CIO
opinion
CIO
OPINION
“
THE EVOLVING
RETAIL
LANDSCAPE
PROVIDES AN
OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE CIO TO
SHINE AND EVEN
WORK TOWARDS
THEIR NEXT
PROMOTION,
PUTTING THEM IN
THE DRIVING SEAT
AS A FUTURE
RETAIL CEO.
strategy today as retail is fast-moving and
requires organisations to have a very high
level of flexibility in order to stay ahead and
remain competitive.
In order to persuade the board to embrace
new ideas, the CIO should have an in-depth
understanding of all relevant technology
out there, as well as the business’ specific
strategy and requirements.
They can then advise on the art of the
possible, choosing the right solutions that
can enable their business to succeed in a
unique and innovative way – every retailer
is different and an important way to stay
competitive in today’s overcrowded online
market is to be doing something different
and innovative.
A great way for the CIO to stay ahead is
to take inspiration from retailers with a
successful digital strategy, while ensuring
that they remain unique in their approach.
A great example of a digital success story
is boohoo.com, as its targeted digital-first
strategy has led to a 24 fold sales growth
from 2011 to 2018. Strategies to take note
of include: engaging with customers via
social media, not just through posts on
the likes of Twitter and Instagram, but also
through more personal direct messaging
in WhatsApp. The company encourages
commerce through content on its blog which
includes articles from influencers as well as
fashion tips.
Furthermore, it has introduced boohoo
Premier which gives buyers unlimited
next-day delivery for an annual fee and has
developed and enhanced its own mobile
app, which makes sense considering that
mobile devices account for the vast majority
of sessions on its website.
Other key strategies for the innovative
Retail CIO to take note of include:
cloud infrastructure-enabled AI which is
increasingly important in ensuring the
highest level of customer service by
being the brains behind a successful
e-Commerce strategy.
Additionally, the retail CIO
should employ more technical
staff with creative coding skills
who can help fuel unique
digital innovations.
Finally, they must ensure they
have full visibility over the entire
retail process, from the very
first point of customer contact
online to delivery, which can
save money, encourage brand
loyalty and makes for a far more
profitable business.
Despite many retail CIOs still
operating behind the scenes in
the business, the importance
of having a digital-first retail
strategy means that they must
take a step forward and provide
their expertise and technical
knowledge to enable the
success of their business.
The evolving retail landscape
provides an opportunity for the
CIO to shine and even work
towards their next promotion,
putting them in the driving seat
as a future Retail CEO. n
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