Chico's digital theater earns props

FORT MYERS — CIO Magazine has recognized women's retailer Chico's FAS for its information technology innovation, including its Digital Retail Theater program.

The Fort Myers-based company was named to the CIO 100, according to a release, a program that “recognizes organizations around the world that exemplify the highest level of operational and strategic excellence” in IT. “Our 2014 winners are an outstanding example of the transformative power of IT to drive everything from revenue growth to competitive advantage,” CIO Magazine Editor in Chief Maryfran Johnson says in the release.

The magazine specifically cites the firm's digital retail theater initiative, which monitors how customers interact digitally with the firm's brands. The company is currently in test mode for the technology, including in-store tables with built-in touch screen tablets that “foster social activity” between associates and customers. The programs use a combination of Google, Apple and other systems for the technology, the release states. Read more about the digital theater here.

“We are delighted to be recognized in this way by the CIO 100, an organization that has been at the forefront of technology for so many years,” Chico's CIO Eric Singleton says in the statement. “Our entire IT team has rallied toward innovation and invention with die-hard commitment.”