Microsoft Brings Retailers a Complete End-to-End Solution With Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail R2
Microsoft has launched Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail R2. This solution, the next iteration of Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail, offers midsize and enterprise specialty retailers point-of-sale, store management, supply chain, merchandising and financials capabilities to deliver business productivity, enterprise agility and customer service in a single, integrated end-to-end retail solution. It provides visibility from point-of-sale devices to the supply chain and the business insight needed to enable a real-time response to customer demand and building customer loyalty.
Becoming a Dynamic Retailer With Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail R2
Shopping has evolved to become a truly multichannel experience for today’s shoppers who are digital, social, mobile, enabled and informed. Faced with these digitally empowered multichannel consumers, retailers are being challenged to operate faster and smarter across their organizations to achieve deeper customer loyalty and maintain a competitive edge. Moving forward, retailers will transform their businesses into more agile enterprises and drive customer centricity as a core value.
The integration, control and role-tailored capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail help retailers address these challenges and become dynamic. Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail R2 offers further value in addressing today’s retail needs and includes the following enhancements:
- Insight. Retail Role Centers mean key data can be surfaced quickly and easily, helping people make more informed decisions and be productive.
- Loyalty. Expanded scenarios and centralized management out of the box help retailers enhance the customer experience.
- Simplicity. New interfaces for assortment and item management speed workflows and help drive productivity.
- Global availability. New localizations and translations further support the needs of multinational and growing organizations.
“Greater organizational agility is key to the success of today’s retailer because consumer dynamics are changing rapidly,” said Bill Gonzalez, general manager, Worldwide Distribution and Services Sector, Microsoft. “Our vision is to empower retailers to become connected retailers: connecting people, stores and enterprise operations and providing the business insight and connected experiences retailers need to create customer value and build customer loyalty.”
European retailers such as LH Dienstbekleidungs GmbH from Germany, as well as Paul Boulangeries, Au Forum du Batiment, Coviran, Kaubamaja, Groupe Aksal, New Look and Logitec, have chosen Microsoft Dynamics AX solutions. Other worldwide Microsoft Dynamics AX retail customers include Bailey Banks & Biddle, Carol’s Daughter, Combined Rural Traders Ltd., J&R Electronics Inc. and China Horizon Investments Group. * China Horizon, founded in January 2007 by a group of entrepreneurs to capitalize on the rapid growth of domestic Chinese consumption, provides an excellent example of the scalability, flexibility and agility provided by Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail. In a joint venture with China Post, China Horizon will build a chain of Post Mart retail stores across rural China and plans to have 15,000 self-owned community depots, or minimarts, and 200,000 franchise stores in China within five years. A project of this size and scope requires a highly scalable and flexible technology infrastructure to provide visibility across such a widespread retail organization.
“Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail was the ideal choice for our business as it provides a single consolidated system that supports our international requirements in an easy-to-use and familiar format,” said William Fields, chairman, China Horizon. “As we embark on a rapid growth trajectory over the next few years, we are confident that Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail will continue to scale with us.”
Connected Customer Centricity With Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 was released to market Feb. 16, 2011, and delivers breakthrough productivity by providing familiar, intelligent and connected experiences to users in all areas of customer interface for the retail organization. Partner solutions leverage the extended CRM platform to deliver solutions for retail such as Charisma 1:1 from Retaligent Solutions Inc., which provides a fully integrated retail customer relationship management, clienteling and loyalty solution. An example of Microsoft’s commitment to connected customer centricity in retail, Charisma 1:1 gives retailers the ability to personalize the customer experience across multiple channels, build customer loyalty and, as a result, help increase the number and frequency of shopping transactions and their revenue potential.
Retailers interested in learning more about Microsoft Dynamics solutions for the retail industry can visit http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/retailsolutions.