{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"RetailCraft - digital retail, ecommerce and brands - Retail Podcast","title":"RetailCraft 57: \"1300 entrepreneurs\" - in conversation with Oskar Jacobsson, Director Customer Solutions, ICA Gruppen","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/9d7dd1af\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2489,"description":"What happens when one of the Nordics’ largest grocery retailers empowers 1,300 local entrepreneurs under a single national brand? In this episode, Ian Jindal chats with Oskar Jakobsson, Director of Customer Solutions at ICA Gruppen, to explore the unique federated model in Swedish grocery retail. Oskar shares how ICA balances entrepreneurial autonomy with digital innovation, discusses the challenges of unifying customer experience across diverse store formats, and reflects on the accelerating pace of change in retail technology. The conversation ranges from handwritten signs and local flavour to AI-driven personalisation, the future of agentic shopping, and the enduring joy of simply strolling through great stores.\n\nAbout the Guest\nOskar Jakobsson is Director of Customer Solutions at ICA Gruppen, where he leads a team of nearly 200 colleagues responsible for all digital customer-facing touchpoints. With over 20 years’ experience in retail, spanning SaaS suppliers, H&M, and Sweden’s alcohol monopoly, Oskar brings deep expertise in digital transformation, customer experience, and the art of retail.\n\nKey Topics & Timestamps\n\n\n00:00 – Welcome & IntroductionOskar’s retail journey, passion for the industry, and why he loves just being in stores.\n\n\n03:00 – ICA’s Unique Model: 1,300 EntrepreneursHow ICA’s structure empowers local ownership, creates lively, differentiated stores, and fosters community connection.\n\n\n08:00 – Store Formats & Family BusinessesThe four ICA formats, from small convenience stores to hypermarkets, and the generational, entrepreneurial spirit behind them.\n\n\n10:00 – Digital Customer Experience at ScaleOskar’s role in orchestrating all digital touchpoints, from apps to in-store tech, and the challenge of aligning with retailer-facing systems.\n\n\n13:00 – Defining “Best Customer Experience”How ICA uses surveys, A/B testing, and constant feedback to keep the customer at the centre of every digital and in-store decision.\n\n\n15:00 – The Complexity of...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/VtMeM9x57oIyPtseCP2dq_HPum19jYWt97L3UTRpo8A/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iYmFh/YmZlNTFiNTlhYjc2/ZDQ0MDYxNzIyNjlm/NjA0Ni5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}