Lewis Stores has embarked on a series of business intelligence projects with Q Data Consulting`s PQ Business Intelligence (PQBI) to maximise the value of its data and address critical business issues.
The projects, running concurrently, combine CRM, audit and inventory management initiatives that address the whole retail chain, from supplier to customer. They cover, among other aspects, customer service and delivery, and marketing-focused geographic information systems (GIS).
Charles Irwin, IT director at Lewis Stores, says: "We`re building a balanced business scorecard for all areas of the business, so our BI strategy consists of a holistic framework where each area of the business will be addressed overtime.
"Retailing today is generally very different from the past decade. Cellular phones, the Internet and similar mass-market technologies are changing the way people transact and communicate," he says. "The challenge is therefore to be competitive in a rapidly transforming industry, and move at a pace that our markets dictate through changing consumer patterns. At the same time we have to maintain a stable and consistent platform for future business growth."
Lewis processes data from over 450 stores in southern Africa. The data is replicated at its head office in Cape Town, consolidated and extracted to the data warehouse. It is further enhanced by information from external sources, such as credit bureaux, keeping data relevant, current and reasonably detailed.
PQBI implemented the FastTrack prototype on Lewis`s data infrastructure using Cognos`s Powerplay and Impromptu to demonstrate rapid bottom-line results and ROI for the company through BI implementation.
"Because FastTrack is a business-driven process, it encouraged executive management buy-in from the start, helping us make informed decisions early on about the future direction of our BI projects," says Irwin. This translates into cost savings and efficiencies, which will ultimately benefit stakeholders and employees of the group. Customers can look forward to improved service as we will build closer ties with individuals, more so than we`ve ever been able to do in the past."
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