Annie Mathew, Chief Information Officer, Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Pvt. Ltd
Enterprises in the retail space are increasingly adopting IT solutions such as big data analytics, cloud and internet of things (IoT) to generate business intelligence and gain realtime insights into market trends and customer preferences. They are also building capabilities in omni-channel retailing, which has now become critical for these enterprises not only for ensuring brand visibility, but also for delivering a seamless customer experience. However, operationalising the omni-channel strategy requires a significant amount of investment in ICT. Industry experts talk about the technology trends in the retail space…
What role are IT, telecom and enterprise solutions playing in improving the company’s business performance?
Mother Dairy has always been a leader in innovation, whether it is in setting up innovative business solutions like bulk-vended milk, milk and Safal booths or in adopting technology as a way of life. The use of SAP for core transactions, back-end systems to automate milk collection, front-end systems like point of sale at Safal booths, the Mother Dairy app for consumers, distributor systems, SFA and ORM tools indicate that every process is assessed and prioritised for automation. The intense daily supply chain and the high perishability of the product basket necessitate real-time visibility and immediate plugging of any gaps, which can only be enabled through technology. Connectivity is important as our ecosystem is spread over a large geographical area.
What are some of the challenges faced in managing IT and telecom infrastructure?
Robust connectivity in rural areas and even in some Delhi-NCR locations is still a challenge. Straddling the public and private cloud spaces while managing the security aspects and ensuring that IT costs are optimised are some of the other challenges. Enhancing skills to keep up with technology changes is also a continuous challenge.
What has been the impact of the growing digital transactions and omni-channel retailing on your IT needs and requirements?
While we have leveraged digital payments very effectively for consumers and farmers, and have launched an app for consumers, more digital initiatives have been focused on managing the supply chain. While these initiatives are disparate, the key challenge is to consolidate them onto a robust platform and ensure compliance on security and data management aspects. Our growth in the marketplace has been a good success story too.
What is the scope of big data analytics, cloud and IoT for the retail industry?
We are using IoT selectively, based on the use case. Cloud is becoming the norm. We are using analytics to supplement the IoT initiatives and are also experimenting with predictive analytics in retail. We are building skills by executing small projects in newer technologies to create awareness around use cases.
What are the key emerging IT and telecom trends witnessed by the retail industry?
The retail industry has already been transformed by technology and it still has unlimited potential for further transformation. To support innovative business concepts like self-service stores, drone delivery systems and auto-replenishment at the home, every technology – big data analytics, IoT, machine learning, mobility, robotics, bots, even blockchain for traceability and payments – will be leveraged to create the next innovative customer experience.
