Retailers large and small flocked to Nashville last month to participate in the 10th annual Axis Retail Leadership Forum. The two-day program brought together a cross-section of retailers to share insights and strategies for handling the current challenges facing the industry. More than three dozen retailers – representing retailers from mom-and-pop stores to national chains – attended sessions ranging from loss prevention and loyalty program fraud to the latest advances in surveillance technology and analytics. The agenda also included Axis’ roadmap for future product development as well as presentations from major retailers on procuring and integrating systems, best practices for device management, and effective investigation and interrogation techniques.

The forum, which was back in-person for the first time since 2019, provided an opportunity for participants to network with peers and industry leaders, discuss hot issues of the day, learn about current best practices, and collaborate on creative ways to solve common industry problems. Eligible attendees at the conference earned up to seven Continuing Education Units (CEUs) towards their Loss Prevention Foundation LPC Recertification.

Though the Axis Retail Leadership Forum is hosted by the technology company, the conference agenda is shaped by a Retail Advisory Board whose members are drawn from practitioners within the retail community. The 2022 advisory board includes senior level management from loss prevention, asset protection, and IT operations. Over the past decade, the diversity within the advisory board has helped to evolve the popular forum from an LP/AP conference to one that provides valuable content for improving a retailer’s entire business operation.

“Our very first Retail Leadership Forum was all about introducing Axis to the retail community,” explained James Stark, Retail Segment Development Manager for Axis Communications. “But now it’s the community’s vision.”

The all-volunteer advisory board sets the agenda, developing content they know is important to the retail community – from raising awareness about threats facing the industry to fostering an effective partnership with their IT counterparts. In his role, Stark helps the board recruit guest speakers to talk about specific topics the retail community is passionate about.

“Though the forum bears the Axis name, it’s not all about Axis,” shared Stark. “It’s about educating the retail community. It’s about how their peers have solved problems, how they’ve adapted technology to their environment.”

In addition to building a more collaborative retail community, the forum has been instrumental in influencing Axis’ own product development. “Our open dialogue with retailers has led to productive feedback that has sparked new ideas for future technologies,” stated Stark.

When polled at the conclusion of the 10th annual conference, attendees agreed that the forum offered great continuing education and support for their organizations.

One senior AP manager from a leading retailer added, “The best reasons to attend the Axis Retail Leadership Forum are the connections we can build with other people and businesses, and the opportunity to openly learn and share ideas with other industry leaders.” He went on to say, “You may not know you have a problem until you become aware of the options that exist to solve it.”

For retailers interested in learning more about what next year’s peer-to-peer Axis Retail Leadership Forum holds in store, please contact James Stark, Retail Segment Development Manager, Axis Communications, at James.Stark@axis.com.