2020: A Year of Uncertainty – Are You Agile?

 

Retailers, brace yourself
As we look ahead to the new year there are more unknowns confronting retailers than in decades. Much is subject to change at a moment’s notice, in directions that can’t be accurately predicted, and to magnitudes that may have a significant impact.

Retailers, prepare yourself
Mindy Grossman, now President & CEO at WW, coined the phrase “Agile is the new smart.” This has never been truer. We’re not fortune-tellers, but we can tell you what successful retailers have done and are doing.

Invest In Agility

Needing to make big decisions without a crystal ball, your best option is to invest in your company’s ability to change. People, processes, and systems should all be considered.

Self Assessment

  • Agility in your hiring strategy: Are permanent vs. contract considerations made to facilitate possible future change or are all hires permanent to fill headcount limits?
  • Agility in your hiring profiles: Are candidates judged based on their ability to learn and adapt or more on their ability to do the immediate job at hand?
  • Agility in your process development: Are processes designed to be changed effectively and efficiently or are they designed with only current requirements in mind?
  • Agility in your solution selection: Is solution flexibility scored in your RFP or not?
  • Agility in your solution contracting: Are your software subscription fees tied to all potential future business changes or just increases in revenue?


For a more in-depth assessment and a discussion on how to best address gaps, please feel free to contact us.