Authors: Victoria Brown, Robert Eastman, Greg Girard, Leslie Hand, Ivano Ortis, Giulio Raffaele, Andrea Sangalli

Abstract

This IDC study explores the mandate for adaptive retail — platforms, composable microservices-based applications, and integrated AI-enabled, augmented and connected experiences — for consumers in their stream of life and for associates in their individual roles and collaborative work processes. In 2018, retailers will accelerate technology investments, in response to market forces that have left retailers with no choice but to digitally transform (DX) business, process, and technology underpinnings to radically and continually adapt to consumer buying patterns.

Leslie Hand, vice president, IDC Retail Insights, stated, "Platforms with a digital core play a central role, but well-thought-out DX use cases will enable organizations to focus on executing against their customer experience objectives in stepwise fashion, staying agile, and adjusting on the fly to continue to serve the customer in their stream of life, above all. Attention to consumer need, customer journey patterns, and the ability to maintain customer loyalty by engaging the consumer continually in their context is the key to success."

Coverage