Solving the problem of communication tools being designed for desk-based workers, not mobile retail workers, 8×8, Inc., a leading global business communications platform provider, is using its presence at the Retail Technology Show 2026 to make its UK debut of Retail Nationwide — a unified communications offering built specifically for how store teams actually work.

Retail Nationwide addresses a structural mismatch that costs UK retailers daily. Most enterprise communication tools were designed for office staff with assigned phones and fixed desks. Retail doesn’t work that way. When a call comes in, the nearest available person should be able to answer it – but most current setups aren’t configured for that. The result is missed calls, inconsistent responsiveness, and IT teams managing the fallout across dozens or hundreds of locations.

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Retail Nationwide is built around how stores actually operate. Calls ring across all connected devices, whoever is available answers. Configuration is standardised across locations, reducing provisioning time when new stores open.

Each licence works with a desk phone plus up to five shared mobile or tablet devices, so the store environment is covered without requiring individual licences for every staff member.

“UK retailers are managing more complexity with leaner teams than ever with staff helping customers, dealing with online orders, trying to answer queries across multiple channels, and so much more,” said Michelle Kelly, Retail Expert at 8×8, Inc. “The communication infrastructure many stores are running on wasn’t built for that. It was built for a world where everyone has a desk and phone and has been shoehorned into retail, resulting in a poor employee and customer experience. Retail Nationwide changes all that and has a pricing model that reflects the retail reality.”

8×8 will be attending Retail Technology Show 2026 alongside channel partner Global Telecom Networks (GTN).

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“What we hear consistently from UK retailers is that their frontline teams are difficult to reach and expensive to equip,” said Vipool Umaria, Chief Operations Officer at Global Telecom Networks. “The licensing model alone creates friction — staff turnover, licences go unused, IT has to keep pace with store changes. Retail Nationwide cuts through all of that. It’s a model built around how retail actually staffs and operates and that attention to detail in the industry is why we are working with 8×8.”

Retail-specific solutions designed to drive measurable outcomes

In addition to Retail Nationwide, 8×8 will showcase retail-focused solutions that help businesses increase conversion, improve post-purchase experiences, and build lasting customer relationships, including:

• 8×8 Aftersale Assist helps retailers resolve issues faster after purchase by using AI-powered self-service and one-way video support, improving customer satisfaction while reducing avoidable returns and support costs.
• 8×8 Sales Assist helps sales teams engage customers more effectively with AI-driven insights and guided conversations, improving efficiency, increasing personalization, and driving repeat purchases and loyalty.

8×8 will also demonstrate its core retail communication capabilities, including MDM integration for large-scale device management, support for shared handheld devices with simplified store-associate onboarding, centralized remote configuration for consistent multi-site communication, and a dedicated managed version of the 8×8 Work app optimized for MDM-based deployments.