Retailers/Manufacturers Reveal Top Collaboration Trends

Succeeding in the market today is closely tied to how well retailers and manufacturers respond to evolving consumer needs and the levels of customer service they can provide. In the 2012 Shared Strategy Report – produced by CGT, RIS News and IDC — we offer several compelling examples of collaboration between consumer goods manufacturers and retailers designed to deliver improved customer service. In this exclusive report preview, we reveal key findings for three of the hot topics in the report.

PRODUCT QUALITY
Product quality is still a mainstay of good manufacturing and successful retail. U.S. manufacturers and retailers view product quality as more important than cost or service. Of course, all three are required in order to be a successful business, but it's instructive to note the expected higher profile of quality-related initiatives from manufacturers and retailers. The focus will be on more deeply deploying existing capabilities, like lean/six sigma and driving new and improved supply chain capabilities like visibility and traceability.

BIG DATA
We expect big data and analytics to increasingly impact the collaborative relationship, as well as provide a net benefit to the consumer. With investments in new tools that better analyze large quantities of downstream data, we can gain insights that improve forecasting, supply chain responsiveness, and trade promotion optimization. Manufacturers and retailers are keenly aware that their business persona is reflected in the aggregate of information about their products, stores, and brands available on web sites, in marketing collateral, on packaging and store displays, etc. Collaboration ensures that all of that content maintains the consistency they need to protect their brand. Big data and analytics help manufacturers and retailers respond to information about customers' buying patterns with precision — through accurate, targeted, branded content.

MOBILITY
Mobility enables better shopping experiences, as well as more efficient and effective execution, driving costs out of the business while improving service levels. Arming store associates with mobile devices, retailers have improved the likelihood that the customer will be able to identify and buy the products they desire. Inventory visibility extends beyond the four walls of the store, to the entire retail enterprise and beyond for the most adept companies. We expect retailers and consumer goods manufacturers to ramp up their application development efforts for mobile platforms in a big way.

The full 2012 Shared Strategy Report will be featured in CGT’s December issue, due out later this month.