Business Intelligence Blog

Gold Medal International (Gold Medal) is a premier apparel supplier to leading department stores and sporting goods retailers across the U.S. As COVID-19 has taken center stage around the world, the team leading the third-generation family-owned business has relied heavily on its reputation with retail customers and the industry to instill confidence in the future. Data analytics has helped it understand its situation and move fast.

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Topics: Business Intelligence Basics, Industry - Wholesale Distribution, Job Role - Executive, Industry - Retail, decision-making, data analytics

The COVID-19 pandemic puts risk management and disruption strategies under the spotlight as companies experience limited supply and others are battling cashflow shortages. For businesses who move and sell products, inventory management can be a never-ending battle. During the shock of COVID-19, when supply and demand are volatile, managing stock presents further challenges. Strong visibility into your operations using data analytics principles can help manage inventory levels and keep cash flow steady.

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Topics: Business Intelligence Basics, Industry - Wholesale Distribution, Job Role - Executive, Industry - Retail, Job Role - Inventory/Operations, decision-making, data analytics

Business intelligence software company Phocas is almost two decades old, profitable and quickly approaching $50 million in revenue, but it believes a cash injection from OneVentures will help it more than double its revenue in the next three years.

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Topics: Industry - Manufacturing, Industry - Wholesale Distribution, Company Updates, Industry - Retail, data analytics, business intelligence software

Branches are the front lines of your business, leading the charge when it comes to customer touch points and building customer loyalty. Branch managers, their sales teams and support staff know your customers — many on a first name basis — and are the most qualified to recommend cross-selling opportunities to grow business. The best way to strengthen your front line is to give them access to the data that is relevant to their operations and customers, empowering them to cross-sell well.

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Topics: Industry - Wholesale Distribution, Job Role - Sales, Industry - Retail, cross-selling

Over the last decade, many industries have adopted business intelligence to help them lower costs, improve efficiency, spot trends, and take advantage of new opportunities. Companies who use business intelligence have found that they are better equipped to stay ahead of the competition. Without all the data, companies make critical choices based on intuition or whim. Whereas, business intelligence insights enable manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers to form strategic decisions using accurate, timely and complete information.

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Topics: Industry - Manufacturing, Business Intelligence Basics, Industry - Wholesale Distribution, Strategy, Management and Performance, Industry - Retail, Job Role - Inventory/Operations

This time of year many businesses are dealing with seasonal demands and stock control. Seasonal trends come in many forms: increased sales of perfumes for the holidays, decreased sales in building products during the northern hemisphere winter, or increased sales of swimwear in the southern hemisphere summer.

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Topics: Industry - Wholesale Distribution, Industry - Retail, Job Role - Inventory/Operations

Hairhouse salons consolidate data, run stylish reports, and trim dead stock from their warehouse with easy-to-use Phocas business intelligence software. Hairhouse is an Australian based beauty salon and retail chain that offers hair-dressing services and hair and beauty products across 140 salons in Australia.

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Topics: Case Study, Job Role - IT, ERP - NetSuite, Industry - Retail, Job Role - Inventory/Operations

Allegro Funds, an Australian private equity firm, acquired Number One Shoes and Hannah’s retailers in 2017. With a network of 110 bricks and mortar stores across New Zealand and a combined market share of 30 per cent – the business is the perfect fit for Allegro, which specialises in investing in mid-market companies with transformation potential. In 2018, Phocas, a business intelligence (BI) solution, was deployed in the business to give front line staff, managers and leaders better visibility and insights into how the stores are performing – at store level, regionally and nationally.

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Topics: Case Study, Job Role - Executive, Industry - Retail

Next Monday following Thanksgiving is ‘Cyber Monday’. This day has quickly become one of the largest online shopping days of the year. With a 17.9% year-over-year increase in sales, this year’s Cyber Monday is expected to be the largest online shopping day in history. To all the retailers participating – we trust your e-commerce, stock and shipping procedures are ready for the extra attention. For those considering getting involved in 2020 –get started now –and use DIFOT to ensure your customers have a good experience.

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Topics: Job Role - Sales, Industry - Retail, Job Role - Inventory/Operations, Industry - Consumer Goods, KPIs

Whether you work for a retail, distribution or manufacturing organization, selling more product at the highest profit margin is a constant goal. Companies understand that the rise in e-commerce technology presents an opportunity to sell more on a global scale and deliver products faster and easier to more customers. Smart businesses are keeping up with the interplay between experiential and transactional to remain competitive.

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Topics: Industry - Manufacturing, Business Intelligence Basics, Industry - Wholesale Distribution, Industry - Retail