Head in the Cloud?
Good. Because cloud computing provides retail teams with an entirely new level of flexibility and scalability that are more suited to today’s world. Think about it — consumers of your products don’t simply visit a brick-and-mortar store with a hand-written list of goods to buy. It’s more likely she’s done some online research before she even stepped foot into your store. Then she downloaded a coupon from Facebook or your website. And she browses a list on her hand-held device while standing in the cosmetic aisle chatting on her cell phone to see which color and brand of lipstick her best friend was wearing last Friday night. She. Is. Connected.
Are you?
Gone are the days when retail team members were tied to their desktops and the behemoth computers that reside on them. Thanks to the era of cloud computing, retail teams are being liberated — and getting connected no matter where they are. Better yet, so are their supply chain teams, distributors and international offices. And that is a good thing when you consider that your entire operation is not simply housed under one roof. The people you rely on — to ensure the right goods, in the right quantities are available to consumers at the right price — are scattered in different locations. Connectivity has never been more important.
And virtual remote delivery (VRD) of POS business solutions is the key to that connectivity.
What are the benefits of VRD?
- Access POS data anywhere. Anywhere-anytime-accessibility empowers retail, supply and marketing teams — allowing them to access data when they need to, no matter where they are. It provides them with the opportunity to make a difference and to collaborate on planning, production, pricing, tracking and fulfillment at any time. All they need is a login, password and Internet connection.
- Enterprise-wide data accuracy. Everyone accesses a master database — rather than individually crunching numbers. This real time data sharing and reporting ensures accuracy. And, depending on your VRD business solution, can allow multiple users to place comments within the reports that help you share insights with your team.
- Improved mobility. Not only do retail teams have 24/7 access to data, but they can easily share onscreen or print reports that help them illustrate their insights.
- Decreased costs. You also save yourself the expense of having to purchase expensive hardware and software. Because IT departments need only ensure Internet connectivity, you don’t need extra IT staff to maintain the server.
- No disruptions. Face it, your IT department usually has several fires to put out. And that can disrupt your access to data. Cloud computing eliminates that. By eliminating IT from the equation, you free them to do the job they were meant to do — manage information technology, not business solution software. You, on the other hand, control the business intelligence tools and can rely on your business solution supplier to manage the business solution.
- Speedy insights and reporting. With cloud computing, very little data crunching is done on the user’s desktop — it’s done remotely on the server. This means faster data uploading, updating, and reporting, and less drain on your computer's resources.
- Secure disaster recovery. Automatic data backup ensures your database is restored despite user errors or failure with your systems. If there's a problem with your database, you get the undivided attention of your demand intelligence solution provider.
- Perfect environment for it. Our younger workforce is incredibly comfortable with all aspects of technology and are used to assuming responsibility for using technology to enhance their ability to perform on the job. Freeing them from reliance on your IT department could lead to better retail team performance and promotes team and individual accountability.
Ultimately, think of VRD, cloud computing solutions like this: they provide the ease and freedom of a web application, with the speed and power of a desktop installation.
