As the digital space becomes more prominent in the retail sector, retailers need to prepare themselves for the integration in all aspects of the business including the supply chain.
Gaurav Patni, David Jones technology integration leader, explained in his presentation at the Retail 2012 Exhibition and Conferences that most businesses entering the scope of omni-channel retailing need to provide shoppers with a seamless shopping experience across various sales channels. In order to do this they need to digitise their supply networks.
“Most firms have ‘islands’ of channels but none of them speak to one another,” he said.
“The idea of a digitised network is to expand these ‘islands’ out until they’re all interlaced and integrated with each other.”
According to Patni, undertaking this process will help retailers see how digital collaboration and connectivity tools to streamline information flow and improve enterprise agility.
Some of these benefits include receiving customer feedback and being able to communicate that throughout the supply chain; having access to real-time information about customers and business; and assisting customers on the shopping journey.