Movers & Shakers Q&A – Matt Stead, multi-channel director, Pets at Home

Matt Stead, multi-channel director, Pets at Home

1. What is the greatest opportunity for your business?

Continue to be totally focused on our customers and their needs.

2. What is the biggest challenge to your business?

It’s a retail business there are always exciting challenges in every area of the business. In the multi – channel area right now its aligning the business functions to be focused on giving our customers a seamless shopping experience so they can buy anything they want, anywhere they want, at anytime they choose.

3. With the benefit of hindsight what would you have done differently so far?

To be honest very little. Businesses need to be in the right place to make strategic shifts such as moving to a multi channel agenda and I think our timing has been about right in terms of investment in people and systems.

4. What is the future of the physical store?

My personal view is that the physical store will continue to play a significant part in people’s lives. It’s the job of retailers to make sure we continue to inspire customers and continually look to evolve the physical stores.

5. What will the high street look like in a decade?

If you look back at the way the high street has changed in the last decade and which brands have disappeared I think it’s certain the high street in 2025 will be unrecognisable from today. It’s up to businesses to keep listening to their customers and adapting to their ever changing needs that will keep them relevant.

6. Will mobile devices be the primary sales channel in the future?

Some research on current trends is predicting, in certain demographics, mobile will indeed become the primary sales channel. Key for customers is the ability to have the same seamless experience regardless of which channel or mix of channels they choose to use.

7. What other retail business do you admire?

John Lewis.

8. If you hadn’t been a retailer what would you have liked to do?

Barrister.

9. What marks out of 10 do you give yourself so far for achievement?

I would ask our customers.

10. Who would you place in the Top 25 Multi-channel/e-commerce Movers & Shakers?

Not my place to comment!!! I leave that to the experts.