Meet the Kalibrate team: Rich Wilcox, VP Solution Engineering

At Kalibrate, we believe our success is driven as much by our people as our technology. Here, we meet Rich Wilcox, our VP of Solution Engineering, and find out more about his role at Kalibrate.

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What’s your role at Kalibrate?

I head up Solution Engineering at Kalibrate across our retail network planning division.

Our team is made-up of product specialists that work with prospective and existing clients to understand their business as well as the markets that they operate in, and to subsequently design solutions that meet client needs and maximise the value that Kalibrate can offer.

We work with retailers all over the world to develop data-driven software and consulting solutions utilising our market leading analytical capabilities.   

What does a typical day look like?

I’m an early riser; I try to take advantage of the early part of the morning by catching-up on what’s happened in North America overnight and meeting with clients in the Asia Pacific region. I also like to fit in some family time and exercise.  

I try to use the mornings as focus time before the US comes online. This is typically spent working on client proposals, researching international data options for projects, and progressing internal initiatives.

At the moment I’m spending a lot my time working on integration projects; continuously learning more about the companies that have joined the Kalibrate group over the last 2 years, working on messaging and content creation, and enabling conversations both internally and externally around how this can benefit our global client base.   

During the afternoons I spend most of my time meeting with clients in Europe and the western hemisphere to carry out discovery sessions, provide tailored product demonstrations and working with our internal teams on everything from solution design right through to implementation and handover to a satisfied client.  

What do you love about your role?

I love the variety that comes with working in a truly global company. In one day, I can be working with a prospective client in SE Asia to develop a fuel and convenience growth strategy, projecting EV adoption and prioritising charger locations in Europe and helping a North American-based QSR retailer expand internationally.  

Another thing I love about my role is being able to work with the companies and solution sets that Kalibrate has recently acquired. I started out at Kalibrate in Solution Engineering before leading delivery for 3 years. Being able to re-join the team in a leadership role, and with our vastly enhanced product offering is an exciting opportunity.

Prior to the acquisitions, Kalibrate had an extensive fuel and convenience product offering but wasn’t as well positioned to help outside of this space.

With the ever-blurring lines between fuel, convenience, food, and other services, and with the impact of the emergence of things like EV and Omnichannel services, our clients need a holistic view of the markets that they operate in to succeed. Today we can proudly say that we can offer this and more.  

Every day is different and challenging in its own way, and every day I learn something new. This, and the people, is what has kept me at Kalibrate for seven years. 

Tell us about your journey with Kalibrate

Kalibrate’s data-driven solutions and science is what first attracted me to the company. I wanted a role that could stretch my technical capabilities whilst working with clients, where I was empowered to make decisions and had significant opportunities for career development. Kalibrate offered this, and a whole lot more!

What do you think are the greatest challenges and opportunities facing the retail sector?

In many cases retailers are still trying to understand how their sectors have changed as we learn to live with COVID. Some will return normal; others have changed forever.

The last two years have many challenges and opportunities to our clients and their competitors and what is becoming clear is that the retailers that use solutions such as Kalibrate’s to understand the changes in their markets, and how their customers shop, are the ones that are best positioned to adapt, innovate, and succeed.  

Across all sectors, gut feel is less effective than ever; retailers need accurate, current, and comprehensive datasets, combined with sophisticated analytics and modelling to leverage the challenges that they face to create growth opportunities. 

Where do you see the retail and restaurant sectors heading?

These markets will continue to be disrupted by new technologies and a new generation of competition. Over the coming years we will see an even greater shift towards electric vehicles, online convenience, and quality fresh food.

Existing gas stations will be reinvented as EV charging hubs with offers that meet the needs of those recharging their vehicles.

Convenience stores will increasingly offer mobile-driven delivery services and new online-only market entrants will emerge with lower operational costs.

More than ever people are looking for quality, fresh, fast food and competition will be greater than ever.