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On 22 April 2026, industry professionals gathered in Northampton for the BHTA Retailers’ Day, a focused event for mobility and assistive technology retailers.
Titled ‘AI in Mobility and Independent Living Retail – Practical Tools Without Losing the Human Touch’, and led by Clare Bailey from The Retail Champion, the panel brought together:
The discussion centred on how AI can be used in practical ways without losing the trust, empathy, and personalised service that define the sector.
Retailers are moving from fear, to curiosity, to adoption. In many cases, AI is already being used informally. As David noted, bringing that usage into the open is often the first step towards using it effectively.
Panellists framed AI as an enabler. The focus was on starting small, testing low-risk tasks, and building confidence over time. This was described as a change management process, requiring internal buy-in and clear direction.
Clare Bailey encouraged a simple starting point: use AI to capture ideas, structure thoughts, or draft content. These small wins quickly demonstrate value.
Martyn Sibley added a lived-experience perspective, explaining how AI has helped him overcome dexterity challenges and improve productivity, highlighting its role as both a business and accessibility tool.
AI’s strongest impact is in improving efficiency, consistency, and quality by reducing routine admin work. Common uses include drafting content, summarising information, automating repetitive tasks, and supporting research and scheduling.
David explained that within the BHTA, this has freed up time to reinvest into member engagement and face-to-face activity.
Steve emphasised that success should be judged by outcomes: if customers experience faster, more relevant service, AI is working. If they notice the AI itself, something has gone wrong.
Human interaction remains central in mobility and independent living retail. AI cannot replicate empathy, judgement, or relationship-building, and these remain key differentiators.
Instead, AI should support staff by handling routine work and enabling more meaningful customer interactions.
The panel also raised the risk of over-automation. If time saved is not reinvested, or if technology removes valuable human experiences, it can have negative consequences.
Alastair stressed the importance of understanding customer comfort levels. Some customers will embrace automation, while others may find it unsettling. Retailers must judge where technology adds value and where the human touch remains essential.
AI can support the entire customer journey, from discovery to aftercare.
In marketing, the shift from traditional SEO to AI-driven search is significant. Retailers must consider how their content appears in tools like ChatGPT, not just Google. This increases the importance of high-quality, informative content that answers real customer questions.
Long-form, story-led content and strong brand identity were highlighted as key. As AI increasingly mediates recommendations, trusted brands are more likely to be surfaced.
Accuracy is also critical. AI outputs reflect the information available online, meaning retailers must ensure their content is consistent and up to date. Poor or generic AI-generated content can damage credibility, as customers can often recognise it.
AI also enables more personalised engagement. As Martyn noted: “I think the benefit with AI is we can understand what large swathes of consumers need and want and provide more bespoke service.” However, this should support conversations, not replace them.
In aftercare, AI is already being used to improve responsiveness. Alastair described how AI-driven triage systems can resolve many support queries, particularly outside working hours, allowing staff to focus on more complex cases.
Education is essential for effective adoption. Retailers were encouraged to set aside time to learn, experiment, and build internal knowledge.
Alastair highlighted support options such as local growth hubs, Innovate UK funding, and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, which can help fund both technology and learning.
The panel also noted that AI is evolving rapidly, and different tools have different strengths. Retailers should focus on understanding where each tool adds value, rather than adopting technology for its own sake.
While the outlook was positive, several risks were highlighted:
For retailers starting out with AI, the advice was simple: begin with low-risk tasks, test and refine outputs, and expand gradually. Maintain oversight, focus on quality, and use AI to support – not replace – what people do best.
The overall sentiment of the panel was that when used thoughtfully, AI can free up time, improve service, and strengthen the human elements that matter most.
The author used AI to help prepare this article.
Trusted Assessing and Care Training (TACT) has announced that its accredited Trusted Assessor course for retailers, which launched in February 2024 in collaboration with the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA), will be available online this autumn.
Approved by OCN London at level three, the ‘Trusted Assessor: Assessing in a Retail Environment’ course is designed to enable retail staff selling daily living equipment to become certified Trusted Assessors to provide ethical and reliable advice.
For BHTA members, the course is an excellent opportunity for retail staff to become knowledgeable and qualified Trusted Assessors to handle simple daily living equipment assessments and to know when to refer more complex cases to an occupational therapist (OT).
Many retailers are used to undertaking in-home visits to identify suitable equipment and adaptations, and TACT’s dedicated Trusted Assessor course recognises that work by adding new skills in line with a recognised quality standard.
Once qualified as Trusted Assessors, retail staff can be formally integrated into local health and social care pathways, growing the network of people qualified to support older and disabled people to live independently in the community.
Brett Gilham, from BHTA member Laybrook, commented: “We know how busy many OTs are and therefore the fact that we can demonstrate we have been trained and can provide assistance in the assessment process will benefit all parties. It also means that our staff across all levels have been trained to a set standard for assessing.”
For members of the public, the Trusted Assessor qualification conveys an independent quality standard. Older and disabled people, their friends, and families can be confident that a person’s needs are being fully understood and that appropriate equipment and adaptations are being identified to help promote greater independence.
Alastair Gibbs, the director of TPG DisableAids, which is a BHTA member, said: “For TPG DisableAids the Trusted Assessor scheme has been a real boost. We have various staff trained from Level 2 to Level 4 and it has given us some real credibility with a number of housing associations and local authorities.
“Those that were looking for a differentiator and an indicator of commitment to quality found it in our association to BHTA and Trusted Assessor.”
Learners are on-boarded onto TACT’s learning management system where they complete the pre-course modules. A series of three OT-led two-hour webinars must be attended in order; learners then complete a post-course homework assignment to demonstrate what they have learned.
TACT’s OT Trainers are on-hand for support throughout, and TACT’s monthly webinar programme tops up knowledge for newly qualified Trusted Assessors for 12 months after qualification.
From autumn 2025, there are a range of available dates for retail staff to take the Trusted Assessor course online.
The first set of dates is Wednesday 10 September, Thursday 25 September, and Wednesday 8 October.
The second set of dates is Wednesday 22 October, Thursday 6 November, and Friday 21 November.
Places on these open courses cost £245 + VAT. Retailers should contact TACT if they have a larger group for a bespoke quotation.
The course can also be delivered as a one-day course face-to-face on a date of the retailers’ choice. All TACT’s trainers are OTs.
To find out more or to book a place on the Trusted Assessor course online or in person, call TACT on 01626 879528 or email info@trustedassessing.com