Remove Friction, Not Humans: Rethinking Retail Technology

João Correia, retail operations veteran with nearly 30 years across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South America, shares lessons on store performance and technology implementation. He emphasizes that operational excellence becomes competitive advantage while competitors chase AI, distinguishes reported versus real floor experience, addresses technology implementation in resource-constrained environments, covers execution fundamentals (expiry management, standards compliance, workflow efficiency), and discusses change management across cultures. Key insight: “Back to the basics will be a competitive advantage in the future.”