As retail continues to transform, the retail IT infrastructure continues to grow in complexity. Retailers find it increasingly difficult to streamline operations and enhance workflows, while maintaining a highly available infrastructure. The ultimate goal is to equip retail employees with dependable remote access to applications, data and resources at any location using any device.
Employee Productivity
Employees want convenient user experiences in the retail environment. They also want seamless access to all their applications, which helps them be productive and collaborate on and off the job. Product information, inventory management, scheduling applications, customer loyalty applications and collaboration tools all need to be accessible in real-time from secured devices.
Operational Efficiency & Intelligence
On the back end of operations, like supply chain and deliveries, retailers are integrating RFID, bar wrpcoding, wireless devices, automation software and voice-directed technology to enable
end-to-end knowledge of product demand and inventory.
The days of customers waiting for inventory to arrive are long gone. Today, customers demand instant access to products and services. If a retailer does not offer what they want, customers simply move on to the next physical store or online shopping channel. Real-time data, delivered through the aforementioned technologies, can help ensure the right inventory is getting to the right stores at the right time.
[Related: Southern States Transforms Customer Experience by Modernizing Retail Operations]
Traceability is also a critical component to supply chains, as it is directly tied to risk. Data can provide better traceability performance, reduce labor and save time on administrative tasks of managing and interpreting databases.
The Secure Digital Workspace for Retail, powered by VMware Workspace ONE, puts policy enforcement back into the hands of IT, while offering employees choice, flexibility and privacy. Content, applications, collaboration tools can all be delivered to any device on any operating system seamlessly.
How Leading Retailers Drive Productivity & Operational Success with the Digital Workspace
Home Depot
Eliminated inefficient processes, including employees switching between personal and company devices. Store associates gained seamless access to product details and how-to guides, providing faster, more consistent customer interactions during the buying cycle.
Columbia
Improved worker productivity and customer response times by deploying “Store Force” application across all iPads. Employees can now leverage the retail applications in stores to track sales, store performance, and scheduling without being tethered to a computer in the back office. It also allows supervisors and mangers to be with their staff on the store floor allowing for more personal interactions and better management support.
To learn more, please visit www.vmware.com/industry/retail.
