Fast Five Shorts | EG America To Deploy Quorso Tech Across 1,500 Stores

Summary

Omni Talk Retail Podcast Summary

Episode: Fast Five Shorts | EG America To Deploy Quorso Tech Across 1,500 Stores
Release Date: February 13, 2025
Host/Authors: Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, Omni Talk Retail

Introduction

In this episode of Omni Talk Retail, hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga delve into the significant partnership between EG America and Quorso (referred to as Corso in the transcript). This collaboration aims to revolutionize store operations across more than 1,500 retail and fuel locations by deploying advanced technology that enhances efficiency and employee workflow.

Partnership Overview

The partnership centers on integrating Quorso's technology into EG America's extensive network of convenience stores. According to a Quorso press release, the technology amalgamates various siloed solutions—such as task management, surveys, performance analytics, and exception reporting—into a unified, action-oriented platform. This integration is designed to drive store performance at every operational level.

Chris Walton emphasizes the longevity and trust in Quorso's technology, stating:

“It's the biggest reason we've worked with them, I think consistently for going on five or six years now too.”
[00:37]

He highlights the scalability of the deployment, particularly noting the challenges inherent in staffing, training, and oversight within convenience stores. The partnership is seen as a strategic move to address these complexities effectively.

Technology Insights

The conversation pivots to the core functionalities of Quorso's technology. Chris Walton references an interview with Oliver Wright from Accenture at FMI, discussing the concept of "next best action" powered by AI. This AI-driven approach transcends traditional task management by recommending optimal actions for employees based on real-time data and available resources.

“AI is unlocking a smarter deployment of our workforce by telling them what it is that they should do versus expecting them to do the same tasks every single day.”
[02:29]

Quorso brands this concept as "mission," reflecting the shift from routine task completion to dynamic, AI-recommended actions that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction.

AI and Workforce Optimization

Anne Mezzenga expands on the potential future applications of AI in retail operations. She envisions a scenario where AI doesn't just suggest tasks but also automates subsequent actions based on the completion of previous ones. For instance, after restocking an end cap, AI could automatically adjust pricing based on inventory levels and sales data.

“Once the person has done like the restocking of shelves or restocking of a display or end cap, now can you start to have those tasks line up in the Corso platform of okay, now that we have a full end cap, do we change pricing on this end cap automatically?”
[03:25]

This level of automation and intelligence in task management represents a significant leap towards creating "smart stores" that function as integrated operating systems, optimizing both operational flow and customer experience.

Future Outlook

The hosts discuss the broader implications of deploying such advanced technology in the retail sector. Chris Walton points out the urgent need to equip employees with tools that help them work smarter, especially in industries facing labor shortages like grocery and convenience stores.

“You just don't have the employees, particularly in grocery and convenience stores, you just don't have the employees. So you have to help them work smarter.”
[04:22]

The episode anticipates further advancements in AI-driven retail solutions, with more retailers likely to adopt similar task management technologies to stay competitive and efficient.

Conclusion

The partnership between EG America and Quorso marks a pivotal moment in retail technology deployment. By leveraging AI to streamline operations and empower employees with intelligent task recommendations, this collaboration sets a new standard for efficiency and innovation in the retail industry. As the conversation between Chris and Anne highlights, the future of retail lies in the seamless integration of advanced technologies that not only enhance operational performance but also enrich the employee and customer experience.

---

This summary captures the key discussions and insights from the Omni Talk Retail episode featuring the deployment of Quorso technology across EG America’s 1,500 stores. Notable quotes have been included to highlight the speakers' perspectives and the transformative potential of AI in retail operations.

Transcript

[A]

EG America and Corso are partnering up to simplify store operations. According to a Corso press release, the partnership will see Corso's technology deployed throughout the company's more than 1500 retail and fuel locations. By combining advanced technology with human centric workflows, Corso's tech consolidates siloed solutions like tasks, surveys, performance analytics and exception reporting into a comprehensive, action focused and more enhanced platform that drives store performance at every level. Chris, we know Corso, we've been following them for a while, a long time. But what strikes you the most about this particular partnership between Corso and EG America?

[B]

Oh, yeah, wow. Well, as loyal Omnitok fans will know, particularly our loyalist fans will know that we, I particularly, and we both have been a big fan of Corso's tech for a long time. It's the biggest reason we've worked with them, I think consistently for going on five or six years now too. And it's been a long time. And the reason this story is particularly big is that they are taking their tech to convenience stores, 1500 convenience stores, I might add, as you, as you mentioned. So, I mean, if you think staffing, training and oversight are difficult in retail, it's even worse in convenience stores. So that's. But that's probably why EG is finding value in that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And, and the reason that this is important is, and Oliver Wright called this out in our interview with him from Accenture at FMI last week. Um, this whole idea of the next best action. You know, go back and listen to that, that interview too, folks, because it was really, really top notch. But he's basically saying like, the great thing about AI is it it takes us out of this world where. And having been a store manager and a district manager in retail, this is how it worked. Like you just had tasks you had to tick off your list every day because that's the only thing we could monitor. But now AI is getting to the point where it can actually recommend the next best action you can take, given the time that you have in the store and the hours that you have available to you as an employee. Now, Corso calls that next best action a mission. But that's the idea here. It's, it's. AI is unlocking a smarter deployment of our workforce by telling them what it is that they should do versus expecting them to do the same tasks every single day. This is where the industry is going by way of AI. And, and honestly, the other point is I think Corso feels like they are miles ahead on their own mission of simplifying the lives of store employees because they have been thinking about this for the past six, seven, eight years.

[A]

Right? Yeah, no, I think that's absolutely right. I mean, I also feel like, Chris, we've been hearing so much recently, like at the conferences we've been at this year about the agentic AI component of this. And so what I think we haven't even seen kind of unfold yet here is. But what I think, you know, eg. Tractor Supply, Dollar General, some of the other brands across all, you know, verticals in retail are looking at is that you also, you also have another component that's going to take place here. I think when you think about the main brain, the smart store, and you think about like what can be done on top of this and it's not just what tasks, the next best actions or tasks the human workforce can take, but also AI can take into this too. Like I'm wondering, especially when you think about, you know, one of the retailers that has ESLs or something, like once the, the person has done like the restocking of shelves or restocking of a display or end cap, now can you start to have those tasks line up in the Corso platform of okay, now that, now that we have a full end cap, do we change pricing on this end cap automatically? And is that something that AI can be triggered to do as the next best action? And then what does that mean for continuing the operational flow of, of a store? And I think that's where we're even going further with this that we haven't even seen unfold yet because it's still, the technology is still building. They're starting, still starting to get some of these things deployed. Stores are getting smarter overall as an operating system. And that's the thing I think here that is going to be really cool to see and I expect that we're going to see many more retailers kind of take on this type of task management technology to do that.

[B]

Yeah, it's cool. The way I frame up what you said is we're kind of at the intersection between the now and next of AI impacting stores. Yours. And what you're talking about is kind of the future of.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Of where it goes next. And, and the other reason it's important is like, you know, like, like we learned last week as well is like you, you just don't have the employees, particularly in grocery and convenience stores, you just don't, you just don't have the employees. So you have to help them work smarter. To get through what needs to get done during the course of a day to serve your guests or your customers the way you want to. I don't know why I keep saying guests, but, but, but, yeah, that's coming back. You're right. Oh, the target coming out of me. Can't get out. The. Can't get out. Can't stop bleeding red. But that's the idea here, right, Anne? I mean, that's the whole idea behind technology like this.