In this episode, we’re joined by IHL analysts Kelly Sayre and Jerry Sheldon to discuss the ongoing sensationalism of the so-called death of retail – and why it’s simply not true.

By Nick Castellina, Director of Industry & Solution Strategy at Infor®.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has been mistakenly stereotyped as a back-office miser, worried about only one thing: the company’s bottom-line. CFOs have often been frugal, protecting the company’s wallet with an unwavering vow to be prepared for the proverbial rainy day. At least, that is the old-school notion.

For Corey Tollefson, SVP and GM of Infor® Retail and Fashion, retail isn’t a job. It’s not a hobby. It’s not just another customer. He lives and breathes the industry—and inspires teams of the best and brightest to follow him on the path to the Golden Age of Retail. Infor understands the symbiosis of retail and technology, and that harmony between them is the key to unlocking the greatest customer experiences of all time. 

With the advent of “cashier-less” stores like Amazon Go, tomorrow’s retail shopping experience has the potential to transform in a big way—but are retailers ready? We discuss the benefits and pitfalls of adopting this exciting retail technology in its early stages. Listen now and learn more about the next generation of retail software here.

Direct mail is back—but this time, it’s providing advanced analytics about the buyer journey, intent, and conversion.

In this episode, Matt Gunn chats with Tom Barbaro of PebblePost, the company that invented programmatic direct mail. As most retailers have gone digital in their marketing efforts, the mailbox has become relatively vacant, clearing the way for “digitally reactive mail”—allowing retailers to retarget customers at home and capture advanced analytics about buyer intent and conversion.

Leave your legacy with the next generation of retail and fashion software.

Digital disruption is the new normal. And, as part of their digitalization journey, manufacturers now have a whole spectrum of modern tools to embrace. Greater agility is often touted as one of the important benefits of these digital tactics. Greater speed is a coveted prize, sought after by manufacturers since the era of Henry Ford’s assembly line.

Now, though, responding to change with lightning fast reflexes is not enough. Manufacturers must anticipate future trends and strive to predict customer demands before the customer even has acknowledged the need. Being the first in a market pace is often the key to owning it.

So, having a view of tomorrow is now more important than ever. Today we call it predictive algorithms and data science. We strive to speed product releases and adopt new features as quickly possible. Accelerating speed in one department drives the need for acceleration in other departments. The continuous rush of change, when not controlled, can start to resemble a hamster spinning in its wheel—but getting nowhere. Without meaningful objectives, speed for the sake of speed starts to become fruitless.

As manufacturers undertake digital initiatives, they should pause and consider the ongoing quest for speed and understand its true value. It’s important to be cautious about blind, over-emphasis. Speed has its risks, from higher levels of errors, quality issues, and a workforce that isn’t trained on new policies or processes. There is a fine line between efficient decision-making and rash, knee-jerk responses which can take a company down circuitous routes, far from the prime objectives. In fact, some would contend that reactionary measures lacking cost analysis and thorough financial impact study are simply reflexes, with a 50-50 chance of being right or wrong.

How did we get here?

What deep learning means for Retail CX

Matt Gunn and Puneet Mehta of msg.ai, a Silicon Valley startup focused on conversational AI, discuss how deep learning will shape the future of retail as consumers engage with brands (and their AI) to achieve more personalized, intimate shopping experiences.

In this episode of Reinventing Retail, Matt Gunn and Jenny Reese Potter chat with Tomer Tagrin, CEO and founder of Yotpo: a company out of Tel Aviv that leverages user generated content throughout the buyer journey to increase trust, social proof, and sales.

By Carol Fitzgerald Tyler
Global Senior Practice Director, Organization Change Management | Infor

Challenging though it may be to create a vision that will transform an organization, it is crucial to effectively spread the message of digital innovation. Communication is often cited as the number one challenge for business transformation and change management. A strong communications strategy can lead an organization to a successful transform.  Leaders can encourage teams to innovate by communicating both the organizational vision and the acceptance of occasional failure. Companies with a clear vision are on average more effective in their efforts, and as a result, more profitable.

A strong communications strategy can lead an organization to a successful transform...