As a retailer you notice that the implementation of IT solutions is never going as expected. No matter how good your project planning is, the scheduled IT staff must spend their time on a crucial cash register system that has an error at a crucial moment in your project. Or suddenly a number of new stores are opened during an important phase of the project. In this blog we describe three critical success factors for the success of IT projects within retail companies.
1. Flexibility
The consultants of GreatCircle notice it daily in their projects: to implement IT solutions within retail you have to be more flexible than in other industries. Nobody is surprised by a go-live on Sunday evening in retail. It may also be the case that during a project it is decided to outsource the logistics services, which means that all kinds of functionalities must be set up differently.
Our consultants can easily anticipate this because they themselves come from the retail world. They know the daily dynamics and understand the existing processes. And they not only understand it, they also like it!
2. Knowledge of the specific retail processes
In addition to flexibility, knowledge of specific retail processes is also essential. It is efficient when a retailer does not have to explain to a consultant that in supplying distribution centers we think in packages and not in pallets. And that assortments and shelf plans are the daily work of category managers.
If consultants speak the same language as the clients with whom they work, they need only minimal time to get up to speed. Through their experience they can respond to specific wishes, requirements and problems that a retailer encounters in his daily activities.
3. Cooperating with the internal project team
We notice that IT projects run more efficiently if the team members can take over tasks from each other. It regularly happens that a project team member who would train users, suddenly cannot do this due to other priorities. One of our consultants then takes over this task. That way there is no delay within the project and everyone stays in the positive flow.
Finally, we notice that it has added value for the project team if we also help with other aspects than IT aspects. For example, when outsourcing a distribution center we also helped to arrange the relocation of the goods, to keep the stock levels accurate.
Retail experience
More and more often we notice that retail experience is essential for the success of IT projects within retail companies. We select our people based on that. Our industry experience allows our consultants to think with you on all fronts.
Would you like to exchange ideas with an experienced expert about optimizing the operation within your company? Then contact Bianca van der Woude: +31(0)6 5710 5903