project44 is attended the RILA’s 2018 Retail Supply Chain Conference last week at the Phoenix Convention Center. This was an important year for the conference, as the retail supply chain is undergoing a state of change because of added complexity resulting from the Amazon Effect. Members of the project44 team were in attendance, showcasing our supply chain solutions, and demoing a brand new VR experience.
Here is what the team took away from the conference.
Supply Chains Need Digitization
As the “Amazon Effect” continues to reshape the retail industry, the need for new solutions has become increasingly apparent. While much of that deals with eCommerce, there’s still plenty of work to be done concerning the brick and mortar experience. Kohl’s presented on the frictionless experience from ship to store. The goal is to make stocking and replenishment a smooth process, so that customers always have access to the items they want to purchase. Even a slight delay can mean a lost sale, so ensuring that keeping products on hand is crucial.
Omnichannel is Becoming “Unified Commerce”
Gartner spoke to the idea that, as digitization continues, the term omnichannel is becoming known as unified commerce. Apart from simply being more pleasant sounding, unified commerce is a more apt description. Modern supply chain technology has not only brought visibility to the forefront, but it has expanded what visibility means. Unified commerce means that every part of your supply chain has access to the right information at the right time. Everyone is on the same page, and able to work together in their supply chain efforts.
Collaboration is now Mandatory
While visibility, digitization, and brick and mortar fulfilment strategies were the most frequently discussed topics, a much larger overarching theme of collaboration emerged by the end of the conference. It’s true, the best way to achieve visibility and actually benefit from it is for all supply chain partners to collaborate with each other. That means sharing data, and working together to find the best ways to act on that data. It also means enabling your partners to upgrade their technology in order to ensure that the visibility data remains consistent across the supply chain. When supply chain partners work together, the possibilities become much greater.
Thanks for another successful year at the RILA Retail Supply Chain conference!