MYTH #5: Transformational results require massive change, time, and cost
TRUTH: In reality, with an agile approach, transformational results can be achieved quickly when change is applied incrementally.
Traditional solution implementation approaches follow disruptive “rip and replace” methods. Using this conventional implementation approach fully developed solutions can take many months, if not years. Once requirement gathering, solution design, development, and testing have been fully completed, any after-the-fact alterations are prohibitively costly, if not impossible. Following the completion of development, these types of implementations typically dump a waterfall of change into a retail organization that is difficult to adjust to. So while you wait for a fully deploy-able solution, you are losing time that could be better used to help end users adjust to the change and start extracting business benefit. When the new software is deployed over it’s “ripped and replaced” predecessor, there is no sure way of knowing it will even be successful until someone pushes the “go live” button, thus equating to a high amount of risk. Even if the solution works, the value is often not realized until far after the solution is completely implemented and the users are using it.
Agile implementation
A better way to implement is to use an an agile approach, introducing incremental amounts of change and on a small scale while deploying discrete and benefit-driving capabilities in a series of solution “sprints.” This greatly reduces risk by showing value as soon as 12 weeks after an implementation begins. The level of value will grow more as each increment of change progresses. With an agile method of implementation, the cost and investment is aligned with the benefits delivered rather than being front loaded as is typical in traditional implementation methods. Less risk and quicker benefits are key attributes attracting retailers to the agile approach.
Incremental amounts of change
Change management takes time and can be detrimental to the success of your program during the period of changeover. By keeping your users involved along the way with the agile approach, you ease them into change and keep them involved rather than going away for several months and returning to them with the hopes they will remember and like what you’ve done since the early step of requirements gathering. This lessens the organizational disruption and dissatisfaction that typically comes with traditional implementation methods.
Results come from the “littles” in inventory management
Retailers have millions of opportunities to be right or to be wrong every year in the decisions they make with inventory depth at each of their stores. For example, if you have 500 stores with 10,000 SKUs and an average turn of 4, you make approximately 20 million distribution/allocation decisions each year…and if you achieve even a small, but consistent increase in better and more profitable distributions, the results can be transformational. Most retailers already do the big things well, but by leveraging smart solutions to help your existing staff and systems to do the little things just a little bit better, you would see improved market share and top line sales growth through a reduction of stock outs while helping with the bottom line through improved inventory turns and reduced excess inventory.
Quantum’s process: A competitive advantage for retailers
The Agile Customer Experience (ACE)™ implementation methodology
Quantum Retail has embraced a new implementation methodology with the goal of speeding time to value, reducing implementation risk, minimizing product modifications, and ensuring user acceptance. This innovative software implementation process results in smooth and easy user adoption while delivering quick time to value.
Methodology //
Successful software implementations generate user adoption while delivering value quickly. The Agile Customer Experience™ implementation methodology leverages the actual Q suite of products and live product and location behavior information to start delivering value and performance visibility in as little as eight to ten weeks of beginning an engagement. Quantum Retail implementations are proven to achieve and sustain significant return on investment, with customers achieving full program ROI within six months of deployment.
The ACE™ Difference //
Most software implementations take over a year to complete and disrupt a company’s people and processes. In today’s competitive market, retailers do not have the patience to deal with these disruptions or the time to wait for results. With ACE™, Quantum’s software solutions are implemented in a fast and low risk methodology, by phasing integration, change management, and value creation throughout the life of the deployment. Agile implementations help to reduce the risk associated with new software integration and align the company’s’ business strategies with their customers.
The key differences to this implementation approach:
- Add immense value, starting early in the implementation
- Provide a roadmap to grow and change with a client’s needs
- Deliver a solution of unparalleled scalability and usability
- Allow the client to leverage a broader solution suite to address future needs built on top of the same platform
Get back in the game //
Are you ready to know exactly what your customers are asking for at every location and to have the ability to react as their wants change? If you are looking for a solution that can drive momentum for your business this year, check out the solutions offered by Quantum Retail.
Our customers see valuable results in 8 to 12 weeks and our implementation approach gives your team access to the system from early on, so you can manage changes to your processes with ease. Quantum Retail continues to help all of its clients drive positive business value more rapidly than anything seen in retail.
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