Day two at NRF 2026 built directly on the momentum from day one. The booth stayed busy, the energy stayed high, and the conversations kept flowing. Retail leaders returned with colleagues, new teams were introduced, and there was a growing sense of alignment around one thing… Retailers want clearer visibility into what’s really happening in their stores, and what to do about it.
Between demos, quick kickarounds at the soccer booth, and catching up with familiar faces, the atmosphere stayed open and engaging. But the intent was clear. These weren’t casual conversations. People were looking for a signal they could trust and insight that leads to action on the floor.
Performance at the centre of the conversation
Across every vertical—big box, specialty, convenience, QSR, department stores—the same challenges kept coming up. Performance varies widely by store. Conversion gaps persist between top and bottom locations. And despite having multiple tools in place, leaders still struggle to explain why results differ and where to focus next.
That’s where TruRating consistently resonated. Retailers responded to the idea of capturing real, in-the-moment customer signal at the point of payment and tying it directly to outcomes like conversion and ATV. Not delayed surveys. Not anecdotal reports. A live, representative view of execution that reflects how stores actually operate.
Turning signal into daily action
Building on that foundation, TruCoaching AI came up naturally in many conversations as the next step, using AI-driven notifications to guide managers toward focused, practical coaching.
Leaders were clear about what they don’t want. More reporting. More complexity. More tools that feel disconnected from store reality. What they do want is help closing the gap between average and top-performing stores, without turning feedback into a compliance exercise.
TruCoaching AI stood out because it keeps the focus on simple behaviors, clear priorities, and progress over time. It supports managers without being punitive and helps teams build habits that actually lift performance.
Proof that store teams buy in
That focus on practicality and store-level engagement is exactly why retailers already working with TruRating spoke so positively about the platform.Brian Neal, SVP of Operations at Follett Higher Education Group, shared how TruRating has supported both leadership and frontline teams:
“We’ve been working with TruRating for about a year and a half, starting with pilot stores and now expanding our relationship over the next six months. TruRating gives us a strong foundation of actionable data, which is exactly what we want from the partnership. But just as importantly, our store leaders and frontline teams are genuinely engaged in the process and want to see TruRating rolled out across more stores in the organization.”
Brian Neal, SVP of Operations, Follet Higher Education Group
That balance of actionable insight for leaders and genuine engagement from store teams, came up again and again at NRF.
Built for where retail is right now
Day two reinforced how pragmatic retail has become. Budgets are under pressure. Finance teams are pushing hard on consolidation. Any solution has to earn its place by driving real outcomes, not just reporting.
TruRating fit naturally into that reality. It wasn’t seen as a replacement for CX or analytics platforms, but as performance intelligence that connects customer experience, frontline behavior, and business results in real time.
Closing out day two
As day two wrapped up, the energy at the booth was still strong. The team was tired in the best way. The kind that comes from meaningful conversations, thoughtful questions, and seeing a clear match between what retailers need and what TruRating delivers.
NRF isn’t about hype. It’s about clarity. And day two made clear that retailers want to stop guessing, see what’s really happening in their stores, and act with confidence.
Day three is up next. If you’re still at NRF, come find us at Booth #2229. We’d love to keep the conversation going.
