the lead
Inside Naivas Supermarket Chain’s Digital Transformation Journey You don’t want to be the one playing catch up when it comes to adopting technology. This is not the case though, for Naivas. The retail sector is one of the first sectors to be affected by accelerated digital transformation not for adoption’s sake, but to stay ahead of the competition. E-commerce was the major disruptor in the retail sector having posed a challenge to supply chain retail stores and corner shops. During the pandemic, for instance, e-commerce really grew up and out with most of us preferring No Contact shopping and delivery. It challenged retailers, particularly supermarkets. Re-evaluation became mandatory and technology became vital for the maintenance of their customer bases and to improve shopping experiences. It was such innovation that put Alex Karanja on the dx100 Awards radar. As Head of Digital Transformation: Data Analytics and Innovation, Naivas Supermarket Chain, Karanja’s submission was also his inaugural. He made it to the shortlist of the revered CIO of the Year Africa Award. It was certainly worth a good conversation. Who is Alex Karanja? I am a technology enthusiast who believes that technology has the power to transform our everyday interactions and improve, if not exceed, our aspirations. I consider myself a rather quiet fellow most of the time, given that I grew up in a large family with five brothers. I am married, with two young boys who I surprisingly learn something new from every other day. I see a lot of myself in them.
What precisely is your main role at Naivas? My job title is Head of Digital Transformation: Data Analytics and Innovation. I lead the team behind the implementation of technologies that brings business innovation and delivers the customer promise. My team provides solutions to support our primary focus as being customer centric. I am extremely passionate about IT, data and how both can be leveraged to enhance business processes, develop a data-centric corporate culture, enhance productivity and process ownership, and lower overall operating costs. What does your typical day at Naivas look like? I would describe myself as a night owl who much rather prefers a late night to an early start. My day typically starts off with a series of meetings with company leaders and department heads to discuss ongoing projects, new initiatives, and any issues or challenges that need to be addressed. These meetings often involve reviewing progress reports, discussing strategies and plans, and making decisions about resource allocation and prioritisation. Lunchtime, for me, is usually time to catch up on industry news and trends by reading tech blogs and news articles. In the afternoons, I might have additional meetings with external partners, vendors, or technology experts to discuss new technologies or partnerships that could benefit our company. As the end of the day approaches, I often take some time to review progress reports and action
items from the day’s meetings and work, and to plan for the next day’s activities. I will also check in with my team and provide guidance or support as needed. I try to leave work at a reasonable hour so that I can spend time with my boys. I mostly dedicate any late hours to self-development, tinkering around with tools and new tech. Digitally, what is the edge that Naivas has over other players in the supply chain sector? We have an appetite for innovation and technology continuously investing in digital infrastructure not only to improve our own processes but also to influence efficiency in our vendors operations. Naivas leverages on data analytics tools and technologies that enable us to collect analyse vendor and customer retail data in real-time, and to use this information to make more informed business decisions. By developing loyalty programmes and other incentives that reward customer loyalty, we provide a personalised shopping experience, which then influences the vendor demand and supply forecasting, as well as promoting variety for the customers. We also invest in vendor relationships by fostering digital engagements which not only consume feedback, but builds flexibility in the business interactions such as aligning schedules of work between various parties. Your project using WEBCON BPS got you on the final list for the dx100 Awards. How did you feel about that achievement?
www.cioafrica.co | MARCH-APRIL 2023 | CIO Africa Magazine | by dx⁵
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