Retailers will be able to better predict demand using AI to optimize inventory and optimise order management to give customers choice across channels
Microsoft has announced the general availability of Microsoft Cloud for Retail, an industry-specific cloud that will help retailers meet the new age of digital optimism. The Microsoft Cloud for Retail is purpose-built for retail solutions designed to allow businesses to do things they’ve never been able to do before and with a level of speed and specificity beyond what they’ve expected in the past.
Microsoft is set to accelerate business growth by providing a complete set of retail-specific capabilities across the Microsoft Cloud portfolio. It starts by unifying disparate data sources across the end-to-end shopper journey, allowing retailers to maximise the value of their data, and resulting in one holistic view of the consumer. Once connected, data and AI help retailers better understand and elevate the consumer shopping experience. In providing more relevant and streamlined experiences throughout the retail value chain, retailers can build a real-time sustainable supply chain and empower their frontline workforce.
Microsoft Cloud for Retail used data models to bring multiple systems and applications together, unifying disparate data sources to establish a singular, in-depth profile of each shopper. Capabilities here include unified customer profile, shopper and operational analytics, intelligent fraud protection, and retail media.
With personalisation at the heart of satisfying shopping experiences, Microsoft Cloud for Retail helps drive conversion by enabling personalised recommendations and search results. Capabilities here include real-time personalisation, intelligent stores, unified commerce, digital advertising solutions, and seamless customer service.
Retailers will be able to better predict demand using AI to optimise inventory and optimise order management to give customers choice across channels. What’s more, we’re helping retailers record, report, and reduce things like carbon emissions as they strive to become more sustainable. Capabilities here include supply chain visibility, demand planning and optimisation, and flexible fulfilment.
Industry-specific solutions like Microsoft Cloud for Retail can surface stock and supply chain data on mobile devices so an associate can quickly see the availability of an out-of-stock product and arrange to have it shipped to the customer. Retailers that have transformed frontline capabilities in this way have seen unprecedented returns in customer satisfaction. Capabilities here include real-time store communication and collaboration, retail workforce management, process automation, and career development.
This partner ecosystem is a growing network of solutions that uses a common data model format to integrate seamlessly and natively with the entirety of our Microsoft Cloud for Retail.
