The SYNQ team recently returned from an eventful week at The NRF Big Show 2026, and one thing stood out clearly: the retail industry is moving past experimentation into execution. Conversations that felt theoretical just one year ago are now focused on how technology is being applied in store environments.  

A few themes emerged for us, from how AI is reaching frontline teams to a stronger focus on in-store service tools.  

Here are SYNQ’s key takeaways from NRF 2026.

Agentic AI moves from concept to execution

Agentic AI remained a prominent topic at NRF 2026. This year, the conversation shifted from concept to how it’s being applied to operations on the sales floor. We’ve all heard the chatter about challenges with adoption from AI pilots to deployment, and it seems the retail space has received the message loud and clear. Research shows that while many organizations experiment broadly with AI, only about 5% of pilots make it into production with measurable impact, with most stalling because they aren’t integrated into real workflows.  From our perspective, much of the challenge is with over complicating agent rollouts – we believe that simple will win the day when it comes to driving adoption.

A recurring theme was access. While retailers continue to invest in AI-driven systems and modern applications, not every frontline employee has access to a smart device. Even when devices are available, shared logins, app switching, and battery constraints limit adoption. Moving entirely to a device-first model remains a challenge for many retailers. Going from 1 device for every 3-5 people to 1:1 coverage overnight is like telling FedEx they must go all electric, and it all must be done this year. It’s not going to happen.

This is why enabling agentic AI through existing tools stood out as critical. Two-way radios are already embedded in daily workflows and used by most associates, making them a natural interface for AI. Voice-based access reduces friction, keeps teams hands-free, and delivers intelligence to the sales floor without requiring new hardware.  

That shift is why solutions like SYNQ’s AI Radio resonated at the show, bringing agentic AI to frontline teams through the tools they already use.

Customer acknowledgement gets the focus it deserves

Customer acknowledgement emerged as a key theme at the show, with growing recognition that speed alone does not define a good in-store experience. How shoppers experience waiting matters, and when they receive status updates on their requests, they’re willing to wait much longer.

For us, this focus reinforced an approach that has been built into our solutions from the start. From call buttons to QR-based help solutions, customer trip assurance has always been at the core of how we design in-store assistance experiences.  

As the market continues to recognize the importance of customer trip assurance, we’re seeing increased innovation around how in-store assistance requests are acknowledged and measured, something we’ll explore more in an upcoming post.

The resurgence of physical call buttons

Another takeaway from NRF 2026 was the renewed interest in physical help buttons. While QR codes continue to play a role in the in-store experience, physical buttons remain important on the sales floor. They’re familiar, intuitive, and require no explanation for shoppers. Often, they’re the most effective when quick access to help matters.

What stood out was how these buttons are evolving beyond simple alerts. Retailers are looking for clearer ways to understand when assistance requests are completed and how those interactions impact operations and sales.  

This shift toward verification and measurement is something we’ve been focused on as well. At NRF, we launched “scan to complete” (patent pending), a new capability that adds a verification step by requiring associates to scan the call button and product sold with their Zebra before closing a request. This gives retailers clearer visibility into service delivery and performance.

What NRF 2026 signals for the year ahead

NRF 2026 pointed to a year ahead where execution matters on the sales floor. Retailers are prioritizing solutions that work within real frontline constraints and support more reliable, measurable service. Whether it’s how AI reaches frontline teams, how shoppers are provided with acknowledgement, or how in-store assistance is verified and measured, the emphasis is on solutions that provide insight and work within existing workflows.