Feeling recognized and appreciated is something that many people want, even when shopping with their favorite brands. Knowing their business is valued is a vital element in customer retention, so many brands are now stepping up their efforts to implement solutions that provide them with the tools needed for making patron interactions more engaging.

Luckily, using retail management software to collect, store and analyze data about consumers is an effective way to accomplish merchants' retention goals. Big data, as it's formally known, has provided companies in a variety of sectors with essential resources for improving business operations and strategies. For the retail industry, perhaps one of the best methods in which big data can be used is by enhancing personalization, according to ZDNet.

Leveraging big data to develop more personalized marketing messages that include product preferences based on past purchases can keep customers coming back, the source explained. But the technology is not limited to just digital interactions – brands can gather and use shopper data to make suggestions while patrons are in brick-and-mortar locations as well.