In a perfect world, functionality and ease of use would be the top criteria manufacturers use when deciding to purchase, replace, or upgrade their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution. Unfortunately, in the real world, cost considerations rear their ugly head. Business leaders are concerned about the price of not only purchasing the solution, but also how much it will cost to implement, support, and maintain. Further, there is significant concern that an ERP implementation will cause significant disruption to the business, cause the organization to lose focus, or even “break” business processes that the company looked upon as core to their success.

Digital technology is changing the world, one industry at a time. With these changes comes a reimagining of the supply chain, from the systems businesses use to communicate and interact, to the strategies they deploy to move goods around the world.

Digitalization gives rise to new business models, in which real-time connectivity, greater visibility, reactivity, and anticipation become the underlying characteristics of our supply chains. But this kind of change isn’t easy, and transformation doesn’t happen overnight.

By taking a staged approach to digital transformation, and building greater connectivity across the supply chain, businesses can pave the way toward a fully connected future, while still being able to tackle the biggest challenges they face right now.

Matt Simonsen, Director of Retail Strategy at Infor talks about 3 ways that retailers can exceed customer expectations with a networked supply chain.

When it comes to their orders, customers want them fast and they want them free. But these two forces are often in direct conflict inside the supply chain, where planning and production typically take place months in advance, and inventory is widely distributed among a geographically diverse set of stores and warehouses, logistics providers, and factories. The question for many retailers becomes, “How much margin am I willing to sacrifice to satisfy my customer?”

Retail powerhouses like Amazon and Walmart have conditioned customers to expect their orders in days, if not hours. And a growing number of consumers have become comfortable using options like click-and-collect to secure an item online and pick it up shortly thereafter in a store, or rely on third-parties like Instacart to do their shopping for them.

In this episode of Reinventing Retail, listen to Vineet Chaudhary, co-founder of Trendage, a fashion and technology personalization company enabling 3.5 million users to digitally mix and match clothing using avatars, AI, and a vast product database. The discussion centers on how apps like Trendage are leveling the playing field between retailers and consumers, giving them both the tools and reciprocity to establish a two-way street when it comes to giving up personal data in return for great customer experiences.

ICCG provides some resources - by industry - to provide you with the information and education to get started. Download and read at your own pace and if you have questions, we look forward to answering.