Digital technology is the connective tissue adding ease, convenience, customization, and automation to every aspect of a retail organization—from its business processes, operations, and how employees work, to the customer experiences provided and the very products and services offered
Four key pillars of digital-transformation success
Engage
The forward-thinking retailer has to adopt a customer-centric approach to dealing with various industry challenges. To create highly customized and personalized shopping experiences that influence shopping decisions and help differentiate organizations in a sea of others, redefining customer engagement is key.
A multichannel, data-based approach creates a seamless shopping experience that customers can enjoy in the comfort of a home or in traditional brick-and-mortar stores. A 360-degree view of your shoppers enables you to engage at just the right time and ensure your offer stands out when it matters.
Empower
Moving on to the other side of the shopping experience, motivating and empowering employees is critical to ensuring success in the retail industry. Products themselves aren’t the only thing that separate you from the competition – outstanding service and knowledgeable, highly-skilled professionals that sell them are the next step in retail evolution.
Optimize
Staying agile in the face of sudden market shifts and disruptions is an essential trait to have in the world of retail. Digital technologies provide a plethora of tools for analyzing, predicting and reacting to unexpected changes in the industry. Having an overview of the shoppers’ digital and physical footprints, as well as being able to factor in different scenarios related to the shopping experience you want your organization to provide can help with various kinds of business process optimization.
Transform
For retailers, the potential return on investment from a digital makeover is by no means unnoticeable. Agility and business process optimization are part of a wider philosophy, one which aims to transform organizations and products.
Reimagining the shopping experience and turning it into a seamless process is the core value behind Microsoft’s vision of the future. The four pillars of digital transformation – Engaging, Empowering, Optimizing and Transforming – are meant to complement each other and help organizations thrive in today’s highly competitive environments.
