Bath & Body Works partners with Accenture to modernize digital and technology platforms
Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE: BBWI), a premier retailer in the personal care and home fragrance market, has embarked on a transformative collaboration with Accenture (NYSE: ACN). This multi-year initiative aims to modernize and streamline Bath & Body Works’ core digital and technology platforms as part of a broader strategy to elevate the brand and incorporate cutting-edge technologies such as digital marketing, artificial intelligence (AI), and generative AI (Gen AI).
Elevating Customer Experience through Digital Innovation
Under the leadership of Gina Boswell, CEO of Bath & Body Works, the company is leveraging this partnership to enhance operational efficiency, elevate its brand, and engage customers through personalized, seamless experiences. “This will help us accelerate profitable growth by enhancing our operations, elevating our brand, and engaging our customers differently through personalized and seamless experiences that keep them coming back,” Boswell stated.
Introducing Advanced Digital Tools
One of the standout innovations from this partnership is the development of a digital Fragrance Finder. This Gen AI-powered tool is designed to offer a conversational experience that helps customers find their perfect fragrance based on individual preferences. This initiative aligns with findings from Accenture’s Consumer Pulse 2024 research, which indicates that over half of consumers are receptive to using conversational AI solutions.
Leveraging AI for Enhanced Retail Interactions
Thilina Gunasinghe, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Bath & Body Works, emphasized the company’s focus on integrating its fragrance expertise with advanced technology. “We are focused on leveraging our core strengths in fragrance and augmenting these with cutting-edge technology and AI experiences such as native mobile, headless commerce, MarTech, and transformer-based neural networks to deliver hyper-relevant and immersive experiences to customers with greater precision,” Gunasinghe explained.
Continuous Reinvention and Customer Delight
Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, highlighted the ongoing impact of the collaboration. “Our collaboration with Bath & Body Works on its continuous reinvention will help this beloved brand continue to raise the bar on the retail customer experience,” Sweet noted. Together, they aim to build a robust digital core that integrates cloud, data, and AI technologies, driving value creation and sustainable growth.
The partnership between Bath & Body Works and Accenture represents a significant leap forward in retail digital transformation. By harnessing the power of AI and Gen AI, Bath & Body Works is not only enhancing its operational efficiencies but also setting new standards in customer engagement and personalized shopping experiences.