operations will enable customers to connect and purchase a product or service via a number of
different channels. Customer needs must be a reference point to dictate the channels they
are using depending on their current needs. They may window shop in-store, purchase
via their mobile and have it sent to their home or as a gift to an overseas address. This is
another vital component to hands free shopping.
7. Cultivate
innovation in the holistic sense. Innovation is not just about quirky prints
or new cutting angle. Using smarter technology tools to draw customers into stores can be
achieved through mobile GPS solutions and on the back end through merchandise planning
and stock management software. Shop floor customer conversion technology looks
at ways to optimise staff rostering and a store’s existing sales opportunity by ensuring store
efficiencies are maximised at peak times and minimised at lower selling periods.
Getting to the heart of the challenges that currently face the industry is up to each and every
fashion business owner and manager in Australia. The time is overdue to take control of their
own business situation and stop blaming external factors for why business isn’t doing well. As
Mother Teresa said, “If each of us would only sweep their own doorstep, the whole world would be
clean.”
Working with many retailers faced with decreasing profit margins, Simon Scalzo, recognises
that many under-performing companies tend to immediately cut costs; this is seldom the answer.
He suggests sourcing an adviser to provide an independent assessment of the organisation’s
challenges, including their financial and operational constraints. An adviser can then provide
practical recommendations for improvement - restoring stability to the business and rebuilding
its value.
When an organisation is in difficulty, management often find it hard to be objective, therefore, as
soon as issues are identified, Simon recommends to seek expert help to ensure an independent
view.
As an industry we need to get behind and support the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries
Australia in their quest to lobby government, thereby bringing about positive change and
sustainability.
This is an ideal opportunity for government to incentivise the industry and award grants to
support the shift back to localising and rebuilding the Australian Fashion industry.
An intervention is required, we need to change the thinking and as Richard Evans explained we
need ambassadors and advocates for the industry “we don’t want talk fest, we want people to get
active.”It needs a change of thinking that naturally won’t happen over night.