Industries

Retail & FMCG

Technology is re-imagining how Retail and FMCG providers can drive success. From augmented reality shopping to robotic delivery to door and operational optimisation, digital change is at the forefront of meeting ever-evolving consumer demands.

Leveraging IT and digital operations has become paramount for Retail and FMCG commercial success. IT solutions offer a multitude of benefits, enabling businesses to streamline operations, optimise demand and inventory, execute seamless omnichannel strategies, and personalise consumer experiences. Digital tools including eCommerce platforms, mobile apps, data analytics, and AI-driven technologies, empower Retail and FMCG businesses to build profile preferences, tailor marketing campaigns, optimise pricing and promotions, and foster loyalty in a highly competitive realm where there is unprecedented choice. Bleeding-edge technology is changing the way these industries operate, and seizing innovation at pace is critical to adapting to this ever evolving, complex landscape.

Challenges

Anticipating behaviours and exceeding consumer expectations

Thanks to digital innovations, Retail and FMCG brands can achieve global reach with relative ease. These rapid advances, coupled with an abundance of choice, mean that consumers are constantly looking for more.

Today’s consumer expects experiential and tailored interactions, cohesive omnichannel integration, and increased convenience without compromising on value. So, organisations must understand and predict their consumers, to ‘meet them where they are’. Underpinning this is an implicit expectation of excellent service levels and a desire to feel connected to a brand and story.

Meeting these demands depends on creativity, innovation, and technology. Successful Retail and FMCG organisations are prioritising innovation to enhance physical and virtual experiences. By effectively using technology, businesses can adapt to rapidly changing preferences, staying ahead of competitors and maintaining brand relevance.

Competition within eCommerce

With the exponential growth of the ability to deliver online retail direct to consumers and businesses, this industry faces the challenge of enabling businesses to successfully survive amidst a crowded marketplace.

Retail and FMCG organisations that are successful in eCommerce are positively managing logistics, ensuring seamless order fulfilment, and providing value-adding customer support.

Building a strong online presence, optimising website performance, and delivering exceptional user experiences are undoubtedly at the forefront of strategic eCommerce priorities.

However, organisations must also carefully consider balancing pricing strategies, meeting customer expectations of fast and reliable shipping, and navigating the complexities of cross-border eCommerce. Understanding how to use technology and data to enable all of these is key.

Data is the difference

Within industry, data sets and data points are vast. Opportunities to harness these effectively are even more significant. Collecting, managing, and analysing data from all data-ecosystems (such as sales transactions, customer interactions, supply chain operations, and market trends) creates more complexity than ever before.

The Retail and FMCG industry typically faces significant challenges with ensuring data accuracy, quality, and security, due to the complex supply chain environment. Extracting actionable data insights to drive informed decision-making, personalise marketing efforts, optimise inventory management, and enhance overall operational efficiency, demands a substantial and continuous effort.

Implementing robust data analytics tools, building data-driven cultures, and bridging skills gaps in data analysis are key challenges to overcome in this data-driven landscape.

Mason Advisory’s experience helps you to harness a deeper understanding of your data landscape to improve operational efficiency, enhance the customer experience, and support your strategic goals.

Our Data Maturity Assessment Framework is specifically designed for Retail and Supply-Chain organisations. The framework interrogates intricacies of data architecture, modelling, and management, including analysis and data-informed decision making. We evaluate the maturity level of data analytics capabilities, data sources, processes, and tooling, plus the integration of external data sources, including master data management and quality across your complex ecosystem.

Our skilled, industry-aligned data specialists examine how your data informs your strategy, growth, and competitive edge, as well as its role in assuring innovation within your organisation. We focus on the full Retail and supply chain data ecosystem, including the data value chain. This generates powerful insights into your data strengths, areas for optimisation, and improvement initiatives. This may range from data strategy to architectural design, data quality, compliance, or business intelligence, so that we quickly ascertain actionable recommendations to enhance the use of data in your retail and supply chain context.

Longevity, sustainability, and the conscious consumer

The growing demand for environmentally and socially responsible practices is influencing Retail and FMCG businesses more than any other sector.

Customers are increasingly conscious of the environmental impact and ethical considerations associated with their purchases and personal values. Retail and FMCG businesses face the challenge of incorporating sustainable sourcing, reducing carbon footprints, implementing fair labour practices, and minimising waste throughout the supply chain.

Balancing profitability with ethical considerations, ensuring labelling and marketing transparency, and effectively communicating sustainability efforts to consumers are now crucial considerations. Embracing sustainable practices and embedding ethical principles into business operations is becoming essential to safeguard long-term success and maintain consumer trust and loyalty.

If you would like to speak to one of our industry experts, email contact@masonadvisory.com to discuss further. Find out more about our services.


“Mason Advisory have a wealth of experience within their field of practice and provide useful and valuable support. The maturity assessment undertaken on behalf of Mulberry has provided us with recommendations to be considered in how we continue to shape the business and improve our IT maturity. Undertaking an RFP process to select a new ITSM platform benefitted from Mason Advisory experience of the market and relationships with vendors. We had a challenging short timeframe to complete the project, and though we did extend this, managed to expedite all activities to a successful completion with Mason Advisory support and determination.”

Lonnie Engleman, Retail Change Manager – Mulberry