AI 56: How one retail employee used AI to improve store layouts

Store layout matters more than most shoppers realise. Get it right and sales rise, aisles stay clear, and customers find what they came for.

At a major UK retailer, one team decides where every product sits across every store. One of its members owned the feedback loop: gather responses from stores, spot the recurring issues, then summarise it for the senior team.

The process was slow.

"The sheer volume of data across two different platforms was a problem," Georgina explains, "and it was taking two hours to complete."

Two hours each round meant updates landed late and inconsistently. He needed a faster route - and AI gave him one.

"The team built a game-changing AI tool," says Georgina. "They open Copilot, upload the Excel file with all the feedback, and use a master prompt to analyse it. Then it creates a PowerPoint to send straight to the senior team for final decisions."

The tool sorts feedback into categories, writes the summaries, and sets out clear actions for the right colleagues in store. The learner still plays a crucial role - using his expertise to sense-check the findings and themes.

"The impact has been significant," Georgina says. "Besides turning a two-hour task into a fifteen-minute one, he can analyse store feedback daily rather than weekly. The senior team gets what it needs immediately, actions go out quicker, and stores feel like they're being heard."

One tool. Fifteen minutes. Better shop floors across the country.