Retail Technology - Feb 2009: Please, sir, I want some more!

[Paul]

In the lastest edition of Vendorcom's Retail Technology column I have reflected on the current challenges in retail and some comments from merchants regarding what's on offer from cards & payments solutions providers. This will be published in February's Retail Technology Magazine. I'm always looking for inspiration for forthcoming columns and keen to get any feedback you might have.

What the Dickens is going on?
“Please, sir, I want some more.” – a phrase we’ll be hearing time after time in 2009. I fear the response will be no less stark than that of Mr Bumble, and there will be no shortage of Mr Bumbles in political, decision making authority continuing to demonstrate their position of isolation and ignorance of real-world credit-crunch commerce.

When retailers who are encountering their biggest challenge for decades are saying to anyone who will listen, “Please, sir, I want some more.”, where ‘more’ will inevitably refer to cash, cost savings or customers, where does this leave the relationship between retailers and their technology solutions providers and what role do so-called ‘solutions’ providers play in solving their retail customers’ problems?

Will retailers be asking solutions providers for ‘more’ of the innovative, bells and whistles solutions as in recent years or will the focus revert more strongly to the age-old retail priorities – right product, for the right customer, in the right quantity, at the right place, at the right time…?

From my own experience as a retail buyer in the late '80s, when the focus was foursquare on the ‘5Rs’, it is clear that any solutions provider who wants to meet their customers’ needs in the current climate must express their offering in retail terms. Those that don’t will find their own market dwindling.

Retailers’ requests for more cash, cost savings or customers, reflect relatively basic, easily anticipated needs but as the Mr Bumbles say no, the role of the technology provider is to live up to their long term commitment and involvement in the sector and demonstrate their empathy in this tightly integrated value chain.

We’re all being asked to deliver more. Let’s understand the need and stand together in these desperate times.

Paul Rodgers
Chairman
Vendorcom
www.vendorcom.com