutionizing customer interaction, store management, and product development.
  • The company has made remarkable strides with cutting-edge innovations like digital shelves, AI-powered customer service, and generative AI for product design.
  • This bold embrace of technology has dramatically slashed product planning time and operational costs, positioning 7-Eleven at the forefront of retail innovation.

Problem

7-Eleven faced significant challenges in modernizing its retail operations and enhancing customer experiences. The company struggled with inefficient product information delivery, limited real-time operational insights for store managers, and a slow, resource-intensive product development process. These issues hindered personalization efforts and diminished customer engagement. To address these problems, 7-Eleven implemented AI-driven solutions. Digital shelves with motion-sensing cameras were deployed to tackle the lack of immediate product information for customers browsing alcoholic beverages. An AI FC mobile app was developed to resolve the information gap for store managers and staff who needed instant operational insights. Generative AI was introduced to overhaul the lengthy product development cycle, leveraging data from store sales, customer feedback, and social media trends to generate new product ideas more efficiently. These strategic AI implementations aim to resolve 7-Eleven's operational inefficiencies while creating a more responsive and personalized shopping environment.

Solution

7-Eleven's LDCC store in Seoul showcases groundbreaking digital shelves equipped with state-of-the-art motion-sensing cameras. These intelligent shelves detect customer movements and instantly display detailed product information, enhancing the shopping experience while gathering crucial consumer behavior data. The company's AI FC mobile app, set to fully launch in the second quarter, revolutionizes store management by enabling real-time communication between staff and management systems. This powerful tool streamlines operations, boosts efficiency, and reduces employee workload. In Japan, 7-Eleven's generative AI system is redefining product development. By analyzing vast amounts of data from store sales, consumer feedback, and social media, this AI powerhouse autonomously generates innovative product ideas, slashing development time by up to 90% and ensuring new offerings resonate with current market trends and consumer demands.

Impact

7-Eleven's bold AI integration has yielded remarkable results. The implementation of digital shelves and AI-driven customer service features has led to an astounding 90% reduction in product planning time. These innovations have significantly enhanced customer engagement and satisfaction through real-time interactions and personalized product information. The accelerated product development process, powered by generative AI, has positioned 7-Eleven at the forefront of market trends, enabling rapid adaptation to changing consumer preferences and fostering an unprecedented rate of product innovation.

Change Management

7-Eleven's ambitious AI integration journey has encountered and overcome significant challenges. The company successfully navigated the complex task of integrating advanced AI systems with existing IT infrastructure, demonstrating exceptional technical prowess. 7-Eleven implemented comprehensive training programs to ensure smooth employee transition from traditional methods to cutting-edge, technology-driven processes. The company also addressed privacy concerns head-on, implementing robust safeguards to maintain customer trust while harnessing the full potential of AI-driven customer interaction monitoring.

Roadmap

7-Eleven is poised to push the boundaries of retail innovation even further. The company's forward-thinking roadmap includes enhancing existing AI systems and exploring groundbreaking concepts such as unmanned stores and robot delivery systems. 7-Eleven's unwavering commitment to leveraging AI aims not only to maximize operational efficiency but also to create unparalleled, personalized shopping experiences and drive global expansion through innovative retail solutions.

Publications:

Robot deliveries, unmanned 7-Eleven store at retail innovation hub

7-Eleven Is Letting AI Develop Its New Products

7-Eleven Japan to use generative AI to speed production planning

7-Eleven will let AI create new products

7-Eleven embraces advanced AI technology for store operations