Callcredit provides university with a retail vision of future

For decades, analysts have wanted to find a way of predicting shoppers’ behaviour, so retailers can choose the perfect location for their stores.

Research staff and students at The University of Leeds’ School of Geography can now use a software system which provides a clearer picture of shoppers’ habits, and how they are likely to be affected by changes in the population.

Leeds-based credit reference and marketing firm Callcredit has donated its market-leading RetailVision software to the university for use in teaching and research programmes.

RetailVision is Callcredit’s flagship retail planning system.

It is used by major retailers, property professionals and agencies to measure store performance, plan retail strategies and determine the best locations for their stores, based on an analysis of the local population, and the scale of retail competition. The software is revised and updated every year.

The School of Geography has a strong track record of producing population, geo-demographic and retail modelling studies. The department is also carrying out several postgraduate research projects with major retailers, in which RetailVision will play a vital role.

Prof Martin Clarke, professor of Geographical Modelling at the University of Leeds, said yesterday: “The School of Geography is known internationally for its expertise in retail location planning, and having access to RetailVision will give us even more in-depth knowledge and insight.”

Michael Jennings, the director of Callcredit’s retail planning team, said: “We are delighted that both students and academics in the geography department will be able to benefit from this state-of-the-art technology. Hopefully, if you get better tools to train people, they will hit the ground running when they join a corporation.”

Callcredit has expanded rapidly under the leadership of chief executive John McAndrew to compete with rivals Experian and Equifax. It employs around 900 staff.