--- description: We discuss the findings of a new research study that explores how Canadian consumers view automation technology in retail and restaurants. image: https://gdm-localsites-assets-gfprod.imgix.net/images/getapp/og_logo-94fd2a03a6c7a0e54fc0c9e21a1c0ce9.png title: Tech trends in the retail industry: automation on the rise --- # New research: Canadian consumers reveal attitudes to automation in retail and restaurants Canonical: https://www.getapp.ca/blog/5006/automation-in-retail-restaurants Published on 2024-04-02 | Written by Tessa Anaya. ![New research: Canadian consumers reveal attitudes to automation in retail and restaurants](https://images.ctfassets.net/63bmaubptoky/6eSGjI5p5IhN2pygsp7uDK/c4adf22457e6267304e2ad34a5478197/06-GA-INTL-Header-State_of_Retention_Part_2-4x3.jpg) > Automation is changing many aspects of day-to-day life. We asked over 300 consumers in Canada about their shopping and dining habits and whether automation could make it easier. ----- ## Article Content Automation is changing many aspects of day-to-day life. We asked over 300 consumers in Canada about their shopping and dining habits and whether automation could make it easier.In this articleSMEs have a huge opportunity to automate the in-person experienceAutomation is already working for us, say consumersSelf-checkout has issues, but consumers are already won overConsumers accept automation in restaurants, but it’s complicatedWill customers accept an automated experience in 2024?We often think of automation applying to manufacturing processes in large factories, but today’s technology has put it in reach of small-to-midsize enterprises (SMEs) in all sectors.Independent companies are the lifeblood of the retail and food service industries. Yet these restaurants, cafés, and stores can struggle to compete —especially against the technology and marketing budgets of large chains. Could small-scale automation via tools like point-of-sales systems provide a solution?We surveyed over 300 consumers in Canada to find out how they view automation in retail and restaurants. Our survey looked at how customers interact with these businesses, the technologies they use, their attitudes to automation, and its effect on the customer experience. You can scroll down to the bottom of this article for a full methodology.SMEs have a huge opportunity to automate the in-person experienceOrdering goods and food online is convenient for consumers, but our survey suggests that the in-person experience is at least as important. In a given week, respondents said they were more likely to visit grocery stores, retailers, and restaurants than they were to buy from these businesses online.Given that in-person interactions are therefore still highly relevant, it makes sense that these are tuned to meet customers’ expectations. When asked what would improve the in-store experience, shoppers prioritize a fast, hassle-free experience above all else:While only 13% said that more automation per se would improve in-store shopping, consumers thought it could have a role to play in delivering a faster, more convenient experience. A majority of 78% think such technology (including mobile apps, chatbots, and robots) is acceptable for checkouts, 64% say it’s OK to help customers locate items in the store, 43% for cleaning and sanitization, and 38% would be happy with automated returns, exchanges, and refund processing.Key takeaway: Consumers shop and dine in person more often than they order online. And when they do, they want a fast, smooth experience. SMEs that operate in the retail and food-service sectors should ensure that any technology they employ helps shoppers and diners to get what they want. We explore how this works in the following sections.Automation is already working for us, say consumersRetailers already make wide use of automation technology. Almost all the respondents to our survey have used self-checkout (95%) and contactless payments (93%), and plan to keep doing so. A majority (55%) also said they use (and will keep using) click and collect, with another 18% interested in doing so.Only one-third use cashierless checkouts —where items are scanned during the shop and paid for automatically via an app, without having to go through an additional checkout process— but another 47% expressed an interest.Although adoption and user satisfaction with these processes is high, they are not proving to be faultless. For example, 30% of users said they experienced delays and issues the last time they used a self-checkout, and the same proportion said the same about click-and-collect.Key takeaway: Although self-checkout and cashierless shopping may not yet be affordable for SMEs, many firms will be familiar with contactless payments. Our 2023 Digital Wallets Survey found that digital wallets are already used by nearly half of smartphone users, and that adoption has grown significantly since 2020. For those firms that don’t yet accept contactless payments, modern point-of-sale solutions make it easy to take card and mobile transactions, as well as providing other management and automation functions.Self-checkout has issues, but consumers are already won overAlong with contactless payments, self-checkouts are one of the most embedded consumer automation technologies. They are more commonly seen in grocery stores than in other types of business, and sentiment among those who already use them (or want to) reflects this. A vast majority of 96% said they are likely to use self checkout at the grocery store, whereas 58% said they would use it at other retailers.Most people (77%) that have used self-checkouts said their experiences have been good or excellent. This roughly corresponds with the rate at which consumers encounter issues with the terminals, which we covered in the previous section. The common problems that self-checkout users reported will be familiar to most readers. Of those who have used them, 72% said they often require employee assistance, 56% said they have problems when scanning items, and 53% report errors in the bagging area.But the overall trend is encouraging:Over three-quarters (78%) of self-checkout users said that the experience has improved over the past five years. 82% recognized that self-checkout makes their shopping trips more efficient. 80% of users said they plan to use self-checkout more going forwards.Key takeaway: Self-checkout is the poster-child of retail automation. Even though consumers say it’s not perfect, it makes the shopping experience faster and more convenient for most, so the takeaway that customers have is a positive one. Whether they have self-checkouts or not, retailers —especially in grocery— should embrace any way to make shopping as seamless as possible. Perhaps as a differentiator, they could focus on staff training. With better knowledge of products and customer service, employees at SMEs could offer a more personal, streamlined in-store experience than large brands can.Consumers accept automation in restaurants, but it’s complicatedWe already know that consumers like speed and convenience. But when eating out, they have very different expectations depending on the type of establishment. For example, 89% said they like to take their time and enjoy the experience at a place with table service, but the exact same proportion prefer to get in and out without delay at restaurants where they order at the counter.When thinking about automation, restaurants should also consider the fact that diners place a high value on customer service. Around two-thirds (65%) said it’s very important in restaurants compared with only 26% who said the same for retail.Attitudes towards automation in restaurants are therefore complex, but consumers do see a role for various technologies across the sector, even in table-service establishments. Just as in retail, they are accepting of automated checkouts, and are also open to automated ordering and even cleaning. Interestingly, while diners see quick-service as more suited to automation overall, they thought that automated sanitization processes are less acceptable in these types of restaurant. Customers were also fairly resistant to the idea of humans being taken out of the food preparation process in general.Given the hype around artificial intelligence in 2024, SMEs may be wondering how long it is before they launch their first waiter bot —or even serve a menu designed by AI. At this point, however, consumers are wary of such technologies. Half said they would order food through an AI tool such as a chatbot, while the other half thought they would be unlikely to.Key takeaway: There is plenty of potential for restaurants to automate aspects of their businesses. Diners would be especially open to technologies that allowed them to order and pay more easily, even in table-service establishments. However, restaurants should always be aware that customer service is more important to people when dining than when they’re shopping.But automation doesn’t have to be customer-facing. Many restaurant management and restaurant point-of-sale tools include features to help automate common business processes like bookings, order handling, and managing deliveries. Will customers accept an automated experience in 2024?Consumers already use and prefer many automated processes in restaurants and retail. Self-checkout, contactless payment, and click-and-collect are already commonplace, for example.SMEs that want to employ these technologies (and more) should not lose sight of the reason why consumers like them: speed and convenience. They should also not forget that human-led customer service still counts for a lot, especially in food service.Looking for point-of-sale software? Check out our catalogue. ## Disclaimer > Methodology: GetApp’s 2024 Retail Automation Survey was conducted online in February 2024 among 305 respondents in Canada. The goal of the study was to learn how retailers and restaurants can address customer pain points with automation to ensure technology is adding efficiency to the customer experience. Respondents were screened for their experience with automation technologies at retail businesses and restaurants. ## About the author ### Tessa Anaya Tessa is a Content Analyst for GetApp, delivering software-related insights to local SMEs. She was featured in the Globe and Mail, La Presse, the Financial Post, and Yahoo. ## Related Categories - [CRM Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/230/crm/software) - [Multi-Channel eCommerce Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/1065/multi-channel-ecommerce/software) - [Point of Sale Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/195/point-of-sale/software) - [Restaurant POS Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/197/restaurant-pos/software) - [Retail POS System Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/1603/retail-pos-system/software) ## Related Articles - [How can businesses utilize the potential of generative AI to drive growth?](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/4125/generative-ai-in-the-workplace) - [How to prepare your business for a recession using software?](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/3168/prepare-your-business-for-recession) - [Hardware vs software explained](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/3052/hardware-vs-software-explained) - [Grocery checkout trends: 79% show interest in checkout-less shopping](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/2554/grocery-checkout-checkoutless-survey) - [5 eCommerce customer loyalty program ideas for SMEs to consider](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/4398/ecommerce-customer-loyalty-program-ideas) ## Links - [View on GetApp](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/5006/automation-in-retail-restaurants) - [Blog](https://www.getapp.ca/blog) - [Home](https://www.getapp.ca/) ----- ## Structured Data