NOVEMBER 202319For instance, when a customer is shopping online because they're a regular customer, we know the brand of toothpaste they need every week. So, on a particular shopping trip, if that selection hasn't been made, we send a recommendation highlighting that product and add an action button for easy checkout. This way, we use technology to reduce the time customers spend on shopping and make their life easier.How do you envision the next 18 months for the retail industry?In my humble opinion, the move to consolidate information in a cloud environment is going to continue at a steady pace. Breaking down on-premise repositories and making data available in the cloud for people to use in decision-making is going to continue to ramp up in the next 18 months.I also see that it is insufficient to simply make data available in the cloud, which is below the threshold. Data quality and governance, in general, are going to be necessary, particularly, in a world where people are cognizant and cautious of the data they are giving away.With increasing awareness comes increasing responsibility for organizations like ours. We must be the custodians of the personal information our customers provide. Ensuring privacy and security by design in a cloud-based environment is an imperative element for the upcoming technologies. Maintaining a constant pattern of trust between customers, vendors, and suppliers is at the core of future developments.What would be your piece of advice for peers or colleagues in the industry on how they can create a seamless digital process for their organization?I would suggest my peers be very ambitious, and at the same time, set expectations well. To achieve one's goal, the foundation must be firm in terms of software and hardware infrastructure. One needs to develop an internal culture for good data management and analytics practice. Each part must be planned well to move fast in the digital space.Planning leads to the upscaling and proper development of tools and encourages the staff. A strong technical foundation with people's expertise will lead any organization to get maximum output for the people they serve. Factors like Inflation and macroeconomics have also led people to have more control over their expenditures. Sometimes these external economic pressures can manifest differently among some people inside the retail stores
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