A favourite, but sometimes frustrating, pastime - shopping - is being made easy and engaging, thanks to BT.
Empty shelves, out of stock items, lengthy queues and delivery times could be a thing of the past as a result of the innovative technology that has been developed at BT's Adastral Park IT centre in Suffolk.
But the technological advances that have been unveiled at the latest end-to-end customer experience showcase go way beyond the shopping experience, showing how the physical and virtual worlds are now coming together right through the supply chain - from manufacturing to distribution, and through to the retail environment.
And to ensure it's a perfect fit for all customers, BT took stock of the ideas of its partners, large corporate customers, employees at its Magna Park warehouse in Leicester and local schoolchildren, when putting together the new showcase.
The showcase is helping to bring the experience to life - taking customers on a journey of endless possibilities.
On this journey, employees can access confidential company data wherever they need to - thanks to a wireless local area network (WLAN). A forklift truck can be automatically inspected - saving manual checking time. A sales account manager can see stock levels online from a mobile device. A customer can pick up a packet of Walkers crisps and look at Gary Lineker's health advice at the same time on their personal device.
The showcase addresses two of the biggest shopping gripes - knowing the in-store availability of products, and easily pinpointing where to find them.
The tour starts on the factory floor. BT's customer experience consultant Dr Tony Houghton said: "What affects customers starts right here. It's what our customers have been asking for. It's all about visibility through the supply chain from sourcing to recycling or product recall."
It starts with the product components and a look at how haptic technology enables people to experience the touch and feel of a physical object - which may be on the other side of the world. "It's invaluable if, for example, we wish to examine the physical texture of a component, or packaging being produced by a Far East supplier," said Tony.
The components are placed on an intelligent conveyor belt that uses radio frequency identity (RFID) tagging.
"It's not just about tagging products and product components though the lifecycle," said Tony. "It can also be about health and safety of operators, and asset management. By using RFID, you can automatically check if the operator is allowed access or has received training to use the equipment."
The intelligent conveyer belt, a real forklift truck and the tail-end of a van installed in the showcase bring to life intelligent asset management, location-based services and Driving Force - a project that emerged from a hothouse with young customers and BT experts.
"Driving Force combines external traffic-related services and internal vehicle data, to address how we might save time for people and businesses, protect the environment or find the best route and mode of transport," said Tony. "It can also inform and entertain people on the move and create an intelligent way of tackling congestion. It's ambitious but BT is working with partners to make it happen."
The showcase moves on to BT's mock-up of a high-class department store - Fabrica. Complete with mannequins and hanging rails displaying the season's latest fashions, and a food hall stocked with real fruit, vegetables and fresh flowers, the customer is transported into a physical and virtual store.
Here, the shopping basket and human contact with products are combined with WLAN-based in-store navigation. The customer can access in-store intelligence on store devices such as the trolley or their own personal mobile devices. And there's also an automatic checkout, easing the congestion at the tills.
"There is end-to-end product visibility from create to recycle," said Tony. "Customers will know where things are in the store, or where their delivery is - as will shop floor assistants, delivery staff, store managers, account teams and all employees who are there to support the customer - courtesy of the WLAN."
The whole showcase - from factory floor to department store - is backed up with sounds and images playing to set the scene, giving a realistic and authentic feel for customers who can see for themselves how the technology works. The result is a showcase that opens up the world of opportunities made possible by innovation and technology.
Head of customer loyalty Steve Kempt said: "The new showcase is a remarkable journey through the supply chain and will help us bring alive the experience for visitors."
Initial feedback has been phenomenal. DHL group strategy and innovation director Jon Bumstead was the first customer to visit. Jon said: "Busy business executives really welcome an opportunity to spend a day like this exploring the future, particularly identifying trends for discontinuous change."
And BT account director Steve Kettle said: "Jon was so impressed by the experience that he wants to carry out workshops with his senior team in the new environment."