Retail

Retailers accumulate large data volumes and data is often stored in disparate systems.  So a reliable platform is essential to creating value-added information assets.

IBM’ Information Management and Business Analytics technologies provide an exceptional opportunity to retailers to bring together data from various sources to create meaningful, up-to-date, actionable information across the organisation - sales, marketing, supply, HR, IT, strategy and finance.

The information needs are widely varied, as business decision makers seek to drive profitability, control costs, better manage supply chains, manage the workforce, meet regulatory requirements, manage store operations, improve customer service levels, understand buyer behaviours and sales trends, plan and manage financial performance.

Solutions must empower information consumers by enabling them to:

• understand profitability drivers and plan promotions
• monitor of other key metrics across sales, inventory and promotions
• interpret trends or exceptions
• compare and benchmark performance across stores, channels, regions and product lines
• optimise merchandise levels, by minimising out-of-stock events while minimising inventory costs
• manage supplier relationships and monitor supplier performance
• monitor employee productivity and turnover
• monitor costs, develop business plans and execute profitable growth strategies