Joined Up Thinking.

Despite working in technology, the author expresses ambivalence about its pervasive influence, acknowledging that technology isn't a universal solution. Technology is presented as a 'double-edged sword' with both powerful benefits and significant responsibilities.

The COVID-19 lockdowns, while damaging economies, prompted a rapid uptake of technology for remote work and digital strategies. Conversely, increased online shopping further challenged the UK's traditional high street retail sector.

However, this situation presents an opportunity for high streets to reinvent themselves. According to TechUK's discussion paper, there's a critical need to boost footfall, attract customers, and improve long-term business prospects. They suggest high streets could evolve into work hubs for remote workers and centres for arts and entertainment.

Achieving this requires improved connectivity and the strategic implementation of technology to enhance audience engagement and marketing. This will attract new visitors and maintain ongoing communication with them. While individual businesses can contribute, local authorities are crucial in understanding audience flow and behaviours to revitalise city and town centres.

Effective, joined-up thinking among all stakeholders is essential to develop and deliver a cohesive plan. This is not only for the survival of high streets, which face competition from out-of-town malls and the increasing shift to online deliveries, but also for the broader economic good.

The Community 'Happiness Factor' and Digital Transformation

While lockdowns had negative aspects, research suggests an upside: people working from home are often happier and more productive. This 'happiness factor' can extend to towns and cities, with digital transformation acting as a catalyst to unite communities. The Local Government Association even provides a toolkit focused on digital means to improve communications, relationships, and local economies for town centre revitalisation.

A key recommendation from the TechUK discussion document is the need for high streets to be supported in transforming their customer experience using cutting-edge technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to compete with international brands.

Audience Engagement Platforms for High Street Revival

Audience Engagement Platforms (AEPs) are a technology that can help understand human needs and behavioural patterns, vital for revitalising high streets and city centres into vibrant spaces. AEPs are immersive mobile applications and innovations that reshape how we experience various sectors, from entertainment and sports to visitor attractions, hospitality, and retail.

These platforms leverage immersive media and mobile-web technology to transform audience engagement, positively influencing behaviour and creating loyal, educated audiences. This applies across diverse settings, including museums, theatres, art galleries, heritage sites, sports stadia, zoos, aquariums, and even business improvement districts.

Driven by advanced Software as a Service (SaaS) technology, AEPs and mobile-web experiences can deepen engagement both on and off-site, while also delivering actionable insights.

• Create destination engagement.
• Promote culture and heritage sites, deepening the learning experience.
• Create, track, and deliver insights on audience experiences for events.
• Can be tailored to seasonal activities.
• Promote special offers and incentives, whether for retail, museums, or local council initiatives.
• Promote live events, shows, and 'what's on'.
• Can be used for new developments and regeneration projects.
• Deliver insights on dwell time and content engagement to improve future experiences.
• Deliver push notifications for alerts or notice boards.
• Integrate mobility and transport connectivity.
• Be used for image and object recognition through built-in beacon trigger technology.
• Help keep track of event plans.
• Provide wayfinding, ensuring visitors and residents can navigate without getting lost.

Understanding what motivates people is central to the future success of smart towns and cities. AEPs can achieve this seamlessly and in real-time by capturing and processing large amounts of data, which can then be segmented to deliver personalised communication.

When combined with an environment where all stakeholders engage collaboratively, fostering a free flow of ideas, Audience Engagement tools become essential for delivering 'joined-up thinking' within the experience economy, thus realising the future of the high street today.