Recipes for a Winning Retail Center with Ward Kampf, President of Northwood Retail

04/07/21 • 34 min

In this Season 2 premiere, Tony interviews Ward Kampf, President of Dallas-based Northwood Retail. Since 2014, Ward has overseen the development and strategic vision of Northwood’s long-term leasing ventures, working with some of the most dynamic retailers from California to the Carolinas.

On this episode, Ward discusses the importance of content and context, how technology is ushering in a new world of influencer-based retail, and why he thinks “mixed-use” is an overused term.

3 Takeaways:

Providing retail properties and services that eliminate friction points between consumers, manufacturers, and everyone in between is paramount.
Retailers have a choice between being in the content and context business (specialized retail) or the real estate provision and maintenance business (commodity retail) - Ward makes a case for the former.
Great mixed-use assets over time become their own asset class, and it’s the retail that drives it.

Key Quotes:

“Retailers are realizing they can fulfill from the store - and it is a lot more profitable.”
“I think we’re going to continue to see retailers marry with other retailers.”
“Retail is so fluid right now, it’s changing so quickly, that you really have to understand all channels and just get outside your comfort zone and try to get educated.”

This podcast is presented by Dell Technologies and Intel. Together they help you realize digital transformation across retail by driving IT innovation to better engage with today’s connected consumer. Learn more at DellTechnologies.com/retail and Intel.com/retail.

On this episode, Ward discusses the importance of content and context, how technology is ushering in a new world of influencer-based retail, and why he thinks “mixed-use” is an overused term.

3 Takeaways:

Providing retail properties and services that eliminate friction points between consumers, manufacturers, and everyone in between is paramount.
Retailers have a choice between being in the content and context business (specialized retail) or the real estate provision and maintenance business (commodity retail) - Ward makes a case for the former.
Great mixed-use assets over time become their own asset class, and it’s the retail that drives it.

Key Quotes:

“Retailers are realizing they can fulfill from the store - and it is a lot more profitable.”
“I think we’re going to continue to see retailers marry with other retailers.”
“Retail is so fluid right now, it’s changing so quickly, that you really have to understand all channels and just get outside your comfort zone and try to get educated.”

Previous Episode

Season 2 Trailer

Tony welcomes back listeners with his reflections on the past year and what to expect this season as he dives even deeper into what it takes to execute retail change.

Next Episode

Meeting the Customer When, Where, and How They Shop with Mary Lunghi, Sr. VP of Consumer Insights and Analytics at Ikea

This episode features an interview with Mary Lunghi, Senior Vice President of Consumer Insights and Analytics at Ikea. As the “Voice of the Consumer,” Mary has spent over 25 years distilling data into compelling narratives that drive results, and has been instrumental in Ikea’s recent expansion into urban centers.

On this episode, Mary discusses how she uses quantitative insights to influence decision making, the importance of adopting an omni-channel mindset, and what they at Ikea call “the red thread.”

3 Takeaways:

Research must be actionable. Start by asking yourself, what is the actionability here? What is the question you’re seeking to answer? Or the problem you’re trying to solve? The unmet need? Then, take that data and connect the dots to find a narrative that is short, succinct, and compelling.
Omni-channel is more than simply throwing up a website. It requires a magnitudinal shift that, for Ikea, began in 2016 with advancements and investments in technology, infrastructure, web, logistics, automation, and more. It is also a mindset that differentiates itself from multichannel, which is several different experiences versus one seamlessly-integrated experience.
The customer experience is not a “one size fits all” approach. It varies by city and degree. The challenge is understanding the source of the demand and meeting the customer where, when, and how they shop.

Key Quotes:

“It’s not just about sharing data and numbers. You have to find the meaning behind the numbers, because ultimately at the end of the day, if you’re not influencing, if you’re not helping to inform those decisions that are happening, it’s all for naught.”
“We were already an omni-channel player. We already had E-commerce. But it wasn’t to the degree and keeping up at the pace at which the consumer was adapting to the behavior.”
"We're really trying to adapt and meet the customer when, where, and how they shop us. It is a journey and we are still on it."