Winternet,you’llundoubtedlycomeacrossalink thatwillenticeyoutopurchaseaproduct basedonyoursearch.You’relikelytoclickonthatlink simplyto“havealookatit.”However,themajorityofus enduppurchasingtheproduct.Wecannowbuygoodsand getthemdeliveredtoourhomeswithafewclicks, demonstratinghowfartheretailbusinesshasprogressed.
henyousearchforsomethingonthevast
Almosteverytransactioninourdailylivescannowbedone digitally.Peoplearewillingtogocash-freewithout reluctanceasrapiddigitalandautomatedtechnology advancementshaveresultedinbreakthroughsinvarious industries,includingtheretailsector
Technologyutilizedintheretailindustryencompasses innovationsanddigitalsolutionsinretailande-commerce processes,fromcheck-outtoinventorymanagementand fulfillmenttoin-storefacilities.Theuseofretail technologiesdramaticallyinfluencesthecustomer experience.Bothbrick-and-mortarandinternetfirmsare nowinvestinginseveralpartsofretailtechnology Artificial intelligence-chargeddevices,suchassmartmirrorsand self-checkouts,areamongthein-storeretailtechsolutions.
Retailtechnologyhelpse-commerceorganizationshandle inventoryefficientlyusingcloudsoftware,manageclient bases,andmaintainasmoothretailexperienceacross numerousplatformswithCRMsolutions.Therehavebeen aplethoraoftechnologicaladvancementsintheretail
industry.IoTisoneofthem,havingexcellent potentialtocreateinnovativeandattractivewaysof theshoppingexperience,asimplementedin numerousorganizations.
TheholygrailoftheretailtechindustryisArtificial Intelligence,whichistakingovereveryaspectofthe industryandiscontinuallygrowing.Artificial Intelligence(AI)andMachineLearning(ML)have introducedawholenewdataprocessinglevelthat leadstomorein-depthbusinessinsights.By identifyinganomaliesandcorrelationsfrom hundredsofArtificialIntelligence/MachineLearning models.
Allofthishasbeenmadepossiblebytechnological advancements.We’redealingwithanomnichannel customerthatexpectsindividualizedservice.Asa result,theindustry’sobjectivemustbetoforesee consumerbehaviorandthepossibilityofmeeting theseneedsinaneasyandtimelymanner.
Ingeneral,thefutureofretailappearstobeexciting andbright.Excellentcustomerservice,interesting in-storeexperiences,andahighlevelof customizationandautomationwilldefinethenew retaillandscape.Exploresimilarinnovative methodologiesinthiseditionof “2022’s Top 10 Retail Tech Solution Providers.”
CPGs and their
Antivia antivia.com
Agilence agilenceinc.com
CelerantTechnology celerant.com
InteractiveEdge interactiveedge.com
IntuitionSystems intuitionsoftwares.com
PARTechnology partech.com
Quicklizard quicklizard.com
Retalon retalon.com
ShamrockConsulting Group shamrockconsulting.com
TraceOneInc traceone.com
MarkHudson CEOandFounder
RussHawkins PresidentandCEO
IanGoldman CEO/President
ZelBianco PresidentandCEO
AnandAsaithambi FounderandCEO
CharlesWurster CTO
PiniMandel Co-Founder&CEO
JosephSheinis Co-founderand ChiefTechnology Officer
PaulCooney
PresidentandCEO
DonLow Solutions ConsultantNA
insightsoftwaredeliversfinancialconfidencetotheOfficeof theCFO,acrossindustriesandaroundtheglobe.
Agilenceistheleaderinlosspreventionanalytics,helping prominentretail,restaurant,andgrocerycompaniesincrease theirprofitmarginsbyreducingpreventableloss.
Celerantisaleadingproviderofinnovativeend-to-endretail commercesoftwarethatmaximizesbusinessgrowthand efficiencyforstartuptoenterprisebusinesses.
InteractiveEdgeprovidescategorymanagerswithasoftware solutionthathelpsthemdelivertargetedshopperinsightdatain presentationformattothestorebuyer
IVEPOSisanall-in-onepoint-of-saleandmanagement platformforbusinessesinthefoodserviceandretailspace.
PARTechnologyisaleadingglobalproviderofsoftware, systems,andservicesolutionstotherestaurantandretail industries.
Quicklizardenableretailerstoachievepricingexcellenceat scale.
Retalonisanaward-winningproviderofadvancedretail predictiveanalytics&AIsolutions.
ShamrockexistsasatrustedallytoenterpriseITleaders responsibleformakingthemostdifficultandsensitive decisionsrelatedtotechnologyprocurement.
TraceOnehascreatedaglobalcommunityof20,000+brand ownersspanningmorethan100countries.
Enabling brand owners to develop higher quality, trusted and compliant products to benefit people and the environment.
Don Low Solutions Consultant NA Trace One Inc.
Intheeraofmodernretail,thepivotalshifttowards matchingthegrowingdemandsofconsumershas becomeofutmostimportance.Asaconsumer-centric industry,brandsworldwidearetryingtoplanttheseedof trust,developinglong-lastingrelationshipswithcustomers throughincredibleproducts.Understandingtheneedsof modernretailconnectingbusinessesworldwidetoenable brandownerstobuildtrustedandcompliantproducts, TraceOneInc.bridgesthegaptoovercomecomplexity andgrasptheopportunitiesateverystageoftheproduct lifecycle.
Forthepasttwodecades,TraceOnehasbeenastrategic partnerwiththeworld'smostdemandingretailers,gaining significantcompetitiveadvantage,utilizingitsestablished foodandgroceryproductdevelopmentplatform.
DonLow,theSolutionConsultantatTraceOne, implementshisextensiveretailexperiencetoelevatethe bettermentofbusinessesandcustomers.
Initsrelentlesspursuitofbeingthebest,TraceOne's provenSaaSsolutionsdelivermeasurablereturnson investmentagainstitscustomers'greatestneedsbyreducing timetomarketbyupto40%.Itensures100%compliance withlegislationandbrandstandards,reducingrisksand cost,allowingretailersandFMCGmanufacturersto safeguardtheirbrands.TraceOneprovidestransparencyto thesecompaniesthatneedtoidentifyopportunities,reactto crises,andtrackimprovementinaligningtomarkettrends andsustainability
Donasserts, "Software alone is not enough to guarantee success. Trace One is a global business, and our teams work with retailers and manufacturers in many different regions and with a diverse set of legislative constraints. We provide best practice consultation to our clients to ensure they gain the maximum benefits from our solutions.”
Today,grocerybusinessesandtheirproducts,particularlyin privatebrands,havespecificbusinessneedsthatrequirea purpose-designedPLMplatform(ProductLifecycle
ManagementPlatform).TraceOneofferssolutionsand modulescoveringtheentireretailvaluechain,frommarket researchandsourcingtoproductdevelopmentandongoing assessment.Donnotes, "Each can be implemented on an as-needed basis allowing a business to focus on tackling the current key requirements, and then add additional capabilities as needs evolve. The cornerstone of the platform is the product management solution and its composite modules. These address the strategic goals that we often see as common across the grocery industry. Gaining control of business processes and collaboration to drive growth. Digitizing the product portfolio and quality management information to reduce risk.”
TraceOneNetwork–Supplierengagement,onboarding, andassessmentmodules,includedwithanyTraceOne solution,provideasingle-entrypointforretailerand supplieruserswithsecureSSOintegration.
TraceOneSpec–providesprovenindustry-standard specificationtemplatestomanageproductattributesthat increaseinnovation,reducequalityissues,andeffectively removecostlylabelingerrors.Templatesmeet100%of regulatoryrequirementsviaexistingfunctionality,withthe
We've created a global community of 5,000+ brand owners spanning more than 100 countries.
abilitytocatertotheretailer,category,andbrand-specific configurations.
TraceOneProject–providesStage-Gateworkflow templatesforProductDevelopmentandotherprocessesto trackandmonitortheend-to-endactivitiesofyourteamand yourexternalpartnerstoensureafasttimetomarketbuilt.
TraceOneInsight–solutionincludesdashboardsand reportingcapabilities,coveringeveryaspectofthedataset managedbytheplatform.
Apartfromitscoremodules,additionalmodules capabilitiesincludeadigitalsolutionforretailbuyersto searchthemarketplaceandquicklysourceinnovative productsviaconfigurableRFQ'sandadedicatedpackaging specificationportaltomanagesustainability.
TraceOnegainedacompetitiveedgeoveritsclients, havingembeddedautomationandAI,developedworking withrenownedbrandsgloballyforover20years,providing customersthebenefitsthatrichheritageout-of-the-box. Donmentions, "We have highly developed support programs for our retail and suppliers, ensuring high adoption and program success. Both are Trace One's customers, and they are treated as such.”
TraceOneoffersin-depthsolutionsbeneficialtoitsclients withitsstrategicroadmap.Recently,ithaslaunchednew solutionsandmodulesaspartoftheoverallplatformto providecustomerswithsupportcapabilitiesthatorbitthe centralproductdevelopmentprocess.TraceOnespends over25%ofitsrevenueonR&Dtodeliverupdatesto existingsolutionstostayaheadonlegislativechangesto supportnewconsumertrends,providetechnological updates,andrapidlydeployenhancementsbasedon customerrequests.
TraceOne'sfoundationalvaluesareengrainedinitswork cultureandactasacatalysttostreamlinethesolutionsit
offers.Withover25differentnationalitiesandeight languagesrepresentedwithinTraceOne,itsculturematches thediverseinternationalcustomerbase.
Passion&Energy:TraceOne'speoplearepassionate abouthelpingbrandownersdevelopremarkableproducts, havingauniquedepthofknowledgeandexperience specifictoretailandCPG–drivingthecompanyto innovateandsolvethechallengesovercomingthehurdles. Itvaluesandnurturesdiversity,understandinghowtoserve localmarketsbest.Donshares, "The passion and energy that drive them to commit and go above and beyond to deliver projects and grow the business. The passion and energy that drives them to commit themselves strongly and to surpass themselves.”
Integrity:TraceOneapproachmakesiteasierforbrand ownerstoworksustainably,allowingthemtodetailvital informationontheirproducts,reflectingtheireffortsto safeguardhealth,society,andmotherearth.
Optimism&Enthusiasm:TraceOne'steamisenergetic andpassionateabouttheirworkthatmakesadifference, inspiringbrandownerswithinsightsthataimtosolve today'ssignificantproblems.
Where remarkable products begin.
Collaboration:Itsemployeeshaveastrongspiritofmutual aidthatallowsthemtoimprovetheirperformancetoserve itsclientsbetter,achievingtheirdesiredobjectives.
ThePandemiccausedunexpectedchangesinconsumer behaviorandtrends;however,TraceOne'sabilitytoevolve andadaptquicklyprovedessentialtomovetooffer consciousconsumption.Thewillingnessofconsumersto trynewproductsandbrandshascreatedafantastic opportunity.Donsays, "This is particularly true for disruptive private brands where retailers have full control of the product, its supply chain, and its packaging. It allows them to tailor a product and its message to align with target consumers' values. We expect more growth in the private brands' sector and predict that many different types of businesses will begin to create and manage their products with co-manufacturers.”
Thedifferencebetweenanationalbrandandaprivatebrand willlikelybeimperceptibletoaconsumerinthefuture, requiringbusinessestocollaboratemoreefficientlyand managevastamountsofdata,implementingnew technologies.
TraceOneisstrategizingtoalignwiththesechangesby extendingupstreamanddownstreamofthecoreproduct developmentprocess,E-commgrowth,privatebrands growth,sustainabilitytrendsinpackagingandethical sourcing,anddatatransparency
Onlytimecantellwherethenextshiftintheretailindustry willoccur.However,TraceOneaspirestodelivernew modernsolutions,servicingexistingclientsandwelcoming thenewerones.TraceOneaimstobethegloballeaderin intelligentend-to-endsolutionsdedicatedtoCPGretailers andmanufacturers.Donasserts, "From the ideation to the ready to sell products with an accelerated time to market delivery capacity. Our seamless and full data integrated suite will allow fast innovation through the whole product value chain specification, packing, workflow, ingredient,
recipe, formulation management, and data syndication to feed multichannel commercial development. We will have value-added solutions for all teams: quality, procurement, marketing, technology, CSR, manufacturing, and data.”
"Our aim for Delhaize Belgium is to drive innovation in our products, offer the best quality at the right price and improve performance by introducing new technologies in our private label development. Trace One gives us the tools we need to do this via a seamless, end-to-end process. As well as driving increased productivity and effectiveness, it will ultimately enable us to meet our ambitious innovation, product quality, and customer safety goals."
-Delhaize,Belgium.
Standingtalltoitsmission,InteractiveEdgehasbeen helpingconsumergoodsandtheirretailcustomer organizationsimproveproductivity,enhance efficiency,andachievebrandconsistencysince1996.Its passionforprovidingbusinesseswithasolutionthatsaves theirtimeandfitsintotheircurrentworkflowhastakenthe companytogreatheights.
WeatInsightsSuccesscaughtupwithZelBianco,the PresidentandCEOofInteractiveEdge,tolearnmore aboutthecompanyandhowitworkstogivepeoplethe powerofdata.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Giveusabriefoverviewofyourcompany,itsmission, andthekeyaspectsofitsstrongfootholdintheretail industry.
Ouroriginalmissionwasprovidingmultimediamarketing softwarewiththedevelopmentofCMS-Pro®forfieldsales organizationsthatwantedtoleveragelaptopcomputersin theirday-to-daysellingactivities.
Laterastheamountofdatagrewandevolved,our customersaskedthatweaddmorecapabilitiesintoour softwarewhichresultedinthedevelopmentofXP3®.XP3 isasetofbusinessintelligencetoolsthatareintegratedwith MicrosoftOffice®andprovideCategoryanalystsandother businessuserstheabilitytoquickly,efficiently,and effectivelyleveragemultipledatasourcestocreate,
distributeandapplybestpracticeanalyticsinpersuasive PowerPointpresentationsandExcelreports.
In2020,werolledoutsomeofthebestfeaturesinXP3 Viewer–ourend-usersoftwareanddevelopedXP3®BI Cloud™tomakethesefeaturesavailableonline.Withits ease-of-use,opentechnology,andpowerfulanalytics capabilities,ithasbecomethestandardforpresentingany data,anytime,anywhereatsomeoftheworld'slargest ConsumerGoodscompanies,includingAceHardware, Chobani,Kellogg'sJackLinks,andPepsi.Otherclientslike ZeviaandSimpleMillswithsmallerteamsandbudgets alsobenefitfromusingXP3BICloud.
Describeyourtop-notchofferingsthataddresstheneed ofyourcustomers.
XP3Suite™isaMicrosoftOfficeandcloud-based presentationandreportingsolutionthatintegratesmultiple datasourcesandtransformsthemintoactionableinsights alongwithrecommendations(Smarttextheadlinesand commentarydrivenfromthedata).Thishelpsour customersconveyasellingstorybyallowingthemto quicklyandeasilycustomizepresentationsandreportsto theirspecificaccountsusingasimpleinterfacedrop-down menu(QuickPicks).ThePowerPointandExcelreporting contentiscreatedusingXP3PresentationandReport Builder(authoringtools)andisusedbytheCenterof Excellenceorheadquartersbasedteamssuchascategory managersanddataanalysts.
XP3DataWorkshop™allowsuserstoeasilyload, transformandaggregatedatafromNielsen,IRI,SPINS, andotherdatasetsusingvisualwizardstepswithouthaving towritecode.Userscanalsocreate,import,andmodify segmentationandhierarchyforcustomdataviews.XP3 DataIntegrator™isapowerfulandflexiblesolutionthat addressesdataintegrationchallengesassociatedwith resolvingnamingissuesbetweendifferentdatasourcesand providers,whichisespeciallycriticaltoCPGsuppliersand theirretailcustomers.DataIntegratorworksinconjunction withXP3DataWorkshoptoprovidethemapping, integration,androll-upsrequiredfordisplayingdataat variousproducthierarchylevels.
XP3BICloud™allowsuserstocustomizeapresentationto theirretailerorgeographyselectionusinganeasy-to-use
QuickPicksfeature.Oncethepresentationisready,users canusetheChartQueryfeaturetoperformdrill-downsor changeselectionsasneededtosupportthestoryorthe messagethattheyaretryingtotell.Thisfeaturecanbe enabledormadeavailabletoonlyselectedusers,asneeded. WealsohaveaTeamsfeaturetoallowtheclientadminto organizeitsusersbasedontheirretaileraccount responsibilitiesandalsograntorrestrictaccesstofiles postedonXP3BICloud.
President and CEO Interactive Edge
We designed easyto-use tools to help anyone at your organization to create custom presentations.
“ “
Zel Bianco
Whatmakesyourcompanyapreferredchoiceamong yourclienteleoverothercompetitors?
Oursolutionisbusinessuser-friendlyandinMicrosoft Office.PowerPointisthemostpopularpresentation platform,andXP3enablesittobecomedynamicanddatadriven.XP3datatoolsaredesignedtoimportdatadirectly fromdatavendor'srawdatafilesorinternaldatabases;With XP3,businessanalystsandDBAscanusethefilesthatdata vendorsprovidethemwithoutlosingvaluabletime restructuringrawdata;Thisallowsanalystsandother businessuserstomanagedatawithoutITsupportor databasemanagementskills.
AlthoughsomeofthefunctionalityofXP3Suitecanbe replicatedusingtoolsprovidedbythemostpopular BusinessIntelligenceplatformsonthemarkettoday(such asTableau,PowerBI,orBusinessObjects),thelevelof skillrequiredtodosofarexceedsthelevelofskillrequired tobuildasimilardata-drivenpresentationutilizingXP3. CompanieshavebeenusingthefeaturesofMicrosoftOffice (suchasPivotTables,anddatalinking)toautomatethe deliveryofdatasinceMicrosoftOffice97.WhatInteractive EdgehascreatedinXP3Suiteisanend-to-enddata management,analysis,andpresentationsolutionthatis designedspecificallytomeettheneedsofCPGindustry.
Whattechnologiesareyouleveragingtomakeyour solutionsresourceful?
Asacompany,wehavetraditionallybeenMicrosoft-based andareamemberoftheirpartnerprogram.OurXP3 desktopapplicationsarebasedonitstechnologystack, developedin.NET,leveragesSQLServer,Analysis ServicesMulti-dimensionalandTabulardatamodels,andis integratedasanadd-intoPowerPointandExcel.XP3BI CloudisEdge'sSoftware-as-a-Service(SaaS)application andisaccessiblefromabrowseronanydevice,which allowsourcustomerstobenefitfromtheeaseofuse, subscriptionbasedpricingandloweredcosts.Thiscloud basedsolutionallowstheuserstogeneratedata-ready presentationsfortheirbusinessneeds.Weareconstantly addingnewtechnologycapabilitiesandpreparingtorelease itsnextupdatewithsupportforAWScloudcomputing platformandconnectingtoSnowflakebaseddatamodels.
Inyouropinion,whatcouldbethefutureofretailtech posttheCOVID-19pandemic?Andhowareyou strategizingyourcompany'soperationsforthatfuture?
Theretailindustrywillalwaysstrivetobecomemoreand moreefficientandwillutilizeroboticsbothin-storeandin thesupplychainwhereappropriate.In-storetechnologythat allowstheshoppingexperiencetobemoreefficientwill
allowtheretailertobetterunderstandandpredictshopper behaviourwillalsocontinuetogrow.Thecostofthesenew technologydevelopmentswillneedtocomedown significantlyinordertobecomepracticalformoreretailers beyondthosewiththedeepestpockets.
Withmoreandmoreworkersleavingtheirjobsduringthe GreatResignation,otherworkersthenhavetodealwiththe burdenofadditionalworkloads.Oneofthebenefitsofour solutionisitallowsforfeweranalyststobecreatingand maintainingpresentationsandreportsallowingthemtoadd additionalandmorestrategicinitiatives.Thisallowsthem timetofocusonaddressingomnichannelchallenges.
Whatareyourfutureaspirations?Wheredoyousee yourcompanyinthenextfiveyears? Wewillcontinuetoexpandoursolutiontoeasily accommodateotherdatasets,datalakes,andotherdata warehousestomakeoursolutionevenmoreofaplugand play Wearemakinggreatstridesaswenowsupportdata modelsinTabularandSnowflake®.
Wewanttofurtherpartnerandintegratewithdataproviders andothersolutionstoenableourclientstoleveragethe flexibilityandeaseofuseofXP3todelivermoreactionable insights.
WhatdoyourclientshavetoSayaboutInteractive Edge?
“XP3 BI Cloud has allowed our entire sales organization to better understand data, develop analytical thinking and deliver insights.” --Kellogg's
“Xp3 is not just for Category Management, we've been able to expand usage into our Executive Team Reporting, Marketing, and Finance groups by integrating data from different sources to provide a more holistic reporting option that answers specific business-related questions.” —Jack Links
unninganykindofbusinesssuccessfullyisa
Rchallengeinitself.Itrequiresbusinessleadersto managemanyaspectsoftheirorganizations. Today,businessesneedtohaveevolvingsolutionsthathelp themengagewithcustomerseasilyanddeliverrequired servicestothemwhileincreasingtheirprofitability.Acash registerisnolongerasufficientoptiontorunretail businessessincewearelivinginaworldwherecustomers prefertodoonlinetransactions.Havingrobustbusiness managementandautomationplatformisanessentialneed ofbusinesses.IntuitionSystems,acloud-basedpointof sale(POS)and‘ERPlite’software(SAAS)company,meets thatneed.
Thecompanyhasbuiltanall-in-onebilling,payments, businessmanagement,andbusinessautomationplatform forrestaurantsandretailstores,helpingthemmanagetheir businesseseffectively
WeatInsightsSuccesscaughtupwithAnandAsaithambi, theFounderandCEOofIntuitionSystems,tolearnmore aboutthecompany.
AnandmentionsthatthetraditionalPOSindustryinIndiais comprisedoflegacysystemsconsistingoffourmajor modulestorunarestaurantorretailstore:1)apoint-of-sale billingcomputer,2)apaymentmoduletoacceptcardsor cash,3)printer,and4)aback-officebusinessmanagement software.ThesetraditionalWindows-basedlegacyPOS systemsarecurrentlybeingreplacedbymobileand powerfulandroid-basedall-in-onemPOSsystems integratingallthefourmajormodules.
Althoughanemerginghigh-growthindustry,thereisahuge needforrobustsoftwarethatcanpowerthesenewandroid mPOSdevicesatanaffordablecost.IntuitionSystems’ productIVEPOSsoftwareaddressesthisunmetneed.
IVEPOSiseasytouse,powerfulall-in-oneAndroid-based POSand“ERPLite”platformwithmorethan100+ features,includingbilling,payments,andbusiness managementforrestaurantsandretailstores.Itisprecisely craftedforallbusinesses.
Anandadds,“We have a disruptive, hi-tech, cloud-enabled POS and "ERP lite" platform with more than 100+ features that can be seamlessly integrated into a small 5.5" mobile
android POS or larger devices that can transform the POS hardware into a powerful all in one device and aggregator
“This can digitally empower all merchants including the micro-merchants to build and run a successful business, perform complex ops, boost revenues, communicate with vendors and customers, avail banking functionalities anywhere anytime at an affordable cost vs expensive management, and ERP software (SAP) available in the market. Previously, this is just not possible in India and not available for smaller merchants until now.”
AnandfurtherstatesthattheearlierwindowsandwebbasedsoftwareforlegacysystemsbuiltbyIndianPOS playerswereexpensive,difficulttouse,pronetosystem crashes,andhaddatalossandsecurityissues.Therewasno all-in-onePOSthatcoulddomorethanbillingand paymentswithoutaneedtobuyadditionalresources, includingaccounting,ERP,CRM,andmanagement resources.IntuitionSystemswasoneoftheearliest Android-basedmobilePOSsoftwarecompaniesthat integratedbasicPOSfunctionalitieswithmore comprehensive,easy-to-useERPlitefeaturesforbusiness managementandautomationataveryaffordablecost.
ThereareveryfewandroidmPOSsoftwareplayersin India:WeavedinacquiredbyPaytm,EasyPOS/Zopper acquiredbyPhonePe.IVEPOSdifferentiatorversusthe competitionisaneasy-to-use,IntuitivePOSsystemthat requiresverylesstrainingtimeforemployees.Someofthe exclusivefeaturesofIVEPOSsoftwarethatIntuition Systemsspecializesinincludeandroidbasedadvanced ingredientmanufacture,multi-store,multi-device management,CounterwiseKOT,mergeorsplittables,and manymore.
AccordingtoAnand,theoutbreakofCOVID-19and lockdowndeeplyimpactedtheretailandrestaurantsectors, especiallyowners,employees,deliverystaff,farmers, operators,andjustabouteveryoneintheretailandfood business.Duetothispandemicsituation,retailersneeda robustPOSsolutionforimprovingbusinessesasithelps themwithtransactions,measureinventory,andaccept payments.
Withacceleratingdigitaltechnologythesedays,customers arehandytoorderandpickupordersattheirfingertips usingmobile.So,businessownersshouldinvestinthe upcomingtechnologysothattheycanoffersmoothdelivery andtransactionoptions.
Asacloud-basedsystembuiltforrestaurantsandretail, IVEPOSoffersfunctionalitylikemobilePOSsystems, inventorymanagement,salesanalytics,CRM,andcustomer loyaltyonaneasy-to-useinterface.Theycanusethe IVEPOSpointofsalesysteminsteadofacashregister, tracksalesandinventoryinreal-time,manageemployees andstores,engagewithcustomersandincreaserevenue.
“I can say that this is a quality product with room for improvement, and the team is prepared to adapt and improve. GREAT TEAM. I live in New Zealand and when I purchased a license for my son's cafe, I needed a few features that would improve the user experience. They were quick to arrange a phone call and took on board the requests. This shows their willingness to engage with endusers to deliver a product that is fit for use. I wish them the very best. IVEPOS is value for money.” —HungryBrothers
“We have been using this POS for the last 4 years. Very user-friendly and helps us to retrieve data at the end of the day. They have also updated the even better version. And most importantly, their backup team is very responsive if you need any help.”—ChakumChukum
Currently,IVEPOShassoldover2000+licensesto restaurants,retail,andenterprisecustomers.Itsvisionisto becometheleadingall-in-onePOSsoftwarecompanyin Asia-pacific.Thecompanyistargetingtosell2.5Million licensesinthenextfouryears.Itisalsoplanningtodevelop omnichannel,automation,ande-commercetools.Itwill exploreexpansiontotheUSandEUmarkets.
Conventionalpricingmethodsintoday's modernworlddon'tcutitoutforretailers; changingtimesrequiresinnovationand adaptation.Withthelatestadvancementsin recentyearsbothontheirtechnologystack andinconsumerbehavior,retailersarerequiredtoadopt, executeandmonitormorecomplexpricingstrategies. LeveragingthepowerofMachineLearning&Artificial Intelligence,Quicklizardhasdevelopedanall-in-one platformcoveringeveryaspectofB2CPricingtohelp retailersandBrandsachievetheirbusinessgoals.
PiniMandel,theCo Founder&CEOofQuicklizard,isa serialentrepreneurleadingarapidlygrowingteamof employeesandpartnersworldwidehelpingretailer transformtheirpricingorganizationstoensurethelongevity andsuccessoftheirbusiness.Beforeestablishing Quicklizard,PiniwasCEOof3Base(acquiredin2012). InsightsSuccessrecognizesthehigherfeatsQuicklizardhas achievedandcherishesitsprogressas Company of the Year inoureditionTop10RetailTechSolutionProviders.
Establishedasacompetitivedataproviderin2010, Quicklizardofficiallyshifteditscorebusinesstobecomea leadingB2Cpricingplatformin2018.Sincethecompany hascontinueditsdevelopmentwithuniqueofferings, helpingretailersandvariousbrandsachievepricing excellence.Itsagileapproachallowsorganizationstoscale, adapt,anddeploypricingstrategiesthatfittheirchanging businessneeds,fromsimpleautomationandrules-basedto advancedAImachinelearninganddatasciencemodels. Quicklizardisapublicly-tradedcompanyontheTLVStock Exchange(QLRD)withover110customersin27countries andover500Mmonthlypricingrecommendationissuedby theplatform.
Piniassertsthatthegrowingcomplexityofthebusiness requirescompaniestoadoptamorescientificapproachto pricingthatcurrentlylackstheautomation,coordination, discipline,marketintelligence,andrigorneededtomaintain profitabilityandacompetitiveedge.
Thebusinessenvironmentiscomplexandever changing.
Whenmakingpricingdecisions,massamountsofthe market,consumer,andproductdatamustbegleaned.
Pricingneedstobecontinuallyreviewedandupdated.
Pricingstrategiesmustbeconstantlymonitoredto measuretheimpactonbusinessgoals.
Traditionalmethodscannotadequatelydepictthe complexitiesoftoday'scompetitivemarket.Theneedto reactinreal-timeandfactorinmultipledatasourcesand
economicvariables,suchasregions,currencies,regulatory requirementsandinflation,posesarealchallengeto implementingandmaintainingeffectivepricingstrategies. Quicklizardenablesretailerstoautomatetheirpricing strategiesandmovefrommanualpricingtoasmart,fully automateddigitalpricinginfrastructure.Itspricing optimizationandenrichmentmodulessuiteadvanced pricingexcellenceatscale,basedonindividualized businessgoals.
Apricingplatformthatenablesfullautomation throughouttheproductlifecycle,poweredbyarulebasedpricingengineandacompletesetofAIpricing modulesandfeaturingmonitoringandmanagement capabilities.
Extensiveandfield-provenretailpricingexperience andexpertise.
Atrustedpartnershipforcontinuallydrivingretailers pricingjourneytosuccess.
AccordingtoPini,thereareafewfactorsthatdistinguish Quicklizardfromitscompetition: TimeandEaseofDeployment–BeingaSaaSplatform, Quicklizardoffersitscustomersapre-builtyethighly customizableplatformbasedonthousandsofhoursand extensiveexperienceworkingwithhundredsofretailers andbrandsacrosstheglobeandindifferentverticals.It offersitscustomersoff-the-shelf,customizablecomponents andmeasuresthatallowthecompanytooffertheperfectfit basedonaretailer'slevelofmaturityandneedwhilealso buildinganinfrastructureforscale.
AgilityandOpenness–Adoptinganagileapproachin development,customization,anddeployment,customers canexperiencefastresultsandcontinuouslyevaluateand adjustinreal-time.Theopenplatformallowscustomersto usetheirdatascienceteams(orQuicklizardsprofessional servicesteam)tobuildcustomproprietarypricingmodels.
Partnership–Quicklizardseesitscustomersjourneyto pricingexcellenceasapartnership,supportingcustomers withadedicatedcustomersuccessmanagerandpricing
expertseverystepoftheway.Frompricingstrategiesto KPIevaluation,theteamoffersguidanceandbestpractices.
Piniexpresses, "Excellence guides us in everything we do. We aim high and deliver on the details, taking pride in our work.”
DiversityispartofQuicklizard'sDNA–Itembraces diversebackgrounds,experiences,opinions,andviewsto growandbuildasustainablebusiness.
Innovationisineverythingthecompanydoes,challenging assumptions,embracingchange,integratingingenuityinto itsprojectsandapproaches,constantlystrivingtodobetter andreachbeyond.
QuicklizardDevelopsPartnershipsthroughlistening, transparency,andempowerment,buildingtrustthat transformsordinaryrelationshipsintopowerful collaborationsandalliances.
TheCOVID-19pandemichassignificantlyimpactedretail andwillcontinuegoinginto2022.Pinisays, "While the market remains dynamic and uncertain, retailers must look towards new strategies and technology to stay competitive. Smart retailers act accordingly by considering all scenarios and planning for the potential long-term social, economic, and health consequences of the virus."
Piniassertsthatretailersmustnowintegratedigitaland physicalexperiencestomeetcustomerswheretheyare "Retailers who haven't yet polished their omnichannel efforts to make this buyer's trip easier risk losing that shopper to another retailer. Retailers are expected to provide customers with a personalized shopping experience from beginning to end. Retailers who use the correct omnichannel approach to meet these expectations will be well-positioned for long-term success," notesPini.
Quicklizardanditsteamareengagedinvariouscommunity outreachprograms,fromdeliveringfoodbasketstotutoring at-riskyouth.Itseesitselfasanintegralpartofthe communityitcomesfromandthecommunitiesinwhichits officesarelocated,committedtocompassion,diversity,and inclusionprinciplesandethics.
Quicklizardaspirestocontributetoeconomicefficiencyby helpingsellersachievepricingthatbestreflectsthe contributiontotheirbusiness
QuicklizardwasbuilttobecometheleadingB2CandD2C pricingandpromotionengine.Inthenext12-18months,it willfocusonpenetratingnewverticalsandgeographiesand expandingitscustomerbase.Inadditiontoitsmission,it hopestocontinuetakingcustomersfurtherontheirjourney topricingexcellencethrougheducationandbybuilding agileandeffectivepricingdepartments.
Pinistatesthatpricingplatformswillbecomeastandardin theretailtechnologystackasthemarketmatures.
"These solutions will inevitably evolve to include adjacent processes, such as demand forecasting and promo planning, providing an end-to-end holistic pricing process," concludesPini.
Afterunderstandingtheimportanceofdigital transformation,manyretailbusinesseshave transformedthemselvesdigitally Thishas beenhappeningforlongyearsnow Amidst thistransformation,AIemergedasagroundbreakingtechnologythathasempoweredretailbusinesses withhigh-leveldataandinformationleveragedinto improvedretailoperationsandnewbusinessopportunities.
Withamissiontomakeretailbetterforeveryone,Retalon enteredthemarketwithexcellentsolutionsforintelligent retailing.
Retalonisanaward-winningretailsoftwareproviderthat helpssomeofthelargestretailersinNorthAmerica (GameStop,ColumbiaSportswear,Follett,etc.)leverageAI andanalyticstocalculatethemostoptimalwaytoruntheir business.
WeatInsightsSuccesscaughtupwithJosephSheinis,CofounderandChiefTechnologyOfficerofRetalon,tolearn moreaboutthecompany,itsservices,anditscontributionto theretailbusinesses.
Builtforenterpriseretailandnativelycompatiblewithany ERPonthemarket(includinghomegrownsolutions), Retalon’sAIandpredictiveanalyticssoftwareisusedto optimizeretailplanning,inventory,orderflow,andlifecyclepricingatanextremelygranularlevelthat’s impossibleforhumansalonetoachieve. Itisbetterfor
ü
Consumers,whocanbuytheproductstheywant,when theywantthem,fromthelocationoftheirchoice
ü Retailers,whocanruntheirbusinessmoreintelligently andboosttheirprofitmargin.
ü Theenvironmentthroughreducedinventorywaste, unnecessaryshipments,andpreventablecarbon emissions
Retalonhaskey3solutioncategories–retailplanning, inventory,andpricing–eachwithitssuiteofsub-solutions andfeatures.
EveryRetalonsolutionisbuiltontopofthemostaccurate retaildemandforecastintheworld.Itsforecastallows retailerstoconfidentlyknowwhattheyneedtosell,when, where,andforhowmuch—tomaximizerevenue, minimizecosts,andboostprofits.Itachievesthislevelof accuracybyautomaticallyaccountingfordozensoffactors thatimpactretaildemand,includingproductseasonality, priceelasticity,cannibalization,competition,andmuch more.
Let’sdigdeepintothesecategories.
BuiltonthebackboneofRetalon’sdemandforecast,their demandplanningtoolallowsretailerstogenerateAIoptimizedfinancial,merchandise,assortment,S&OP,store, andOTBplansattheclickofabutton.
ü FinancialPlanning:LeverageRetalonAItoincorporate anaccuratedemandforecastintoyourfinancialplan.
ü MerchandisePlanning:Asmartandefficientwayto buildmerchandiseplansthatarereconciledwithhigh leveltargetsandforecasteddemand.
ü AssortmentPlanning:UsePredictiveAnalyticsto shrinkorexpandyourassortment.Identifytheoptimal assortmentdepthvsbreadth,andmore.
ü StorePlanning:Optimizeyourstoresandensurethat yourshelf-spaceisfilledwiththerightmerchandisefor eachlocation.
ü Open-to-BuyPlanning:UseRetalonAItointelligently wrapyourplansintoanOpen-to-Buybudgetyoucan executethroughpurchasingandallocation.
Retalon’sAI-driveninventoryoptimizationtoolsslash costs,boostsales,andmaximizeGMROII(grossmargin returnoninventoryinvestment).
ü DemandForecasting:Retalon’sforecastaccuracyis world-classofferingevenlarge,complex,andunique retailerswithademandforecasttheycanrelyon.
ü Purchasing:RetalonrecommendsoptimalPO quantitiesaccountingfordozensofcriticalfactorsthat influencedemand.
ü Allocation:Atrulyunifiedcommercesolutionthat intelligentlyoptimizesthedistributionofinventory withhighaccuracydowntostore/skulevel.
ü Auto-Replenishment:Getautomaticrecommendations foroptimalshippingquantitiesandschedulesbasedon forecasteddemand,andsmartbusinessrules.
ü InventoryTransfers&AssortmentBalancing:Retalon recommendsmerchandisetransfersbetweenlocations eliminatingout-of-stocks,overstocks,andmarkdowns proactively
Itistheonlytrulyunifiedprice,promotion,andmarkdown optimizationsolutionthatseamlesslyintegratesinto planningandinventorymanagement.
ü Price Management & Optimization:RetalonAI optimizespricesaccountingforamultitudeoffactors includingdemandforecasts,seasonality,price elasticity,inventory,cross-productcannibalizationand muchmore.
ü Promotion Management & Optimization:Retalon recommendsprofitablepromotions,mediatypes,and promotimelines.Thesystemaccuratelyprojectsfuture upliftindemandandadjustsfutureinventorylevelsto ensureasuccessfulpromotion.
ü Markdown Management & Optimization:RetalonAI identifiesthemostprofitablemarkdownstrategiesthat getridofEOLinventoryontimewiththemaximum grossmargin.Reducemarkdownsandcutwastewhile retainingmoreprofit.
Josephstatesthattherearetwomajorfactorsthatare contributingtoRetalon’srapidgrowth(andimpressive clientroster).Firstly,Retalonsimplyprovidesthemost accurateforecastthatretailerscantrust.Secondly,unlike
competinganalyticssolutions,Retalonisbuiltspecifically forcomplexretailing.
Everything,fromthesoftware’sinternallogicand infrastructuretoitsuserinterfaceandout-of-the-box features(e.g.,sizecurves),isbuilttoworkseamlesslyfor largeretailersacrossamyriadofverticals.Further,retailers caneasilybuildtheirrulesetsandlogicusingasimple, easy-to-use Business Rules function.
Inanutshell,Retalonaimstomakeapositiveimpactonthe worldbytransformingoneofitsmostimportantindustries –retail.Thecompanyvaluesbuildingthebest,mostselfsufficientAIsystemforretailers reatingaseamless,c experienceforshoppers uildingsoftwarethatjustworks,b howit’ssupposedtoout-of-the-box givingbusinessleaders, certaintyintheirdecisions elpingthemhittheir,h objectives uttingwasteandunnecessaryemissions,andc throughmoreintelligentretailing
WeaskedJosephhisopiniononthenextbigchangeinthe retailindustry,towhichhesays, “While retail planning will not transform to the point of being unrecognizable due to the pandemic, some important trends will be accelerated.”
Headds, “First and foremost, retailers will transition away from highly manual (and highly fallible) planning processes that require the maintenance and upkeep of complex spreadsheets linked by formulas and custom code. Planning will be simplified with dedicated software (like modern ERPs and dedicated planning systems), while complex, multi-step calculations will be automated by AI and algorithms.”
“Secondly, shorter term, “in-season” planning will become more important, as retailers have to react quickly to changing realities (from unexpected supply chain issues to unpredictable regional lockdowns). This means that retailers will need a method to quickly and accurately recalibrate their plans to on-the-ground realities – another area where AI will be crucial.”
“Retalon is already well positioned to address these challenges, with a dedicated software suite for planning combined with a powerful forecast and retail AI.”
“Retalon rose above everyone else with the science behind their forecast. We were able to trust the forecast they came up with 99.9% of the time.” —DannyLeadbeater,Sr. DirectorofPlanningandAllocation,HardRock International
“Retalon has given us the ability to reduce the time we spend on replenishment and automate it. We're getting the right product at the right store at the right time without much buyer involvement.”
—GaryCraig,VP,Information Technology,Simons
“We have to make a lot more decisions based on probability. The better decision we make, the more it comes back to benefit everyone, the customer, the environment, and Simons. Retalon is really at the heart of making those better decisions.” —PeterSimons,President,andCEO, Simons
Talkingaboutthefuture,JosephstatesthatRetalonaspires tobetheonlyfully-fledged,andcompletelyself-sufficient AIandanalyticsplatformforretailers.Thatmeanshaving softwarethatintegrateswithanyretailer’sERPattheclick ofabutton–providinginstantROIforretailers,their customers,andtheworld.
