Business management systems company SAP has released the
Retail Center, a resources center for retailers.
The system was developed in
a partnership with IBM and Seal. The goal is to offer retailers the best
software and hardware technologies to automate their production processes.
The Internet plays a key role in the supply chain process–the
communication between the main shop, suppliers and distributors will now
be done over the Web. The price for this solution varies depending on each
client’s needs.
“With this system shops will be able to cut costs, once they won’t need a
link of their own for each client. All they have to do is go over the
Internet and keep in touch,” said Bràulio Souza Vianna, retail solution
manager at SAP Brasil. “A retailer chain may use this solution in its home
office, and its branches may have access to the system over the Internet,”
he said.
“The sales staff do not have to go to the supplier to fill in the orders.
Thus they may employ their time in other more relevant activities,” explained
Vianna. He said this enables shops to cut production and distribution
costs. “And as a consequence, the product final price is also lower.”
The Retail Center also includes an e-commerce system. According to Vianna,
the virtual commerce process management will also be easier.
“The client
accesses and fills an order,” he said. “The system detects if the product is not
available in stock and searches immediately in the supplier’s stock.
“If the supplier doesn’t have it available either, the system
simulates a production order and the lead time for this. The
system does all this, he observes, but the client receives just the
information he needs, that is, the delivery date. Big retailers, such as
Riachuelo and C&A are already adopting the system.