Use of IT in the Retail Industry

Written by Yasas Vishuddhi Abeywickrama


Continued from page 1

As an example, a small supermarket having a single store would be well off with a standalone system operating on a single machine. But imagine a large supermarket chain having several stores and within each store, several terminals. In such a situation, networking and communication would also be issues that need to be addressed.

Database updates related to store management would become quite tricky with both software and hardware advancements needed.

It is difficult to discuss about business today without taking e-business in to consideration. It is electronic business every where today and no wonder that retail industry is also affected. Therefore, new retail IT systems need to have facilities to this effect as well. Online payments and online ordering are two obvious examples.

Management ofrepparttar entire supply chain has become a requirement nowadays. This was notrepparttar 137940 case atrepparttar 137941 beginning of retail IT systems. Companies have identified that it is more advantageous and appropriate to haverepparttar 137942 entire chain computerized rather than justrepparttar 137943 final end. This helps in better accounting, reporting and controlling and obviously increasingrepparttar 137944 efficiency ofrepparttar 137945 whole process.

A company has two options in incorporating a Retail IT system into their business. That is in-house development or offrepparttar 137946 shelf buying. Retail IT systems are one ofrepparttar 137947 most common types of systems that are available to be bought offrepparttar 137948 shelf. There are some vendors that supply standard products while much retail IT companies would customize their base product to suitrepparttar 137949 specific customer requirements.

World famous Microsoft also has retail IT products. Microsoft Retail Management System (Store Operations) POS Software is a comprehensive retail solution designed forrepparttar 137950 independent merchant. The business software of choice for small and medium-sized retailers, equips retailers to run, control, and planrepparttar 137951 growth of a single- or multi-store business.

In a Sri Lankan context, retail industry is one ofrepparttar 137952 fore going businesses ofrepparttar 137953 entire economy. IT revolution withinrepparttar 137954 sector is happening silently but solidly. Sri Lanka has only few retail store chains and even they have very few stores under their belts. Therefore Simple systems might be enough for companies to survive on but it is important that technological advancements are also incorporated.

Most companies are yet to userepparttar 137955 entire supply chain computerization and just manage with front-end of computerization by using a POS. This is mostly due torepparttar 137956 fact that most retailers in Sri Lanka are small scale traders. Retail industry is highly dependant on volume of markets. For most types of retail goods, Sri Lankan markets are small which results in smaller size of companies and in turn results in less advanced systems being required.

Anyway functionalities such as online ordering, tendering (paying) using various types and use of wireless technology should come in to play to help upliftrepparttar 137957 quality of life of Sri Lankan people.



An IT professional with experience in both as a Software Engineer and Business Analyst. Started career as a Software Engineer and currently permanantly in the bsuiness analysis area of the premier US based IT company in Sri Lanka.


PRONTO North America Provide Drill Down Options

Written by Tom Verzi


Continued from page 1

PRONTO North America, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, isrepparttar North American Master Distributor of PRONTO-Xi, a comprehensive software system allowing manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to effectively manage all phases ofrepparttar 137939 supply chain. Far beyond just another Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System, PRONTO-Xi’s financial and distribution applications are unique and have provided maximum return on investment for a wide variety of organizations since 1976. From PRONTO Planning to PRONTO Production; from PRONTO Forecasting Management to PRONTO Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP); from PRONTO Advanced Warehousing to PRONTO Quality Management System (QMS),repparttar 137940 cross-section and breadth of integrated elements addressed by PRONTO-Xi is unmatched inrepparttar 137941 marketplace and justifiesrepparttar 137942 company’s natural leadership role asrepparttar 137943 best fully integrated business software solution for more than a quarter century. PRONTO North America is quickly emerging asrepparttar 137944 combined manufacturing, service, and distribution ERP leader.

# # #



None


    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use