With the new relationship between Jack Dorsey and Howard Schultz continuing to dominate headlines days after their new partnership was announced, Tom Litchford’s commentary on retail technology may not necessarily surprise you.

Litchford is the new vice president of retail technology at the National Retail Federation, bringing a technology career that spans more than 30 years to the advocacy group’s leadership team. And he says mobile payments technology should be one, two and three on retailers’ tech priority lists.

In our conversation with the NRF’s new leader, however, Litchford explains that the potential offered by mobile goes beyond payment acceptance. In his view, one of the key areas where mobile solutions could help retailers is in data management, providing up-to-date order and inventory information to sales reps on the floor within brick-and-mortar retail locations.

Meet the newest member of the leadership team at the NRF, and hear more about Litchford’s views on the payments technology landscape, by accessing the audio interview below.

With the new relationship between Jack Dorsey and Howard Schultz continuing to dominate headlines days after their new partnership was announced, Tom Litchford’s commentary on retail technology may not necessarily surprise you.

Litchford is the new vice president of retail technology at the National Retail Federation, bringing a technology career that spans more than 30 years to the advocacy group’s leadership team. And he says mobile payments technology should be one, two and three on retailers’ tech priority lists.

In our conversation with the NRF’s new leader, however, Litchford explains that the potential offered by mobile goes beyond payment acceptance. In his view, one of the key areas where mobile solutions could help retailers is in data management, providing up-to-date order and inventory information to sales reps on the floor within brick-and-mortar retail locations.

Meet the newest member of the leadership team at the NRF, and hear more about Litchford’s views on the payments technology landscape, by accessing the audio interview below.

Tom Litchford

Vice President of Retail Technology, National Retail Federation

As the world’s largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF represents retailers of all types and sizes from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad including department stores, specialty, apparel, discount, online, independent, grocery and chain restaurants, among others. Retailers operate more than 3.5 million U.S. establishments that support one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.5 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF’s Retail Means Jobs campaign emphasizes the economic importance of retail and encourages policymakers to support a Jobs, Innovation and Consumer Value Agenda aimed at boosting economic growth and job creation.

Under NRF’s retail umbrella sit 4 association groups including: the Association for Retail Technology Standards, the National Council of Chain Restaurants, the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association and Shop.org. Additional information on these groups can be found at NRF Divisions.

In addition to the divisions, NRF has a research and education arm as well as a monthly magazine. The NRF Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 foundation that conducts industry research, develops education and workforce development programs, and promotes retailing as a career destination. STORES magazine is the monthly magazine of the National Retail Federation, covering issues of importance to today’s senior retail professional.