Trendz, a major fashion retailer, is seeking to overhaul its custom ERP system to improve customer experience and operational efficiency. The company aims to implement features that include real-time inventory, personalized customer service, and disruptive technologies to enhance the shopping experience across various channels. Additionally, Trendz is looking for recommendations on tools to analyze large amounts of customer data for better insights into consumer trends and preferences.

1. Enhancing retail experience
mcrTrendz
Customer centric retail
TechSharp

2. Trendz is one of the world’s largest retailer operating in the fashion industry. Trendz has warehouses, manufacturing unit and distribution centers in about 23 countries.
Trendz has an ERP system which is heavily (about 80% ) customized. They are very unhappy with the same. The current ERP provides less than optimal customer experience. Hence they are planning to rewrite the entire application.
Trendz IT principles that are relevant to the above are as follows:
 Buy Not Build
 COTS solution driven selection
Key to Trendz future is to be able to perform the following:
 Real time inventory and reporting.
 Digital Future – Build digital capability.
 Supply chain efficiencies.
 Predict demand consistently.
 Improve Customer Experience – Ability to shop effectively from anywhere.
 Use disruptive technology and stay ahead of the competition – Augmented reality, 3D printing etc.
 Improvised store experience – pay from anywhere, queue less payments, Augmented reality based virtual fitting rooms, Wi-Fi, NFC etc.
 Lean Manufacturing processes.
 Know the customers – Customer driven shopping experience – past purchase behavior, Loyalty programs.
 Social as tool.
 Cloud based communications.
 3D viewing of products.
 Digital Wallets.
 Interactive walls.
 Endless Aisle.
 Interactive TV.
 Virtual mirrors.
 Wearable devices.
The list above is an indication of the futuristic vision for Trendz . As for this particular problem statement Trendz is looking at the following features to be implemented.

3. Figure 1: MCR
MobilePOSDesktop/ TabletKioskCall CentreChannelsB2BOtherStatic SegmentationProduct AssociationCampaign ManagementDynamic SegmentationE-mail MarketingMarketingTargeted MarketingSEOProduct RecommendationAffiliate ManagementQuick LookSocial Media IntegrationVideoAccount Registration360 Degree RotationBrowsingWish ListCustomer RecommendationsInternationalizationGuided NavigationLocale SelectionAccount MaintenanceIn-Site Community & SocializationAppointmentsZoomProduct ComparisonPersonalizationCustomer ReviewsMini CartContent DistributionContent PublishingContent ConfigurationIn-Context PreviewContent ManagementImageryContent RelevanceContent AuthoringTemplate ManagementWorkflow and ApprovalSplit Order ConsignmentsStock PositionAddress LookupAmend OrderStock ReservationOrder ManagementDeliver to StoreProduct ReservationsAvailable to PromisePre OrderCustomer CheckoutOrder HistoryBack OrderCustomer Initiated ReturnsCross-Channel ReturnsCross-Channel Order VisibilityPick from StoreCancel OrderGuest CheckoutContact me When AvailableDrop ShipShipping NoteReplenishmentGift OrderFulfilmentForecastingCertificates / Additional DocsTax ReceiptWarehouse ManagementReturns ManagementCourier ManagementPick & ShipGift Card / CertificatesOther Payment ServicesPayPalCustomer Fraud CheckSales Tax CalculationPayment TypesPayment Fraud CheckVoucherCard Payment ServiceExternal Web AssotmentPricingDiscountingProduct AttributesMarkdownMerchandisingPromotion ConfigurationApproval / WorkflowNavigation ConfigurationProduct ClassificationProduct CategorizationTag ManagementVariant ManagementAssortmentVoucher ConfigurationAuction / MarketplaceLoyaltyWarrantyActivationsAdditional ServicesDownloadsSubscriptionsOther ServicesConversion AnalyticsShopping AnalyticsMarketing AnalyticsBI ReportingAnalysis & ReportingSite & Content AnalyticsOrder CancellationFeedbackOrder Review WorkflowGoodwillCustomer SupportOrder MaintenanceCustomer ManagementOrder CaptureERP

4. What is expected?
The team should come up with a solution which meets all the above features in the MCR diagram above. The ERP system is out of scope for the problem statement. We can assume that the ERP chosen would expose API/Adapters to help integrate.
Trendz considers customer to be the key for everything, the customer service is hence one of their highest priorities. They believe that they cannot leave even one dissatisfied customer, which means a real time customer support software. They also believe that unless personalized the customer service isn’t complete, be it addressing customers in their preferred language, or offering what customers need, locating information, delivering to their door step, loyalty discounts and more. Knowing a customer and having that information is quite handy and Trendz is looking for a solution which will enable that information and in a manner that could be used to personalize customer’s experience.
Trendz current web application although legacy, it supports over a million users. Note: The legacy has performance issues. However, during thanks giving, Christmas and other similar festive time the web tends to become unresponsive. The solution should be scalable. Trendz believes that cloud is the solution, however they would like to understand how cloud can help being cost effective.
Trendz has done a lot of homework and performed comparative analysis of lot of tools which can perform the above mentioned functionalities. Trendz is eager to know your view on the same.
Marketing is one of the most important factors in the success of the retail giant. Trendz believe in timely surveys and automation. Trendz is looking for tools or ideas to implement.
Trendz is a hugely popular brand and consumers take pride in tweeting, or posting their new buy on to facebook etc. Trendz wants to create a mobile application which not only helps with new product updates, but also enables social interaction from the application.
Source of Data: Customer being the key, Trendz would like to also know what consumers share, what consumers comment, what consumers like and dislike, hence Trendz is looking for an application which gathers all of this data and performs analysis of the ongoing trend in fashion and the feedback on the same. This data is very large and unstructured and processing the same is challenging. Trendz is looking for tools and recommendations on the same.
Additions:
Use of disruptive technology: How do we size it?
Methodology to use and reasons for the same
What are the steps to be taken for Project architectural governance, monitoring?
Define Application performance benchmarks!