John Lewis Partnership accelerates digital transformation with £100 million Google Cloud agreement

The John Lewis Partnership has announced a strategic partnership with Google Cloud, worth £100m over the next five years, to support the employee-owned retailer’s digital transformation.

The deal expands on the successful relationship the retailer has had with Google since 2012 and marks a step forward in the retailer’s ambitions to provide customers with even more tailored and personalised experiences when shopping in-store, online and via mobile apps. 

Under the new agreement, more of the John Lewis Partnership’s technology will migrate to Google Cloud, harnessing its most innovative technologies, including advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). These tools will enable the John Lewis Partnership workforce to be more efficient, spend more time focusing on customers, and better use data insights to help curate great products and services.

The closer relationship with Google will also support the retail group’s ambitions for a shared customer loyalty programme across its John Lewis and Waitrose brands.

Nish Kankiwala, Chief Executive Officer at the John Lewis Partnership, said:

“Investing in cutting edge technology is not just a choice, it’s a necessity for a modern retailer like us. Core to our strategy is building our technology infrastructure for the long term, drawing on latest innovations to benefit our customers.”

Zak Mian, Chief Transformation and Technology Officer at the John Lewis Partnership, added:

“At the John Lewis Partnership we’ve always been focused at finding better ways to do business. Today’s announcement marks a significant step in transforming our technology, and ensures that our Partners have the best tools to provide our customers with even more personalised experiences, across all our channels.

“Imagine a world where a customer can use an image scanning feature in their John Lewis App to show our Home Design Stylists a room they’re looking to furnish, which tells us all we need to know about the intricacies of the space, layout and measurements. Not only does it save customers a lot of time and hassle, but even before the appointment we can take inspiration from their unique preferences and give tailored recommendations that can even complement products they already have. We’re looking forward to an era of fresh innovation.”

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said:

“As an innovative British retailer with a strong commitment to customer service, the John Lewis Partnership is always looking for new ways to reinvent how it does business. By turning to Google Cloud’s leading AI and ML tools, John Lewis will help transform the Partner experience, which in turn will deliver a better and more seamless experience for its customers.”