CW+ Premium Content/Computer Weekly

Pet ownership has risen during the current public health crisis. Many owners of companion animals will look to Pets at Home, and other pet retail outlets, for goods and services that will help them keep their furry friends at the heart of their emotional world. Pets at Home chief data officer (CDO) Robert Kent joined the company in 2018, brought in by CEO Peter Pritchard, who was looking to embark on a strategy that involved data analytics to better serve its customers, under a VIP – Very Important Pet(s) – programme. Like many businesses, Pets at Home is increasingly looking to put data at the service of its customer care. “I had a blank sheet of paper to use the data that had been built over seven years through the VIP loyalty scheme, extending to over six million customers,” says Kent. And so he has, he says, built up a team and a toolset to do that. “A lot of people see us as a pet shop, and as a retailer, but we see ourselves as a petcare provider, recognising the pet as a beloved part of the family. We aim to offer a ...