Technology gadgets won’t help a retailer if they don’t have good customer service. RFID and NFC won’t bring Walmart customers back—or increase their average basket size—if the shopping experience is unpleasant. But when good customer service is married to customer-facing tech wizardry, look out. Consider Nordstrom’s 3D-scanning foot-measuring shoe-fitting rollout.

If a shopper walks into a Home Depot or Lowe’s with a need for a specific size pipe or bolt, does he/she need to try it out to know if it will work? What about a customer wanting a specific sauté pan from Williams-Sonoma? The well-known reality is that clothes—including accessories like shoes—has sizing identifications that change from manufacturer to manufacturer, from style to style. And, yes, this is much worse for women’s clothing and accessories.

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