The retail industry is experiencing an unprecedented talent shortage. Businesses across the sector are finding it difficult to retain skilled workers and train them on new processes. Many face inventory management inefficiencies, inconsistent customer service, and overwhelmed store operations teams.
Low code platforms offer a way to bridge talent gaps. Retailers are using the technology to automate processes, enhance customer engagement, and empower existing staff to accomplish more with limited resources. This article explores how.
Retail talent gaps continue to widen as businesses need employees with an increasing range of skills.
Low code platforms help retailers automate key processes and reduce dependency on specialized developers.
Existing staff can build custom applications for inventory management and customer service.
Low code solutions integrate with existing systems for seamless deployment.
Many retailers are struggling with a hidden challenge: a growing gap between their teams’ skills and the skills they need. Half of all employees say they feel ill-equipped to respond to unexpected changes at work.
The pandemic turbo-charged digital transformation, suddenly making tech skills vital for even the most traditional retail roles. What used to be simple customer service or inventory management now requires digital know-how.
High turnover rates compound the problem, with US retailers seeing an employee quit rate 74% higher than the US average, making it difficult to maintain consistent staffing levels and develop long-term expertise.
Skills like data analysis, digital customer experience design, and smart inventory management have become make-or-break capabilities. Without these capabilities, retailers struggle to compete online.
How does low code fit into this equation? Low code platforms make it easier to build software applications. Retail companies can use visual interfaces and pre-built components to create applications with minimal hand-coding. This makes software development accessible to business users who understand retail operations but lack traditional programming skills.
According to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms, low code development will dominate new retail applications by 2025. This trend fundamentally changes how retailers approach technology implementation and talent development. Let’s look at why retailers are turning to low code.
Low code offers a practical solution to talent shortages:
Store managers and operations teams can build custom applications to automate routine tasks.
Marketing teams can create personalized customer experiences.
IT departments can focus on strategic initiatives while empowering other departments to solve their own challenges.
Low code delivers measurable advantages for retailers facing talent constraints. The most immediate benefit comes from increased operational efficiency. Teams can automate manual processes like inventory counts, reordering, and customer communications.
The financial impact is also a draw. Low code platforms reduce development costs by minimizing the need for specialized developers and consultants. Plus, retailers can leverage existing staff knowledge to create solutions that lower project expenses compared to traditional custom development.
Another key advantage is scalability. As seasonal demands fluctuate or new needs become apparent, retailers can quickly adapt applications. The flexibility helps businesses maintain continuity even with limited personnel.
Employee satisfaction also improves. By automating routine work, staff can focus on higher-value activities like customer service and merchandising. This shift in responsibilities helps with retention while developing new skills in existing teams.
Retailers successfully use low code across multiple operational areas to overcome staffing limitations. Let’s examine specific applications that deliver measurable results.
Optimizing inventory management
Low code platforms excel at streamlining inventory processes. Retailers can build custom dashboards that track stock levels, predict demand, and automate reordering. These solutions integrate with existing systems and require minimal technical expertise to maintain.
A specialty retailer might use low code to create a mobile inventory app that reduces manual counting time. Store associates can scan items with phones to automatically update central inventory systems. With low code, the solution would take weeks rather than months compared to traditional development.
Streamlining store operations
Daily store management involves countless tasks that strain limited staff resources. Low code applications help by automating routine processes and providing clear visibility into operations.
Common use cases include:
Employee scheduling and task management
Store performance tracking and reporting
Training and onboarding systems
Maintenance request processing
Visual merchandising compliance
Take Etos, for example. The Dutch chemist chain moved from manual, spreadsheet-based promotional processes to a centralized system that automates campaign management. This change freed employees to focus on strategic tasks while providing comprehensive dashboards that managers use to improve processes.
Modern retail requires personalized customer engagement across channels. Low code enables rapid deployment of customer-facing applications such as self-service portals, mobile apps, and automated support systems.
For example, a fashion retailer could build a clienteling app that helps sales associates track customer preferences and purchase history. The app would take around six weeks to develop and deploy, compared to an estimated six months using traditional methods.
The rise of omnichannel retail creates complex technical challenges. Low code platforms help integrate online and offline channels while maintaining consistent customer experiences.
Retailers use low code to build:
Order management systems
Click-and-collect solutions
Real-time inventory visibility
Cross-channel loyalty programs
Personalized marketing campaigns
Intratuin is another great example of low code transformation. This Dutch garden center retailer chose CLEVR to maximize the value of its Product Data Management (PDM) and Product Information Management (PIM) applications. CLEVR implemented a promotion management application that streamlined the entire process—from product orientation to enriching product information—making it faster, more efficient, and more flexible. As a result, Intratuin’s internal data management team and individual branch managers now collaborate seamlessly within a unified workflow.
Most retailers start small with low code and learn as they go. The key is to look at your current challenges with fresh eyes. What tasks are eating up your team’s time? Where are customers experiencing frustration? These are your golden opportunities for improvement.
Think about what matters most to your business. You’ll want a low code platform that plays nicely with your existing systems, looks great on mobile, and keeps your data secure. Look for vendors who really understand retail, demonstrate expertise, and offer solid support along the way.
Start with a single project that could make a real difference. Maybe it’s streamlining inventory or creating a better scheduling system. Involve your frontline staff—they know your business best and can provide invaluable insights. By working together, you’ll create solutions that make everyone’s job easier and fill those skills gaps.
Retailers face a persistent talent shortage that hinders their ability to innovate and meet customer demands. Low code platforms offer a robust solution by empowering existing teams to build custom solutions.
Instead of succumbing to the limitations of a shrinking talent pool, retailers should embrace low code as a strategic advantage. CLEVR specializes in bridging talent gaps through strategic low code solutions. With over 20 years of experience and a team of 260 professionals across 18 countries, CLEVR helps retailers transform their operations. CLEVR’s deep expertise in retail technologies enables us to develop custom applications that address specific business challenges.
We work closely with retailers to assess operational limitations and design targeted low code solutions. Then, we implement seamless integrations with existing systems and provide ongoing support and optimization.
Our goal is to empower retail teams to develop digital skills, automate processes, and create more value for their organizations. We help retailers turn talent constraints into opportunities for innovation and growth.
We base our analysis on the latest retail industry insights from industry publications. We reviewed real-world examples of effective low code applications in various retail sectors and incorporated our experience in developing low code solutions for retailers. The findings also reflect input from retail operations managers, IT leaders, and customer experience experts currently using low code tools.