| Retail Management
/ Point of Sale (POS)
Retail management and point of sale systems have been around for
many years. Only recently have they become truly integrated into
the supply chain and back-office systems in such an manner that
executives are now able to access real-time data from stores and
perform on-the-fly analytics to see how the business is doing. One
such project is detailed in this Microsoft Retail Management System/
POS Case Study.
Background
Our client’s IT architecture had grown increasingly complex,
hindering the distribution and sharing of information across the
enterprise. The company’s mission-critical data traveled through
point-to-point interfaces on disparate systems, and the lack of
standard interfaces hampered smooth sharing of information among
applications. Not only was this approach inefficient—it was
costly and difficult to maintain. The company needed real-time data
from stores. Every day, thousands of customer transactions generated
vital information that the management could have leveraged to support
strategic decision making. Yet stores forwarded point-of-sale information
to the corporate network only once a day. A real-time system would
have provided a more accurate view of the sales flow, allowing the
company to spot trends and respond to opportunities faster. Once
it gathered information from the front lines, the company needed
to apply that data to its supply chain. The supply chain included
hundreds of small suppliers that ship products to a multitude of
stores. Our client needed to weave suppliers’ systems into
its own so it delivered products faster.
Solutions/Integration Functions
Microsoft Great Plains (GP) business management solutions has created
an integrated network of applications, databases, and information.
We also used the Great Plains (GP) eCommerce / Webparts / EDI and eConnect
business-to-business integration platform which enabled us to automate
business processes and transactions that involved other organizations,
dramatically cutting time to market, lowering management costs,
improving the efficiency of order processing, and offering real-time
visibility into supply chains and distribution channels.
We achieved the following objectives:
- Portal communicates key sales information from data warehouse
to retail stores
- Supply chain network moves from intranet to Internet (Webparts)
- B2B platform integrates sales and order information with warehousing
and logistics
- Point-of-sale systems integrates with back-office systems
- An open, flexible infrastructure that can be leveraged in the
future
- Gain single data view for reporting consistency
- Track the flow of products through planning, designing, manufacturing,
distribution, and sales
Return On Investment
When our client first tested its company-wide integration platform,
it realized a return on investment of 134% percent on the project.
Now that the integrated business management solution distributes
information in real time and automates certain tasks that once required
human effort, the company has cut operational costs. And, with rich
point-of-sale information flowing from stores to the rest of the
enterprise, the company is positioned to deliver on its pledge of
providing a consistent, high-quality customer experience.
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