Retail design that supports service culture and elevates the customer experience
Client collaboration and customer-centric design
Alko is the national alcoholic beverage retailing monopoly in Finland. They are known for their outstanding customer service, excellent product portfolio and well-trained personnel.
The Alko retail environment functions as an operating environment for its staff. The goal of the renewal was to help staff deliver even greater customer experiences. The visual identity of Alko’s shops had to be updated and the functionality of the spaces was to be further developed. The retail concept needed an update to meet customer expectations in an increasingly flexible way.
Alko has a clear goal: to offer the most specialised and personal customer experience across all channels. Alko is a responsible and fair operator in Finnish society, a good employer and a cost-effective chain of speciality shops that is continuously developing its customer service processes. Alko also wants to be an active developer of Finnish food and drink culture, and a specialist in a world of tastes.
A concept for more than 350 stores
We worked with the Alko team to renew the retail concept. We were responsible for interior design, furniture design and graphic identity. Together, we created a retail concept that will be gradually implemented in over 350 of Alko’s stores. The first pilot at the Arkadia flagship store in Helsinki was reopened in September 2016.
The new store concept is focused on service and customer experience. Inspirational seasonal visual merchandising, clear communications and product zones, as well as various events, are an integral part of the in-store experience. Part of the role of the retail design was to emphasise beverages as part of food culture. We wanted to create a concept that highlights strategic product categories and displays products, seasonal content and marketing material in a delicious way.
