Kate Hardcastle

Kate Hardcastle is The Customer Whisperer.

Online shopping and the Amazon phenomenon have made huge inroads into buying habits during 2020 and 2021. Customers are returning to high streets shops and out of town malls. Post Covid there’s a resurgence in footfall. With developments such as Ikea moving into the former Topshop premises on Oxford Street should we expect a resurgence of customers in our city centres? Or will online continue to take traffic and trade from bricks and mortar retail? Business needs to know all of the possible outcomes.

Kate Hardcastle is expert in ‘retail theatre’, delivering advice to retail business on how to utilise all five senses to attract more consumers and to increase footfall and profitability. Kate works to help some of the worlds biggest brands to see the future of customer relationships and market development. Her work has included the successful turnaround of ailing high street businesses and the creation of powerful new consumer brands. As a consultant Kate has advised on business redevelopment, restructures, and on takeovers.

Kate’s work won her a Queen’s Honours Award for services to business and she was awarded an MBE, She was also the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award, and is the global Trustee & Ambassador of the Diana Award – the only charity created for the legacy of Princess Diana and honouring young people who work to improve the lives of those less fortunate.