6 ways retailers master the holiday rush with LS Central

6 ways retailers master the holiday rush with LS Central.

It’s important to be prepared for the influx of shoppers and maintain your year-round service quality. With strategic holiday planning, you can overcome challenges and impress your customers head-on. Let’s check out a few ways LS Central can help you get ahead this holiday season.

Eliminate stocking issues.

Customers enter your store expecting to find what they’re looking for. However, studies have shown that retailers are losing millions in sales every year due to both out-of-stock and overstock situations. The statistics indicate an opportunity for your business to be the place that always has what customers want. But to persuade them to purchase, you need the right product availability. Ensure your physical and online stores aren’t overburdened with stock from irrelevant products. Always carry the “must-have” holiday items by optimizing your inventory management system.

How efficient is your replenishment? Automate purchase orders with LS Central for real-time visibility into sales and stock. Simplify inventory operations, prevent stockouts, and maintain optimal assortment effortlessly. Utilize a mix of manual and automated replenishment tools to reduce the risk of stock issues, saving time and money. Maximize inventory management to ensure customers leave with desired items and share positive reviews.

Offer exceptional promotions.

Consumers adore grabbing great deals. These days, the expectation is you will have impressive sales the moment Black Friday comes around. By November 20th, shoppers hunt deals eagerly. Be ready for the influx. Running promotions for your retail business holds underestimated benefits.

Ideally, your promotions should align with your business and your customer needs. Know where your pricing fits in the market relative to your competitors’ prices and assess past promotion success. Be careful to maintain the perceived “value” of your products when promoting sale prices. Your customers would rather buy a product of value than one with a price that is suspiciously low.

Running several different promotions at once can allow you to target a wider variety of shoppers. This can be complicated, however, a retail management system with powerful promotional functionality can manage your promotions across multiple channels. You can manage multiple promotions at once, plan their periods of activity, set a hierarchy that clarifies which promotion should override other promotions, and track the results of each campaign.

Customers will have positive experiences when you offer bundle discounts. Initiate buy-one-get-one-free deals and create personalized offers that can fit their tastes while maintaining a considerable profit for your business. These strategies are great for improving your margins and giving your shoppers the sense of satisfaction that comes from getting all the items on their lists at great prices.

Reward loyalty.

It’s important to remind your customers how important they are to your business. With loyalty program, your stores can share their investment in the customer’s satisfaction with the customer themselves. You can strengthen their connection to your brand by rewarding them with surprise discounts, custom-tailored to their purchase history.

Solutions like LS Central help you build customer loyalty and retention by obtaining a single view of each customer. Whether they interact with you online or in-store. This allows you to personalize your offers and recommendations to create a more engaging shopping experience. With powerful AI analytics, you can figure out what your customers might like based on their profiles.

These kinds of programs can easily be set up and made available across all your touchpoints. Your customers can gain access online and via their mobile devices, which offers them much more convenience and flexibility. Let your faithful shoppers know that your business values their business. Delight them with an unexpected but personalized purchasing experience.

Embrace a unified retail platform.

With most consumers incorporating online technology into their daily routines, the reality is that your business should have both traditional and online storefronts. It is equally important that these storefronts can share data in real-time, so all your sales channels can make the most of what your business has to offer.

Some retailers attempt to solve this issue by using add-ons which they integrate with their current systems. However, these can leave you with tangled mess of different modules and vendors, all producing inconsistent data and functioning with suboptimal efficiency. Frustrating your customers.

With a unified retail management system like LS Central, you can decide which e-commerce promotions should match those found in your street-side locations, while also allowing shoppers to return and exchange items purchased online at in-store customer service counters. Most importantly, you’ll be able to match the inventory numbers shown on your site to your locations. Providing your shoppers with convenient and accurate product information is a sure-fire way to deliver a phenomenal experience.

Prioritize the employee experience.

Even though technology might be the foundation for how your business operates, you shouldn’t underestimate the power of human interaction. Whether it’s by phone, email, or on the salesfloor, the quality of your customer service shapes how your customers perceive your brand.

Customers enter your store or website with a certain set of expectations, so your staff should be able to consistently represent your business’ culture of customer service no matter where they are. Make sure you have a clearly defined set of beliefs regarding the customer experience, and don’t shy away from investing in training programs that can offer further guidance and interaction with these values. Many businesses hire seasonal employees, making it crucial to equip them with the tools for excellent customer service. This includes an intuitive Point of Sale system enabling quick and efficient training.

Your employees will also find it easier to meet and exceed customer expectations the more your culture empowers them to be friendly, informed, and responsive. If the customer is having a negative experience, your employee should feel comfortable “making it right,” even if that means giving them special pricing or in-store credit. Acknowledging a negative experience and quickly responding to it can make all the difference when trying to maintain customer loyalty.

Respond to customer feedback.

Even if you’ve done your diligence regarding inventory, promotions, loyalty rewards, employees, and your retail system, you might still find yourself faced with negative customer experiences. It happens despite your best intentions and under even the best of circumstances. What matters is that you respond to your customers’ feedback in a proactive way that shows you are invested in their opinion of your services. Remember, if they’re taking the time to inform you of a poor customer experience, there’s a very good chance they will also take their complaints to your other customers. And perhaps worst of all, the majority of your customers will switch to one of your competitors after multiple bad experiences.

Apply the same qualities customers seek in human interaction to address negative feedback: empathy, friendliness, and a genuine willingness to make things right. Prepare to acknowledge potential business shortcomings and use customer critique as a guidepost for finding solutions. The relationship you maintain with customers builds the success of your business. Champion them when dissatisfied, and they will likely continue to champion you.

For further information on LS Central. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with allonline365 at +27 (21) 205 3650, email us at contact@allonline365.com or visit our website www.allonline365.com  

How to bring your online customers back to your retail stores.

How to bring your online customers back to your physical stores.

Despite the belief that retail stores would disappear, they are still thriving. However, the industry has changed, and retailers must adapt to meet the changing needs of customers. Success in retail now relies on providing a comprehensive shopping experience across different channels. To attract more online customers to physical stores, retailers can allow customers to physically interact with merchandise, showcase exceptional in-store customer service, and offer brand experiences.

Here are five proven strategies to bring online customers to your physical stores.

Search on-line for in-store inventory

Provide your customers with a convenient search engine on your app and e-commerce site. Allow your customers to easily find the products they desire in your physical stores. Give them all the necessary details, such as availability in specific sizes, colours, and specifications. Additionally, include directions to your stores, as well as marked opening hours. By making it effortless for customers to visit your store, you will attract a larger number of people.

In-store returns lead to more sales

Allowing customers to return online purchases in-store instead of through courier services is a major advantage. Not only does it provide convenience for customers, but it also drives revenue for retailers. Shoppers who return items in a physical store have a higher probability of making additional purchases. This makes in-store returns a win-win situation for both customers and retailers.

Click & Collect

Click & Collect is the practice of purchasing items online and picking them up in-store. It is an incredibly effective tool for enticing customers to visit physical stores. This service has gained immense popularity due to the convenience it offers. This allows customers to retrieve their purchases at their convenience instead of waiting for home delivery.

Special offers, promotions and events

Looking to generate more foot traffic from online customers? Boost your online-to-offline conversion with exclusive in-store vouchers that go beyond traditional offers. Get creative and provide customers with vouchers for unique experiences, such as complimentary services, a hands-on makeup session, an exclusive seasonal sale, or a special event exclusively for loyal shoppers. Be sure to gather data and insights from participants to analyze the success of these promotions. This will give you a deeper understanding of how digital engagement drives your in-store revenue.

Personalization

E-commerce websites and apps provide valuable customer insights for retailers to deliver personalized in-store experiences. By sending notifications to customers, retailers can alert them about new products or offer discounts on frequently purchased items. This personalization not only makes customers feel special but also drives increased spending. Utilize your mobile and online platforms to enhance the shopping experience for customers, regardless of when and where they choose to shop.

Integrated retail management

For retailers aiming to seamlessly implement the strategies outlined in this article and stay ahead in the dynamic landscape of modern commerce, LS Central serves as a comprehensive solution that integrates effortlessly with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. LS Central is an end-to-end retail management system designed to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive business growth. By consolidating various retail functions, from inventory management to point of sale, LS Central enables retailers to efficiently execute strategies aimed at attracting and retaining customers across both online and brick-and-mortar platforms.

The synergy between LS Central and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central empowers retailers with a unified platform for managing financials, supply chain, and customer relationships. This integration ensures a seamless flow of information between online and offline channels, facilitating real-time decision-making and providing a holistic view of the retail landscape. With LS Central, retailers can leverage advanced analytics and insights to personalize promotions, optimize inventory, and enhance the overall shopping experience. Whether implementing Click & Collect services, managing in-store returns, or orchestrating exclusive in-store events. LS Central offers retailers with functionality needed to adapt to changing consumer preferences and thrive in the competitive retail market.

For further information on LS Central. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with allonline365 at +27 (21) 205 3650, email us at contact@allonline365.com or visit our website www.allonline365.com  

New features coming to Power BI this November

New features are coming to Power BI this November. 

In today’s data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to gain a competitive edge and make informed decisions. This quest for actionable insights has given rise to powerful data visualization tools like Power BI.  

Power BI is a business intelligence and data visualization tool developed by Microsoft. It empowers organizations to transform their raw data into meaningful insights through intuitive and interactive reports, dashboards, and data exploration.  

The Microsoft Power Platform release plan for 2023 release wave 2 announces the latest updates to customers as features prepare for release. This article covers the new features and updates arriving in Power BI this November.

Balance user queries with query scale-out 

Support high user-concurrency workloads for large-scale deployments of semantic models (datasets) in Power BI Premium. Management of query scale-out in Power BI Premium is largely automated for customers. 

  • Query scale-out in Power BI Premium enables user queries to be load-balanced across multiple dataset read replicas in a pool of Power BI Premium nodes. This speeds up query response times for high user-concurrency workloads. 
  • Additionally, dataset refresh operations enjoy increased isolation from the read replicas to protect user queries and improve performance. 
  • Management of query scale-out in Power BI Premium is highly automated compared to other platforms such as Azure Analysis Services. Adding and removing read replicas is performed dynamically based on usage.

Diagram of query scale out architecture.

Create and run DAX queries with Query view in Power BI Desktop 

Professional BI developers can natively write and run DAX queries within Power BI. In the past, they had to rely on third-party tools or APIs. Now, they can use Power BI’s built-in capabilities, making DAX queries development easier and more efficient. These features provide a seamless and productive DAX queries experience.

The DAX query view allows BI developers to create and run DAX queries in Power BI. Using the existing DAX query syntax to quickly query their data model. 

DAX expressions are used to define any measure, calculated column, calculated table, dynamic format string, calculation item, and row level security on a user’s model. But that is not all one can do with DAX. With the DAX EVALUATE keyword, users can also use DAX to create a DAX query. This is much like a SQL query where a user can specify columns and aggregations to return in a result table.

DAX Evaluate statement

Use DAX queries to increase productivity.

This powerful way to interact with your data model will be available in the new DAX query view. Giving users several ways to be as productive as possible with these DAX queries: 

  • Quick queries are accessible in the context menu of Data pane tables, columns, or measures. They provide a head start in creating DAX queries for data preview and summary statistics. With DirectQuery, users can now view sample data without returning to Power Query.
  • Right-click in the Data pane to get the DAX expression of all measures or a specific measure in a DEFINE statement. Use an EVALUATE statement to run it as a DAX query and add any additional columns.
  • When a user modifies the DEFINE measure in the model definition, an option for saving time allows the user to update the model, overwriting the current model definition with their changes. There’s no need for manual copy-pasting.
  • When a user utilizes DEFINE to create a measure not already in the model, they have the option to save time by using “add to model” to incorporate this measure. This eliminates the need to create a new measure and manually copy and paste the DAX expression.
  • If a user’s measure references another measure, they can define the measure and all the references. This means all the measures DAX expressions are visible on one screen. User can now see the full context of how this measure is calculated from the source columns.
  • Performance Analyzer already lets users copy the visual DAX query. Users no longer need to take that DAX query and use another tool to view and run it. They can simply run the visual DAX query in Power BI.

Explore single visuals with quick create. 

Users can now explore their data in a dedicated exploration mode. 

  • In this new dedicated exploration mode, users will explore a single visual and use AI in Power BI to find hidden insights in their data. The new mode will be available in report visual focus mode. 

As we explore Power BI’s latest enhancements, it’s clear that Microsoft actively strives to offer businesses cutting-edge tools for data visualization and analysis. These updates promise to make Power BI an indispensable tool for businesses seeking to extract valuable insights from their data. We are excited to take advantage of the new features coming to Power BI this November and unlock the full potential of data-driven decision-making. 

For further information on Power BI. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with allonline365 at +27 (21) 205 3650, email us at contact@allonline365.com or visit our website www.allonline365.com     

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