Speakers: Chris Ludy, SVP, Digital, Food Services, Compass Digital & Jon Jenkins, Vice President, Just Walk Out technology by Amazon

Chris Ludy, SVP, Digital, Food Services, at Compass Digital, which has implemented Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology at stores across the U.S., explains how Compass is leveraging technology to make the physical environment less transactional and more conversational. While “digital hospitality” might sound like an oxymoron, Ludy recognizes that technology that creates a checkout-free experience where shoppers can grab their items and get back to their event quickly enables store employees to have more meaningful interactions with guests. Amazon’s Jon Jenkins adds, “We don't think about creating a person-less store at all. It’s instead about how can we take that store associate out from behind a cash register to do something more meaningful and useful with the customer.” In addition to providing an elevated guest experience, Just Walk Out technology has improved operations for Compass. Jenkins shared that the Just Walk Out technology-enabled store at Lumen Field—home of the Seattle Seahawks—saw a 74 percent increase in customer throughput when compared to the previous traditional concession stand in the same location, and total transactions per game doubled compared to the previous design.