These and other questions will be the central themes of the forum "Leaders of the Consumer Market," which will take place on October 28, 2026, at Radisson Zavidovo as part of the annual "Consumer Choice" award in quality and service.
The business program focuses on the transformation of the consumer market, the development of customer experience, the application of artificial intelligence, and new approaches to quality management. Special emphasis is placed on practical solutions: participants will discuss how to implement technologies and automation while maintaining a human approach to the client and simultaneously increasing business efficiency.
From algorithms to employees: what changes the customer experience
Consumer expectations are changing, and companies are looking for formats that combine different scenarios of interaction with the audience. For the NEBO sports and gaming phygital ecosystem, this direction has become a combination of physical activity and digital technologies.
"The demands of children and parents are changing the approach to leisure. For NEBO, the transition to a phygital platform is associated with the audience's desire to combine play, sports, and digital technologies. This format requires clear service so that the transition from the digital environment to the physical one provides maximum impressions and opportunities for development," noted Irina Nikolaevna Tomilova, Executive Director of the NEBO sports and gaming phygital ecosystem.
This approach reflects a common challenge for the market: technologies should not complicate interaction with the brand, but rather make the customer experience more convenient and holistic.
Four forum sessions on key market challenges
· "Technological breakthrough: AI and automation without losing the "soul"": experts will discuss the practice of implementing neural networks in customer processes, hyper-personalization, and data privacy. The focus will be on the changing role of humans in the age of algorithms and ethical issues of AI use.
· "Human capital: EX = CX (Employee Experience as a foundation)". The session will be dedicated to how the state and engagement of employees affect customer experience. Participants will analyze practical approaches to burnout prevention, working with staff shortages, and building communication between departments.
· "Strategy and metrics. The economics of impressions in numbers": customer service is becoming part of the business economy, which means it requires measurable indicators. Experts will discuss the evaluation of ROI of service initiatives, approaches to measuring customer experience, quality management on marketplaces, customer-centricity in B2B, and working with negativity. A separate question is which methods of assessing customer satisfaction no longer reflect the real picture and how to supplement them.
· "Consumer market 2026: trends, quality, safety". The final session will be dedicated to changes in consumer behavior and product quality requirements. Topics include consumption ecosystems, ESG, and the transformation of quality standards in the context of import substitution.
Among the forum speakers:
· Pavel Belov, Development Director of "Plati po vsemu miru";
· Inna Karaeva, Executive Director of ROMIR;
· Alexey Gavrilov, Program Director of the Center for the Implementation of a Customer-Centric Approach, Institute "Higher School of Public Administration" of the Presidential Academy RANEPA;
· Ayshe Agekyan, independent consultant, 16 years top manager at Ikea, author of bestsellers on business worldview, entrepreneur, motivational speaker.
Thus, the forum program highlights customer service as a complex business task – from technology and corporate culture to metrics, product quality, and the economics of customer relations.