Digital transformation starts with the customer
As retailers race to adopt AI, there’s a risk we’re solving for technology before we’ve fully understood the customer problem we’re trying to fix.
Over the past few years, we’ve been transforming Holland & Barrett from a traditional high street retailer into a more connected, digitally enabled wellness partner. Throughout that journey, one principle has shaped every major decision we’ve made: start with the customer.
Subscribe to TRBIt’s easy for transformation programmes to become centred on platforms and systems capabilities. In my experience, the most successful ones begin somewhere much simpler. They start by asking what customers are trying to achieve, where they experience friction and how technology can make that journey easier.
Customer expectations have evolved significantly over the past decade. People no longer separate their experience into “online” and “in-store”.They might research a product on their phone, visit a store to ask for advice, complete a purchase online and continue engaging with a brand through an app or loyalty programme. From their perspective, that’s one relationship with one brand, and they expect it to feel connected throughout.
For retailers, creating that joined-up experience has become one of the biggest opportunities but also one of the biggest challenges. Customers expect us to recognise them across every touchpoint and make every interaction feel consistent whether they’re in one of our stores or using one of our digital services.
At Holland & Barrett, that’s what our transformation has been about. Our ambition hasn’t simply been to improve our digital channels – it’s been to create a connected wellness ecosystem that combines trusted products, expert advice and personalised experiences across every touchpoint. Whether a customer chooses to engage with us in-store, online or through our app, they should feel they’re having one continuous conversation with the same brand.
This is particularly important in health and wellness, where customers are often trying to navigate an overwhelming amount of information. Every day they are exposed to advice from social media, online searches, AI tools and countless other sources. Access to information has never been greater, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easier to make informed decisions.
Our recent State of the Nation report found that many people still struggle to turn information into meaningful action. Younger audiences face particular challenges, with 15% of 16–24-year-olds saying they don’t know where to start when it comes to their health, while others report feeling overwhelmed by the volume of information available, struggling to cut through misinformation and jargon, or simply not knowing which sources they can trust. This creates what we call a “prevention paradox” – awareness of health issues is high, but confidence in what action to take often remains low.
Customers need trusted guidance, personalised recommendations and the confidence that they’re making the right choices for their wellbeing. Technology has an important role to play here; when used responsibly, it helps us better understand customer needs, personalise experiences and connect journeys across different touchpoints. Combined with the expertise of our trained colleagues, consultations and digital tools, it enables us to translate complex health information into practical, actionable advice that helps customers make informed decisions with confidence.
But any investment in technology has to be driven by a genuine customer need. The best innovations are often the ones customers barely notice because they simply make the experience easier. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt during this transformation is that success depends as much on leadership as it does on technology. Implementing new systems is only one part of the challenge. Creating a culture that embraces change while staying focused on customer outcomes is where the real work begins.
That means giving colleagues the confidence to adapt, encouraging teams to challenge established ways of working and making sure every investment decision is guided by the same question: how does this improve the customer experience? When customer needs become the benchmark for every decision, it’s much easier to balance innovation with commercial priorities and avoid investing in technology for technology’s sake.
It’s equally important to recognise that technology should enhance human expertise rather than replace it. At Holland & Barrett, our store colleagues remain one of our greatest strengths, which is why we continue to invest in them. Customers value the conversations they have in store and the confidence that comes from speaking to someone knowledgeable. Our role is to equip colleagues with better tools, richer insights and more connected customer information so they can deliver even more personalised support.
For a heritage retailer like Holland & Barrett, digital transformation isn’t about moving away from what has always made the brand successful. It’s about using technology to strengthen it.
AI will undoubtedly reshape retail. But customers won’t judge us on the sophistication of our technology stack. They’ll judge us on whether shopping feels easier, advice feels more relevant, and every interaction feels joined up. That’s why the future of digital transformation isn’t just about adopting more technology. It’s about using it to elevate the human experience, making every interaction simpler, more personal and more connected
