“We wanted a personal assistant that could come shopping with you.”
That’s how Martín Salinas, Head of Strategy at Jockey Plaza, describes his vision for the future of shopping. For him, artificial intelligence isn’t just a tool—it’s a companion that listens, connects, and understands.
“Like an expert who knows your preferences, alerts you to promotions that matter, and anticipates your needs,” he says. “It’s exciting to think we’re taking the first steps toward that.”
The vision of a shopping journey guided by both intuition and data is propelling the transformation Jockey Plaza has started alongside AI Findr.
No space is too big if it feels approachable
Managing the largest shopping center in Peru is, as Salinas describes it, “a challenge and a privilege.”
Every month, over two million people walk its corridors. That scale demands flawless operations, and brings a responsibility: to be a place where people don’t just shop, but also solve problems, hang out, and feel good.
“Knowing that people in Lima feel happy and at ease here is what we value most,” says Martín Salinas.
Before AI Findr, many visitor questions ended up with security or cleaning staff. Friendly people, but not equipped with the right information. Some questions simply went unanswered.
Bringing the simplicity of online shopping to physical retail
“We had customers who couldn’t complete their shopping mission—not because the product didn’t exist, but because they couldn’t find it.”
The challenge was clear: make information (locations, schedules, promotions) as accessible and transparent in the shopping mall as it is for online retailers.
A standard chatbot wasn’t enough to answer so many questions in a personalized way. The team needed a new way to connect questions with intent in real time, within the physical shopping journey.
After talking to different developers, the team found in AI Findr not just a tool but a shared vision.
“What impressed me most was their open-mindedness and great energy,” says Salinas. “From day one, we worked as partners. There was agility, collaboration, and instant understanding of what we wanted to achieve.”
AI Findr reveals surprising visitor behaviors
Soon after launch, the impact was clear.
“I love reading long conversations and seeing that people ask multiple questions. It shows the product is generating value,” says Salinas. His team began reviewing the queries daily. What started as a support task became a source of insight into how visitors think and express themselves.
“We learned that we needed to speak the customer’s language, not Jockey Plaza’s. We say ‘central atrium,’ but customers say ‘the area between Saga, La Belle, and Ripley.’ That language shift is fundamental.” They also noticed physical patterns: hotspots in the mall where most QR code and screen interactions happened.
“We installed over 50 QR codes but saw that just four accounted for 80% of interactions. That helped us realize where our high-traffic zones were—and how to use them better.”
From these insights came new ideas for campaigns, signage, and in-store communication. AI wasn’t just answering questions, it was teaching them to see the space differently.
The goal: smart companionship
Jockey Plaza’s vision goes far beyond resolving questions. They imagine a seamless experience, where each visitor has an intelligent companion capable of anticipating and personalizing their journey:
“The customer arrives and, throughout their visit, interacts with someone who knows both the mall and their preferences. It reminds them that a store they like has special offers this week. It could even alert the store to prepare the product or arrange something special.”
That future is closer than it sounds; it just requires the mall’s data, retailers, and visitors to interact in sync, building a fluid and emotionally intelligent experience.
The value of customer questions is infinite
“The impact is transformative, and there’s still so much room to grow. It affects customer experience, sales, monetization, and even communication. It’s a cross-functional solution that adds value at every level.”
Today, every conversation between a visitor and AI Findr is a new learning opportunity. And every discovery brings Jockey Plaza one step closer to that once-distant idea: a shopping mall that doesn’t just host you, but accompanies you.
