Latest news with #consumerexperience


Trade Arabia
6 days ago
- Business
- Trade Arabia
New Balance opens its first retail concept in Manama
New Balance has announced the opening of its first retail location at The Avenues mall in Manama, Bahrain. The fresh retail concept is built to put people, not products, at the centre of consumer experience. Designed around central seating gestures, the store aims to encourage customers to convene, draw inspiration from each other, and find their authentic style. The concept will include an edited assortment of merchandise as well as visual storytelling to accompany select products, highlighting the makers and origins behind them, illuminating New Balance at the intersection of sport and culture. The selection of footwear and apparel will be curated so both an elite athlete and a fashion influencer can each envision their next great moment, side by side. 'Bahrain is an exciting and important market for New Balance as we continue to grow our presence across the Middle East, North Africa and India regions. Entering a new market is a reflection of the brand's commitment to making premium performance and lifestyle products more accessible to our communities across the region. We see incredible passion for sport and self-expression in Manama, and we're proud to create a space that not only brings our innovative product offering to the region, but also inspires movement, creativity, and individuality in every customer who walks through our doors.' said Stuart Henwood, Senior Director – Middle East, Africa and India at New Balance.


Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Future Of Digital Experiences
The Future Of Digital Experiences We are on the brink of a digital revolution in consumer experiences. A convergence of multiple forces is compelling organizations to innovate in this area: Today, we are already witnessing the gradual integration of multiple interaction modes into interfaces, including touch, text, voice, haptics, and gestures. Apps now allow users to use voice commands to ask questions, research products and services, and make payments. Virtual assistants use augmented reality to offer virtual try-ons. Smartwatches use haptic feedback to alert users or share health metrics. In the future, organizations will leverage AI to further reduce friction in human-computer interactions. AI-powered interfaces, such as chatbots and virtual agents, will actively observe, seek information, learn, and communicate with consumers. This will allow organizations to better understand consumer intent and emotions and generate responses that use appropriate tone, emotion, visual elements, and more. In the short term, conversational interfaces will make digital experiences more natural, intuitive, and accessible. In the longer term, the internet of senses, computer vision, extended reality, and edge AI will create more perceptive and immersive experiences by tracking eye movement, expressions, and gestures and blending multisensory experiences to incorporate touch, taste, and smell. Over the next decade, emerging technologies will enhance consumer understanding, boost automation, and accelerate the orchestration and delivery of digital experiences. By gaining deeper consumer insights, organizations will be able to: As market offerings expand, technologies mature, and consumers increasingly adopt new types of digital experiences, Forrester expects that digital experiences will evolve through three phases. These phases will not occur in strict sequential order; instead, they are interrelated and mutually reinforcing, building upon each other: Human-centered & Empowering By delivering assistive, anticipatory, and agentic experiences, businesses will be able to create a future where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives, empowering consumers in unprecedented ways. Brand trust, shaped by the brand promise but also the quality of past interactions, will determine how much data consumers are willing to share for personalized experiences. Additionally, trust in the technology itself, scenarios, and perceived levels of risk will influence the degree of autonomy granted to AI agents and the breadth of service or advice provided. The pace of change is accelerating — but the fundamentals remain the same. As organizations prepare for the future of experiences, it's crucial to remember that brand and customer experience are the powerhouse duo driving growth. Register to attend Forrester CX Summit EMEA in June, explore the full agenda for the event here. This post was written by Principal Analyst Aurelie L'Hostis and it originally appeared here.