With all the focus on winning in the last mile, companies need to pay more attention to critical first mile success, addressing the various headwinds that beset it. Brands need to strike a balance in optimizing the first mile that address efficiency, affordability and overall performance. Here are two critical areas to address in order to help you mitigate risks and assure a seamless flow of goods.
For retailers finding it tricky to navigate consumer expectations and industry legislation on the path to sustainability, there are a few ways to adjust and become greener. Here are some of the sustainable ecommerce initiatives retailers are adopting to protect the environment while presenting new ways to boost revenue.
Inventory management has been anything but simple these days. A global pandemic, labor shortages and product recalls have led to the “bullwhip effect.” Success will require leveraging technology to make critical business decisions, using AI/ML and what-if analysis to create a dynamic, flexible, resilient inventory management strategy.
The pandemic has highlighted the indisputable need for end-to-end supply chain transformation, and to move beyond traditional demand planning and forecasting. Retailers need to incorporate a more integrated approach to maximize their ability to respond with agility and resilience, focusing on flexible problem solving.
Inventory planning, replenishment and forecasting become major challenges as companies try to deal with demand fluctuation, growing SKU counts and lead time variance from manufacturers. Now blockchain technology enables companies to shift from a reactive approach to a proactive one.
Consumers want more flexibility in shipping and fulfillment, including the ability to select delivery dates and times, and to reroute packages based on personal preferences. With consumers placing a heavy emphasis on shipping in retail decision-making, it’s critical for retailers to explore new ways to leverage logistics strategy as a driver of omnichannel success.
If the forecasting of a recent Monetate report is accurate, marketers might want to revise their ecommerce email plan since its influence rate is starting to dip with consumers. But the forecast isn’t all bad news, according to the report, not only is social traffic on the rise for consumers but tablets should outpace smartphones this year.
Anyone who has ever been responsible for ensuring that the right number of contact center agents are in their seats at the right time can tell you that producing an accurate schedule can be complex. If you are experiencing pain points in trying to produce an accurate forecast, you need a strategy that will help ensure you are maximizing available agents with call demand.