Software is a business asset, and software-led innovation initiatives yield better business results.
Since its inception two years ago, VMware Tanzu continues to focus on helping customers respond quickly to changing market dynamics, recognize new sources of revenue, build brand loyalty, and reduce costs.
Image credit: Forrester Research
Following are a few stories that highlight how Tanzu products and services have helped customers embrace innovation to transform their businesses and respond instantly to unexpected challenges. Though they represent customers from all over the world in different industries, you’ll notice a common thread.
COVID amplifies the need for digital transformation
There is no shortage of commentary on how the COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to rethink how software development and delivery supported their digital business aspirations. Organizations that had already started down the digital transformation path were able to respond quickly, while those that were stuck in contemplation limbo were forced to jump into the deep end.
Before COVID began to spread, the retail sector had been undergoing a profound digital transformation for a few years. However, the pandemic shone a light on the areas most ripe for evolution, from inventory management to e-commerce and customer experience. Those companies that were able to support huge spikes in online shopping, curbside pick-up, and home delivery met the challenges gracefully and were able to cement their customers’ loyalty.
Take Albertsons, a leading food and drug retailer operating more than 20 brands across 34 states and the District of Columbia. As an essential service, Albertsons Companies had to act quickly and ensure it could operate safely and efficiently. Having started down the path to business modernization before 2020, Albertsons was better prepared than some of its competitors when COVID hit. Nonetheless, the pandemic did put pressure on its online systems and operating model. But with its head start, Albertsons was able to quickly meet customer demand while ensuring their safety and the safety of its employees.
“We started our journey on [Pivotal] Cloud Foundry [now VMware Tanzu Application Service] five years back, and it has been one of the best decisions we have made in the cloud technology area. It helped us tremendously last year…. And what happened at the onset of the pandemic, everyone was caught off guard and with the applications running in containers, well, it quickly was able to sustain all the traffic and we were able to deliver it to our customers.”
–Gaurav Jain, Senior Manager of Container Platform, Albertsons Companies
Similarly, DICK’S Sporting Goods began its digital transformation before COVID forced the temporary closure of hundreds of stores, and a shift to a 100 percent e-commerce model. The company had already recognized the fact that retail success meant an omnichannel strategy, at the heart of which is a better software development and delivery process that allows for faster, more secure releases. This transformation was a team effort, and the team spanned all areas of the business, from marketing to software development to in-store sales associates. It required a decisive mindset shift that fundamentally changed the way the company built software, and a platform that supports a more frequent release cadence.
“We don’t have dependencies anymore. We now have product teams that can build and deploy and get something out very quickly.”
– Sean Graham, Engineering Manager, DICK’S Sporting Goods
You can read more about the DICK’S Sporting Goods transformation and see some demos of their work here.
Meanwhile, recognizing the potential devastation COVID could bring to small businesses, the Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the Paycheck Protection Program, an SBA-backed loan that helped businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis. Overnight, financial services firms had to figure out how to work with the SBA and its constituents to process these loans.
The talks by Fiserv at SpringOne 2021 are some of the best examples of how working with VMware Tanzu enabled the company to react quickly to a new opportunity. The sheer magnitude of what they were able to accomplish—setting up an application to process billions of dollars in loans in a matter of weeks—is inspiring, and they could not have done it if they didn’t already have the right platform in place. Fiserv credits its work with VMware and Tanzu Application Service for helping it meet dynamic market requirements and customer demand.
Redefining yourself
The automobile industry does not stand still. Car companies must respond to everything from changing consumer tastes to government-imposed standards. But the nature of car manufacturing does not lend itself to agility. This has forced automobile companies to redefine themselves as technology companies. This was the case with Hyundai Motor Group, which launched Hyundai AutoEver. Hyundai AutoEver provides the software that will steer the company to becoming a leading mobility company that bridges the gap between car and mobility ecosystems.
Already with more than 4 million cars connected to the cloud, Hyundai AutoEver must maintain an accelerated pace of innovation to deliver the kinds of connected experiences its customers are demanding. In partnership with VMware Tanzu Labs, Hyundai AutoEver has reduced its delivery time from 14 days to fewer than 3.
As we celebrate the two-year anniversary of VMware Tanzu, we are inspired by the ways our customers have responded to challenges by making meaningful transformations, and we look forward to writing more of their stories in the years to come.
