Several recent proposals will raise the minimum wage and Living Wage that employers are obliged to pay in the United Kingdom. The changes highlight the need for up-to-date automated labour scheduling and time and attendance solutions to control labour costs and improve productivity and profitability.
How to go from a handful of pop-up retail events each year to hundreds without breaking a sweat
Interface Security Systems, a leading North American provider of Internet Protocol (“IP”) Bundled Managed physical security and secured managed network services announced last March that it has been selected by Family Dollar, Inc. as its IP Managed Service Provider across its entire retail platform. Family Dollar, a Fortune 300 company, recently completed a major initiative to modernize and refresh critical technology in each of its retail stores. The technology makeover, or Flat Rate Managed Service Project, as it is referred to, was launched in collaboration with Interface in July 2014 and completed in May 2015.
Automotive technology developments have given us steady advances in performance, safety, and the overall driving experience. Retailers can apply similar technology to improve associate performance, customer safety, and the overall in-store shopping experience.
The Millennial fascination is beginning to wane as a new generation is on the cusp of leading the pack and making headlines. Over the past few years, consumer-facing brands have been obsessed with Millennials, especially in the retail world. Companies have been forced to change their business strategies in order to connect and target Millennials, in the hopes of winning this segment as customers.
Smartphones have invaded every aspect of our daily lives, including shopping. In fact, 71 percent of shoppers who use their smartphones to do research inside a retail store say it’s an important part of their retail experience, according to a survey on “How Digital Connects Shoppers to Local Stores” conducted by Google, Ipsos Media CT and Sterling Brands.
Field teams form a powerful front line— visiting retail accounts, collecting critical data and communicating intelligence back to management. However they are conducting their business in silos, unaware of how their work plays a part in the larger enterprise. All too often field teams are simply going through the motions—asking prescribed questions without knowing the importance behind them.
Amid price wars, promotional fatigue and ever decreasing margins, new research confirms UK retailers are selling an increasingly large proportion of inventory off at discounted prices. This is good news for consumers, who have become accustomed to searching out bargains during the likes of discount events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, this trend is having negative impact on the UK retail’s bottom line.
Small- to mid-sized retailers have an inherent omni-channel merchandising and inventory management advantage over their big-box competition; they know their customers. Modern software applications support that advantage, creating a unique opportunity for small- to mid-sized retailers to shine.
Several months after the EMV liability shift took effect in the U.S., the scenario at retail shows some stores fully compliant, some partially and some not at all. As this transition is expected to be multi-year, progress continues gradually.
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