GUEST CONTRIBUTORS

• Preparing For 2021: What To Do Now For Success

  With a continuation of Covid-19 and new political policies on the horizon, we’re likely in for an interesting year. But that doesn’t mean we need to be reactive. In fact, there are many proactive strategies we can take to make 2021 a positive and profitable year. Here are just a few.

• What Metrics Should You Be Tracking

  Metrics, KPIs, and benchmarks are all vital to the success of an organization. Not only do they show you what’s working, but they also highlight areas that need immediate improvement. However, with so many metrics out there, it can be difficult to know which are the most important to your business success. So, to help you narrow down your options, here are the top 5 metrics we believe you should prioritize tracking in 2021. 

• Will Sustainability Be The New 'It' Feature?

  No matter which side of the fence you sit on, there’s no denying that sustainability is high on the priority list of many customers. They live it in their personal lives, they encourage friends and family to participate in it, and they expect it from the brands they buy from. In fact, in some cases, customers even boycott unsustainable businesses after they leave for their “greener” competitors.

• Mistakes Retail Business Owners Should Avoid When Going Omnichannel

  Omnichannel is one of the biggest buzzwords of 2021 – and for good reason. For retailers who want to compete in today’s market, it’s no longer an option. As a solution, it allows retailers to merge in-store and online operations while providing customers with a seamless experience, no matter where they come into contact with your brand.

• Incorporating A Remote Workforce Into Your Business Continuity And Pandemic Planning

  Historically, organizations have looked at an existing business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) plan through the lens of natural disasters and terrorism that would affect the physical location of an organization’s headquarters or data centers. Their main focus was on being able to relocate those services to another location to restore business capabilities within a pre-defined amount of time.

RETAIL IT WHITE PAPERS

• The State Of Contact Center Technology

  Can it mitigate the impact of change? Can it drive unlock new efficiencies? Can it generate unprecedented value? Always relevant when evaluating contact center technology, these three questions took center stage amid the events of 2020. The best technology would have helped companies smoothly transition to remote work and digital-first communication. It also would have helped companies elevate their experiences — and reduce agent and customer effort — even in the face of such uncertainty.

• Online Consumer Insights Report

  This report includes data on consumer sentiment for commerce trends in fulfillment, omnichannel, Amazon, and more. Consumer insights into the COVID-19 pandemic are also included.

• Retail Supply Chains Take On Pandemic-Era Challenges

  One retailer needs to set up curbside pickup in a day. Another is doing ship-from-store but needs real-time data on the number of units of specific items at each store. Others are deciding whether to keep merchandise at shuttered stores or send them back to distribution centers. Those are among the challenges retailers are facing during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. They are not easy to face alone. 

• The Cyber 5 Holiday Report

  How the peak shopping weekend shook out during this unique holiday season. Find out how a later Amazon Prime Day coupled with merchants earlier holiday discounts impacted the kick-off to the holiday season. Also, an analysis of discounts offered by DNVBs and a look at why supply chain snafus have complicated retailers' overall holiday plans. Plus, an in-depth look at how fulfillment operation improvements will outlive the pandemic and a real-world test of how retailers' curbside operations fared during the Cyber 5.

• Reimagining The Store Of The Future: Retail Adjustments For A Post-Pandemic World
• Cash Transactions In The Mobile World
• Protect Yourself: 8 Security Best Practices For Retailers