For retailers looking to get up and running with Oracle’s suite efficiently, there is a real way to shorten the time and lower the expense: a prescriptive approach. Now there’s been a lot of banter about prescriptive approaches in the retail world lately, so let’s be very clear as to what we’re talking about.

In this model, you forgo the traditional, in-depth discovery that’s designed to understand each retailer’s individual business processes and map them to Oracle’s solution. Instead, your systems integrator shows up with a definitive POV and core set of the foundational project components ready-to-go. Your SI comes to the table with things like a project plan, technology recommendations, project charters and business requirements either complete or 80% complete. The process is laid out, the Oracle stack is identified. Together, you and your SI agree on the final 10 to 20% of these foundational principles, and the process gets underway.

We’ve seen this model turn a traditionally 12- to 13-month implementation process into an eight- or nine-month project. To make it work, you need two things:

1) A flexible retailer ready for some change. From the top down, you need an organization that’s committed to adopting new ways of working instead of being grounded in “the way we’ve always done it” as well as an organization ready to put the resources on the project to ensure it keeps momentum.
2) A seasoned systems integrator that knows the retail business and the Oracle Retail stack inside and out. This approach requires a strong and seasoned hand from your SI, so be sure you find a partner you can trust.

The prescriptive approach is a great model for many retailers. It offers real time and cost savings. But it’s not for everybody. And it’s not the only option. There is a full spectrum of implementation models between the prescriptive approach and the traditional model. So talk with your systems integrator about your company and your needs to determine what implementation approach will work best for you.

Anyone who attended the 2012 NRF Annual Convention this January (a record 25,000 did) knows it was a huge event. The energy and excitement in the halls and aisles was palpable. I took the attendance as a positive sign that retailers are feeling better about the economy. After all, sending employees to a trade show is completely discretionary. When so many retailers felt it was important to be there, that’s good news!

So what were retailers looking for and talking about? First, there was a lot of conversation around a simple need: modernization. There are plenty of legacy systems that need updating as retailers have put off investing in new technology for several years. And with the merging of retail channels, retailers whose systems aren’t up-to-date will fall behind – perhaps even out of business. Put another way: you just can’t expect to survive in retail today without technology that connects you with your customers.

Which brings me to the other big focus at the big show: mobile. As consumers, we have all seen how mobile applications have impacted our lives. We use apps to keep tabs on friends and news, to find our way around new cities, or to locate a good restaurant. In retail, we’ve seen and will continue to see more apps for both consumers and retail employees – to search inventory, conduct transactions and more. As the industry moves further and further toward mobility, consumers demand dynamic mobile experiences that present a retailer’s products, pricing and promotions tailored to their location and preferences. It’s important to remember that a solid infrastructure is key to creating a great mobile experience and ensuring all channels can talk to each other and create the best, most engaging experience for customers.

All-in-all it was a good start to the year. It will be interesting to see how the waves of modernization and mobility will continue to drive momentum throughout 2012.

Attention retail gurus:
We need your logic.

Logic opens
Australia office

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