News

Report: Retailers benefiting from near-real-time BI

November 17, 2009

RSR's newest research study, "Using Business Intelligence to Help Control Outcomes in an Uncontrollable World," published in partnership with the National Retail Federation and sponsored by SAP, finds the majority of retailers focused on reacting quickly to constant changes in demand while pleasing existing customers using near-real-time business intelligence tools.

"Near-real-time BI can help create effective promotions that drive higher average transaction value, increase the productivity of existing customers and improve return on inventory investment," said Brian Kilcourse, managing partner at RSR and co-author of the report. "The data shows it improves retailer ability to react to sudden changes across the ecosystem and within the enterprise as well as improve internal IT responsiveness."

While the research reveals broad usage of critical foundation elements such as high-speed digital networks, continuous data feeds from operational systems to centralized data warehouse, and integration middleware between those systems, retailers still have inadequate and overcomplicated delivery mechanisms for real-time business intelligence. This may limit the value of their efforts.

"Winning retailers have moved beyond the question of whether or not real-time BI has value to the nuts and bolts of how to get actionable information out of their operational systems and into the hands of those who need it most," said Paula Rosenblum, also managing partner and co-author of the report. "Laggards are still debating the ROI case. You could say they're fiddling while Rome burns."