Tap Into the Power of Unified Merchandising
By Tye Nugba
Retailers need a single source of truth and a collaborative solution to execute merchandising operations. Unfortunately, today’s outdated, on-premise software solutions provide only siloed views rather than the complete picture.
Here’s a common example that showcases the breakdown. A planner wants to know the status of their category’s latest reset. To determine if the reset is completed and in compliance, a number of phone calls, store visits and data queries across POS and inventory systems need to be performed. Wouldn’t a simple ‘yes’, it’s completed on-time and here’s a photo of how it looks be easier? Or, what if the answer was ‘no’ but there was feedback as to why and what needed to change to make it right, and whom to tell when it was revised?
Today there is too much time wasted digging for details and confirmations, and not enough time in the day to manage it all.
The results are unsatisfactory and costly, both in terms of time and money. Worst of all, the consumer experience and the retailer’s bottom line suffer.
The Answer is Holistic Space Planning
By unifying all space planning and execution tasks, data and feedback in a comprehensive suite of cloud-based, merchandising solutions such as that offered by MerchLogix, retailers can reduce labor, save time, drive sales and deliver a much better consumer experience.
One reason is because everything—from project planning to planogramming to data analyses —is in the cloud, accessible to all parties and driven to deliver frictionless retail execution.
Retailers Need a Cloud-First Mindset
That shift from siloed tasks and information to a collaborative framework requires a “cloud first” way of working. McKinsey offers five guidelines for adopting the cloud, but here are five that specifically address merchandising needs:
- Anywhere, anytime: Collaboration and communication must occur instantaneously, regardless of location, role and time zone. Access is everything!
- Real time: Data must be real time and automatically shared across functions, including finance, merchandising and store management. Yesterday’s data isn’t useful!
- Personalization: A 360-degree view enables retailers to deliver the right information to the right person at the right time. Powering all roles!
- Futureproof: Retail innovation is occurring faster than ever, in large part due to artificial intelligence, the internet of things, edge computing and other emerging technologies. You can’t stand still!
- One Team: Flawless in-store execution means that tasks are orchestrated across individuals who are in constant communication and share the same goal. Win together!
CapGemini reported that the cloud is the future of the retail landscape and the key to frictionless retail. We agree and would add that cloud is the only way for retailers to collaborate and meet customer expectations.
It’s Time for a One Stop Shop Solution
Retailers spend way too much time and money making store changes. The good news is that it doesn’t need to be that way.
It starts by cleaning up how merchandisers communicate. Some rely on Excel spreadsheets or PowerPoint slides. Others on free file-sharing sites such as box.com. And while you’d think all would have a cloud-based planogram solution, many don’t.
Those that do are lightyears ahead of their competition. Not only do they have round-the-clock access to up-to-the-minute data, they can filter and share that data by division, region, city or zip code.
As a result, they can deliver the just-in-time, personalized, omnichannel experiences today’s shoppers expect.
To learn more about how MerchLogix can help you tap into the power of unified merchandising, contact MerchLogix today.