Q&A: Mathew Baldwin, Professional Services Director UK&I, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions
Toshiba has established itself as a leader in the retail world by blending proven solutions, cutting-edge innovation, and expertise to empower retailers in enhancing customer engagement.
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I’ve spent my entire career in the retail industry, starting out as a retail sales assistant and working my way steadily up to store management. Those early experiences gave me a real understanding of how things work on the ground, both behind the scenes and when connecting with customers.
My journey then led me to Toshiba, where I have built a diverse and fulfilling 28-year career. Starting in the engineering department, I progressed through several technical and leadership roles, including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd line technical support, Technical Pre-Sales, and Technical Pre-Sales Manager.
Never Miss a Retail Update!In my current role as UKI Professional Services Director I’m proud to lead our incredible services teams, including the Technical Pre-Sales Team, Technical Specialists and Developers, and the Project Management Team. Together, we deliver innovative solutions and provide the best possible support for our customers.
This experience of spanning diverse roles and levels of responsibility, has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of the retail landscape from multiple perspectives. This knowledge enables me to connect technical innovation with practical retail solutions in a way that truly works for our customers.
What does your company do? / What is your USP?
Toshiba has established itself as a leader in the retail world by blending proven solutions, cutting-edge innovation, and expertise to empower retailers in enhancing customer engagement. We achieve this by offering comprehensive, end-to-end solutions from our extensive portfolio of POS hardware, software, and services, all tailored specifically for the retail sector enabling retailers to meet the diverse and evolving demands of their unique environments.
What advantages can Toshiba offer to retailers?
As retail experts we can offer advantages in many areas for retailers. Our ELERA® Unified Commerce platform for example allows retailers to take advantage of either a complete solution that has been developed from the ground up and designed for modern retail or utilise components of the platform to add modern functionality to a legacy solution enabling customer journeys that legacy applications cannot.
Alongside this, another significant advantage lies in our expertise in managing change within a retail environment. Our highly skilled Professional Services team is adept at guiding retailers through every stage of transformation and project delivery, leveraging a proven and reliable framework. This ensures seamless implementation and drives successful outcomes tailored to each retailer’s unique needs.
What does an implementation actually look like and how do you measure success?
Implementations can vary greatly, as each retailer possesses unique in-house capabilities. This is where Toshiba excels with our flexible approach. Our Professional Services team conducts comprehensive Discovery workshops to thoroughly assess and define the solution and implementation requirements.
During this process, we identify areas where the retailer’s internal resources can contribute effectively and complement these with Toshiba’s expertise as needed. This approach allows us to tailor the project to the retailer’s specific needs – ranging from guidance for retailer-led implementations to fully Toshiba-managed project delivery, encompassing everything from Project Management to Development and Deployment.
How are retailers using your systems to gain competitive advantage and what does best practice look like?
Retailers are utilising our solutions and services in various ways to gain a competitive edge, with our ELERA Unified Commerce platform serving as a prime example. ELERA enables retailers to implement advanced customer journeys and back-office functionalities that traditional legacy platforms cannot support. This approach provides a flexible alternative to a full rip-and-replace strategy, allowing for a more gradual, stepped integration of modern capabilities into their existing systems.
By integrating ELERA components, retailers eliminate the substantial development costs associated with adding new functionalities to increasingly complex monolithic systems. This modular approach allows for seamless integration of features such as Self-Service, Mobile Shopping, Loyalty and Promotion management, and even full featured Returns Modules, enabling retailers to innovate and adapt with greater efficiency.
Are there other companies you partner with?
We collaborate with a diverse network of partners in the retail industry, offering complementary products and services to our customers. By working with these specialised partners, we deliver a comprehensive range of solutions that cater to every aspect of a retailer’s needs. Our partnerships span from large-scale software/hardware providers to innovative, niche technology companies with groundbreaking products, enabling us to address challenges across the entire retail landscape. To help retailers find the perfect mix of solutions, we’ve introduced the ‘Toshiba Commerce Marketplace,’ featuring virtual ‘meet and greet’ sessions that connect our customers with a trusted network of partners.
What challenges are retailers facing in 2025?
Shrinkage remains a constant challenge for retailers, requiring a delicate balance between minimising losses and maintaining a positive customer experience. This balance becomes even more critical with the rise of modern shopping technologies such as Self-Checkout and Mobile Shopping.
Self-Checkout systems, while offering convenience and efficiency, can introduce vulnerabilities if not carefully managed, such as accidental or intentional non-scanning of items. Similarly, Mobile Shopping, whether through consumer-led devices or in-store devices used for Scan & Go applications, presents unique challenges in monitoring and preventing shrinkage without disrupting the seamless experience customers expect.
How will you address these challenges and turn them into successes?
Shrinkage presents both technical and operational challenges, but at Toshiba, we are committed to addressing these through innovative technology. Our in-house developed AI camera solutions offer a transformative approach to loss prevention, either replacing or augmenting traditional weight-based security systems in Self-Checkout with a more seamless, customer-friendly solution.
Using our ELERA Loss Prevention technology, we can monitor customer behaviors in real time and intelligently trigger interventions within self-checkout software for potential loss prevention activities, such as missed scans. This behaviour-driven approach enables retailers to effectively tackle shrinkage while maintaining a positive and frictionless shopping experience for customers.
What is on the horizon for you as a company?
We are excited to introduce our latest range of POS hardware, designed to meet the diverse needs of modern retail environments. This new lineup includes fixed POS systems available in various screen sizes, catering to a wide array of retail settings. Notably, the range features 24” devices designed for kiosk applications, delivering enhanced functionality, durability, and versatility to help retailers optimise customer engagement.
Toshiba has consistently been at the forefront of retail innovation, combining cutting-edge technology with the experienced support and delivery capabilities that retailers need to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry which will continue.
Any final thoughts?
The retail landscape is a dynamic and complex world, filled with both challenges and opportunities. Over the past 28 years with Toshiba, I have had the privilege of collaborating with a large range of retailers, gaining deep insights into their unique needs and helping them navigate the complexities of the industry.
As the retail industry continues to evolve, I am excited to extend this support to our existing customers, strengthening those relationships while also engaging with new customers. My teams’ goal is to provide expert guidance, tailored assistance and project delivery across all areas of their business, helping them unlock new opportunities, overcome challenges, and thrive in today’s fast-paced retail environment.
To find out how Toshiba can help your retail operation, visit them online or connect with Mat directly.
