TDC 2025: Technology a challenge as panellists debate future disruption trends in retail

“Technology and the speed of change will be the biggest challenge in retail,” said Charlotte Bunney, Director of Customer Experience (CX) at DPD UK, in a panel debate at The Delivery Conference (TDC) 2025 in London this week that focused on future disruption in the sector and what market participants can do about it.  

”Agility will be crucial,” said Bunney, when debating how retail and logistics firms can respond to the rising tide of more complicated omnichannel e-commerce with Richard Lim, CEO at Retail Economics, who moderated the TDC 2025 debate at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, referencing his earlier survey report looking at trends in the marketplace.

Agility matters in responding to how AI will change search engine recommendations and SEO strategies, how to deal with omnichannel demands from customers, cybersecurity threats, and the other disruptive forces facing the retail industry. It means you must can train your staff faster, introduce technology systems faster, and so on.  

“The informed consumer,” is another disruptive factor on the new landscape of 21st century retailing, said fellow panellist, Jo Causon, CEO at the Institute of Customer Service. With the plethora of data about companies and their ethical stance, good or bad customer service levels, employment practices, ethics in the supply chain, and so on it is near impossible to hide your company these days.

“The authenticity of brands therefore really matters in this environment,” said Causon, as does better CX, good delivery options and returns procedures, an integrated in-store offering and so on.   

According to DPD’s Bunney: “Speed, convenience, price and other traditional retail factors still matter.” But you must be flexible and across the data as well to meet any future changes in consumer behaviour and to cope with technology trends. “Trust is crucial, especially as digital marketplaces and future e-commerce evolves," she said.

“DPD is a large business with lots of SME customers, so they look to us for support,” added Bunney. “We work on solutions together. The future is reliant on partnerships to deal with the disruptive forces impacting the sector.”   

Trump and tariffs

The logistical impact of newly elected President Trump’s promise to impose US tariffs on imports into the country, so far from Canada and China, but with many more promised, was also debated at TDC 2025.

Causon agreed “completely” that it could have a profound impact on global supply chains, “just like Covid did, Brexit and the Ukraine war has previously.” The latter in terms of energy prices, sanctions and the cost of living impacts for UK consumers and other businesses as oil prices spiked.  

“Customer satisfaction levels have been in decline in the UK too since Covid, with the sense that firms don’t have enough people gaining traction. Technology hasn’t filled the gap yet either. I’ve had a shower while waiting for a chatbot to respond! However, the tech is improving and customer service will recover," added Causon.

In the opinion of DPD’s Bunney the technology is often ready to provide assistance but customer acceptance of it isn’t necessarily there yet. When introducing new systems and procedures “getting the timing right is key”.

“As ever if you keep close to the customer and innovate for them [not just for your internal ops] then you will be OK,” said Bunney, adding that: “You must keep reviewing your strategy constantly to deal with the speed of change.”