That Makes Cents: A consumer podcast

Episode 14: Season one closer

Thanks for tuning in to season one of That Makes Cents! We’ll be back early next year with new, exciting episodes for season two. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any updates. In the meantime, catch up on previous episodes, share with a friend or colleague, and connect with our host on Twitter @BobbyStephens or @DeloitteCB

Episode 13: Plugging into the future of automotive retail

How has COVID-19 changed the way we buy and sell cars? What trends are being accelerated due to new needs for social distancing and other safety measures? What impact does this have on how auto dealerships are structured? And how does this all plug into a future where virtual or contactless sales experiences are likely to become the norm? Tune in to this episode to hear from special guests Brian Benstock,general manager and vice president of the No. 1 certified Honda and Acura dealer in the world (Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura in New York); and Chris Spensley, automotive retail performance coach and leader within Deloitte’s Advisory practice. Listen now.

Episode 12: Traditions old and new: Holiday retail trends over the decades

This year marks 35 years of Deloitte’s annual holiday survey! To celebrate, we’re taking a trip down memory lane with the leaders who were at the forefront of the retail industry over the past few decades. Former Macy’s executive Peter Sachse, who led the department store in various roles from 1980 to 2007, shares his learnings and insights alongside a lineup of Deloitte leaders who tracked the trends and advised the retail industry through some of its greatest disruptions to date. Listen now.

Episode 11: The future of work: What’s in store for food retail?

Since March, many Americans have had to adjust to new working conditions and protocols, whether at an office, at home, or on the front lines of a factory or retail store. On top of that, many have navigated caring for family members and evolving school dynamics as the lines further blurred between work and home. The way we live changed in an instant, and the way we work is evolving very quickly. What does work look like today in the food retail industry, and what trends are coming…maybe sooner than we think? Hear from this episode’s guests: Mark Baum, senior vice president of industry relations and chief collaboration officer at FMI—the Food Industry Association; and Kimberly Betts, managing director in Deloitte’s Human Capital, Retail, and Consumer Products practices. Listen now.

Episode 10: From format to function: The rise of convenience

Over the past few years, we’ve seen the element of convenience become more and more important to the customer experience. As consumers demanded quicker and easier options, we’ve watched nearly every retailer adapt (or even reinvent) their business models to accommodate. Today, convenience is no longer limited to a store format, but has become a core function in both retail and industries beyond, from food to transportation to health care. Where will the demand for convenience take us from here? This episode, Bobby speaks with Art Sebastian, vice president of digital experience for Casey’s General Store; and Oliver Page, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP. Listen now.

Episode 9: Keeping up with consumer insights

In this quick-take episode, we break down Deloitte’s latest findings around consumer sentiment, behavior, and spending in the era of COVID-19, particularly as stores begin to reopen and consumers regain some confidence. Steve Rogers, leader of our Consumer Industry Center, shares key takeaways from the ongoing Global State of the Consumer survey, and Jeff Simpson, who heads up the Center for Consumer Insights at Deloitte, highlights observations gleaned from real-time US consumer spending and mobility data. Listen now.

Episode 8: Retail’s grand reopening

Is the role of the store in a consumer’s buying journey forever changed? As more states begin to lift their “safer-at-home” orders and stores begin to reopen, what should retailers be keeping top of mind, from a customer, associate, store, and operational perspective? Hear from Jean-Emmanuel Biondi, Deloitte principal and one of the authors of Deloitte’s "Post-COVID strategies for retailers: Reopening stores" playbook. Listen now.

Episode 7: An economist’s quick take on COVID-19 impacts

In this special-edition episode, Deloitte’s managing director for Economics, Dr. Patricia Buckley, walks us through the best and worst possible case scenarios for the coming months. Though the current situation is vastly different from previous financial recessions, what lessons from the past can we apply to help navigate the waters ahead? What changes might we see in consumer spending? Listen now.

Episode 6: Let’s get digital: Defining times for the consumer products (CP) industry

From the dot-com crash to the recession of 2008, history has shown us that times of disruption often accelerate the gap between successful digitally focused companies and those who lack clear direction. Learn more on this episode featuring Steve Salzinger, digital adviser to two prominent private equity firms; and Kevin Rose, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP, focused on the consumer products industry. Listen now.

Episode 5: Fresh tech for fresher food

This episode of our That Makes Cents podcast was recorded before the COVID-19 outbreak, but the conversation around improving supply chain efficiency, understanding consumer expectations around online grocery, and reducing fresh food waste seem even more relevant today. Tune in to hear from this episode’s guests: Mike Balint, director of fresh flow supply chain at Walmart; and Josh Mellinger, coleader of the Future of Fresh offering at Deloitte. Listen now.

Episode 4: The thing about consumer data

What should we be considering, as consumers and as businesses, when it comes to personal data and privacy From GDPR to smart speakers, listen in as Jon Stine, director of the Open Voice Network and Rob Goldberg, cyber risk leader at Deloitte, chat through concerns and more. Listen now.

Episode 3: Quick take: 2019 holiday shopping

On this special edition of That Makes Cents, we do a quick take on what actually went down during the 2019 holiday shopping season, from consumer experience to retailer tactics and trends to infrastructure and more. We also look back at the past decade of extreme disruption in holiday retail to see how far it’s come and, finally, where we might expect it to go from here. Featuring Simon Chafetz, manager; and Meghan Cole, senior consultant from Deloitte. Listen now.

Episode 2: Measuring the future of retail

Retail is changing at a breakneck pace thanks to new tech, newcomers, and new consumer expectations. Shouldn’t the metrics we use to measure success in the industry get an update, too? Hear from industry leaders Meredith Darnall, dSVP of business intelligence and strategy at Brookfield Properties; and Rod Sides, and Deloitte’s Retail, Wholesale & Distribution practice leader Listen now.

Episode 1: Introducing That Makes Cents

The show that gets real about all things consumer. Tune into That Makes Cents as host Bobby Stephens breaks down the latest consumer industry trends with the help of special guests. Listen now.

Episode 9: 2021 holiday: Travel trends podcast

Holiday travel is set to make a return this year for many Americans who are excited to celebrate with friends and family. Still, health and budget concerns are keeping others at home. Anthony J. Jackson, leader of Deloitte’s US airline sector, joins this episode to help us make sense of this season’s travel trends.

Episode 8: 2021 holiday: Retail trends podcast

As we go into our second holiday season during a pandemic, what trends can we expect around holiday retail? Will consumers’ shopping preferences and behavior reflect that of seasons past or most closely resemble last year?

Episode 7: Digital product management: Trends, experiences, and outcomes

Regardless of the industry you’re in or the product or service that you provide, to stay competitive today, you’ve got to develop and launch digital products. For that, a great product manager makes all the difference in the process and for the end product. Rick Lockton, SVP of eCommerce at Ashley Furniture; and Anthony Jardim, a principal in Deloitte’s Customer & Marketing practice, join this episode to break down high-impact product management, including where to start, common challenges, and how to overcome them.

Episode 6: Back-to-school and back-to-college retail trends podcast

Many students are preparing to go back to physical classrooms and campuses this fall. What’s making it onto their shopping lists? What are consumers’ preferences when it comes to product categories, platforms, and formats? Tune in to explore the findings of Deloitte’s back-to-school and -college consumer surveys.

Episode 5: Checking up on the consumer health care revolution

Armed with smart watches, fitness trackers, and even health monitoring rings, consumers are taking charge of their own health management. They are driving not only the trend in the consumer products industry, but also major change in the health care space. Where will this revolution take us? What’s beyond virtual visits? Can clinics fill the gaps left by huge hospital systems? Tune in to hear from Dr. Jeff Wells, CEO and cofounder of Marathon Health, and Leslie Read, principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP and leader of our Health Plans Customer Transformation Solutions.

Episode 4: What’s cooking in the food industry? Latest consumer trends

While at home, many consumers discovered a love for cooking, and in a recent Deloitte survey, said they plan to eat more of their meals at home even after the health crisis is over. What does this trend mean for restaurants, grocery retailers, and the rest of the food industry? How might they have to change the way they’ve done business for years to meet evolving consumer tastes and needs? Featuring sustainable chef Joel Gamoran, host of the hit TV show Scraps, and Justin Cook, Consumer Products research leader in Deloitte’s Consumer Industry Center.

Episode 3: Enabling innovation with automated decision-making

What enables the tech giants to keep their spots at the top of the industry, and how can other organizations compete? What is the key to getting workforce automation right? How can retailers harness the power of alternative data, AI, and automation to achieve more with less? Alex Kantrowitz, acclaimed tech reporter, author of Always Day One, and host of the Big Technology Podcast, joins this episode alongside Deloitte’s chief Retail innovation officer, Kasey Lobaugh, to break it all down.

Episode 2: Trends in the sports retail industry, featuring the NFL

As SVP and head of Consumer Products at the National Football League, Joe Ruggiero works at the intersection of sports and business, tackling unique challenges like how to grow digital fandom. But he’s also dealing with many of the same issues as traditional retailers: planning around seasonality, evolving with e-commerce, designing for different customer segments, and more. Tune into this episode to hear from him and Pete Giorgio, Deloitte’s US Sports leader, on lessons learned from the past year, insights on the growing role of tech and data, and their five-year outlook for the sports retail industry.

Episode 1: 2020 holiday shopping trends recap

The 2020 holiday season was undeniably unique. But just how unique? We analyzed the sales and trends to find out whether there were record shifts in when, where, and how much people shopped—and spent. What kinds of trends and consumer behaviors can we expect to see carried through this year and beyond? Featuring Simon Chafetz and Meghan Cole from Deloitte Digital, Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Episode 16: 2023 holiday spending trends: Holiday ecommerce and the search for value top the list

With the holiday season well underway, is holiday spending breaking away from tradition? A challenging economic environment has many consumers looking for value, while others are focused on purchase efficiency. This episode of That Makes Cents explores the holiday shopping trends featured in Deloitte’s 2023 Holiday Quick Takes report.

Episode 15: Shifting into a new era of the automotive industry

Tune in to this episode of That Makes Cents as we discuss how sustainability, convenience, and affordability could shape the future of the automotive industry—and how subscriptions will pave the way toward a completely different car ownership model.

Episode 14: Future of consumer series: Grocery personalization and the changing consumer

The world of grocery retail is increasingly competitive and complex, as today’s diverse consumers expect fresh experiences and grocery personalization across physical and digital channels. How can grocers adapt their business models to elevate the grocery experience? Learn more about the future of grocery and potential uses for AI in grocery stores in this episode of That Makes Cents featuring Kirk Ball, EVP and chief information officer at Giant Eagle.

Episode 13: Future of consumer series: The shift toward a demand-driven consumer market

As today’s consumers become more diverse in terms of their wants and needs, we’re seeing a more demand-driven market that’s empowering consumers. What do brands need to know about this shift in consumer behavior? And how will data, AI and Gen AI play a larger role as we move from mass to micro? Learn more in this episode of That Makes Cents, featuring a guest speaker from Google Cloud.

Episode 12: Future of consumer series: Radical reconfiguration of the consumer industry

From automotive companies using chatbots for better customer support to retailers investing in enhanced supply chains, companies are increasingly relying on external capabilities for greater agility and faster speed to market. But how are companies of all shapes and sizes managing this shift? And what role can they play in the larger ecosystem?

Episode 11: Future of consumer series: The disruption of digital

Hear industry leaders discuss how the growth of digital goods and services will disrupt consumer and automotive industry markets.

Episode 10: Future of consumer series: Six forces reshaping the consumer industry

Over the next decade, six key forces will converge, and together they will completely transform the consumer industry. Hear industry luminaries explain how companies can thrive amidst the upheaval, create opportunity, and buy into better.

Episode 9: Winning with digital marketplaces

This episode of That Makes Cents explores how digital marketplaces can foster growth in an increasingly competitive industry. Featuring a guest speaker from Macy's Inc.

Episode 8: Looking back on 2022 holiday retail sales and upcoming retail trends

With another holiday season behind us, this episode takes a look at how consumers and retailers faced the unique challenges of this shopping season including the economic uncertainty and the ongoing operational challenges.

Episode 7: Creating an equitable environment for women in the workplace

This episode of That Makes Cents will explore how companies can attract and retain their workforce by creating an equitable workplace environment for all through gender-centered design.

Episode 6: Scaling growth with next-gen digital capabilities

Hear from industry leaders as we explore the latest solutions and emerging technologies to help retailers achieve customer success. Featuring a guest speaker from Salesforce.

Episode 5: Empowering frontline workers in the consumer industry

This episode of That Makes Cents explores how companies can reimagine their talent strategies to address the challenging landscape of frontline workers, featuring a guest speaker from FedEx.

Episode 4: Redesigning the store for customers of today and tomorrow

This episode of That Makes Cents explores the future of retail and how retailers must advance their strategy on convenience, product, and profitability to create innovative, customer-centric shopping experiences.

Episode 3: A look into consumer loyalty with Marriott

This episode of That Makes Cents explores how customer loyalty programs and offerings in the travel and hospitality industry have changed, and how they will continue to evolve with new consumer expectations.

Episode 2: Security in a cyber-everywhere world

This episode of That Makes Cents explores how organizations are navigating a complex cybersecurity landscape while protecting consumers’ privacy. Featuring a guest speaker from Yum! Brands.

Episode 1: REI’s path to driving purpose in the outdoor industry

This episode of That Makes Cents explores the power of organizational purpose to drive DE&I and prosperity for both business and society.