Agent Technology for Retail

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• Retail
  • Our Retail Solutions
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Store Operations Improvement
    • Integrated Planning & Execution
    • Retail Merchandising
    • Consumer-Driven Replenishment
    • Finance & Employee Transformation
    • Information Technology Transformation
    • Retail SOA
    • ERP Integration
    • Store Technology/Extended Retail Solutions
    • In-Store RFID
    • Agent Technology
    • Global Data Synchronization
    • Retail Media Networks
    • Transformational Outsourcing

Manage Complexity with Agent Technology

Agent technology is a new generation of intelligent software designed to manage complex, real-time systems. Unlike other software, agents can be programmed to operate proactively to achieve predefined goals.

Why Agents Now?

As the complexity of products, global supply chains, and fulfillment networks increases, executives at consumer products and retail companies focus on reducing supply chain costs and improving business processes. In this climate, making informed decisions in real-time business environments has become increasingly difficult. Agent technology is a convenient way to manage the complex, multi-dimensional activities of the modern enterprise.

Getting Agent Technology Right

The key to harvesting the benefits of agent technology is to ensure that agents are implemented in a way that makes use of all available assets and services—thus allowing the company to quickly and accurately respond to business events. Our Agent Insight workshop is designed to build a business case that ensures precisely those results.

We focus on the use of agents to optimize adaptive transportation, supply, and production networks. You can find current examples of agent technology applications in our collection of Agent Pilots and Projects.

We have worked with a number of retailers to help them gain the benefits of agent technology. For example:

• We partnered with a global retailer to develop a distribution center forecast solution driven by software agents. The solution was designed to eliminate 10% to 20% of the forecast variances resulting in extra labor cost reduction (overtime, agency workers, etc.) of  18% to 36%. At the same time, the solution will help to improve delivery service levels for the distribution center to the stores.
• Capgemini’s collaborative software agents helped optimize demand forecasting and inventory at a U.S.-based global retailer.  The solution was designed to reduce the retailer’s out-of-stock inventory during promotions by almost 50%; for non-promotion SKUs the agents were able to reduce OOS to nearly zero.

Learn more about how agent technology can help your organization.

Contact Us

If you have specific business needs or objectives that you would like to discuss, or if you’d like a retail specialist to get in touch with you, contact us.