Staying true to your brand and making tech seamless by YD Head of Retail - Vlad Yakubson

Amidst all the fluff in retail, it remains true that the best strategies to execute are those that truly resound to your business. We had a “this is for real” talk with Vlad Yakubson, Head of Retail for YD, on what truly matters in the retail industry. Vlad is one of the speakers for the New Retail ’19 event this coming February, where you’ll be equipped with cutting-edge knowledge on how to thrive in the evolving retail landscape.

The absolute key is to remain true to your brand DNA and be absolutely focused on your customer.

RLC: What are some of the most innovative or intriguing things you’re seeing in retail at the moment?

Vlad: We all know that the industry is continuing to evolve and move at a pace not seen in prior years. What’s intriguing is how Gen Z and Millennials are changing the transactional experience. It’s truly a time where the customer dominates the market with more choice and accessibility than ever before. There are many start-ups and phygital brands that are taking innovation to the next level. For instance, there are trials in South Africa with a number of delivery providers track your exact location and deliver to you on the go. Convenience and ease of shopping are key competitive advantages. Stitch Fix is another great example of an on-line store providing a styling experience that’s tailored and personalised. Great way to make shopping easier without the worry of returning items that don’t fit.

RLC: What do you see for the retail industry moving forward over the next 2-5 years? 

Vlad: There will be a couple of key trends and strategies that retailers will peruse in the coming years. There will be a rise in e-commerce showrooms where the blend between on-line and physical bricks and mortar stores will be blurred. Think “store experience per square metre and not just sales per square metre”. As AI technology becomes more affordable and intuitive, more traditional brands will allow AI to make their way in stores. It’s not as much about robots improving technology and efficiency, it’s about enhancing the shopping experience.

RLC: What do you hope to see more in the retail industry and how do you want the industry to move forward?

Vlad: The absolute key is to remain true to your brand DNA and be absolutely focused on your customer. Every retailer has to listen to what their customer is telling them and evolve with them. Stay true and play to your strengths. Sometimes the absolute basics of service and store experience go missing when it becomes about everything else. Who said there was anything wrong with saying “How Can I help you?”

As AI technology becomes more affordable and intuitive, more traditional brands will allow AI to make their way in stores.

RLC: What do you think retailers could do to improve their business to continue to stay ahead of the market?

Vlad: Don’t over complicated and introduce technology just to be in the game. Everything has to be a seamless experience. Innovation and investment from all levels whilst having a clear strategy for your business will ensure you stay relevant. Our current and future generations expect more and want the ability to have it now. We need to keep up.

RLC: What kind of knowledge and inspiration can attendees at the upcoming New Retail ’19 event expect from you?

Vlad: The great news is that I’m involved in operating a very successful brand with yd. We have over 105 brick and mortar stores, our online store continues to grow to new levels and we are growing our social media engagement by 10% per month. What this does is it allows me to present a point of view that is relevant and successful and may help others in the industry. I’m a big believer in staying true to your brand DNA and always listening to your internal and external customers.  

About Vlad: 

Vlad is a brand specialist who takes a holistic approach to growing businesses. He has extensive experience in senior management and a proven track record of leading across multiple business functions in sales, marketing, visual merchandising, finance and property. He is the Head of Retail at yd. Australia, with previous roles in Mad Mex Fresh, New Vintage Store, Glue stores, and McDonald’s Corporation.

Join Vlad in New Retail '19 this coming February at MCEC Melbourne. There will be more than 70 speakers, thousands of delegates, and top brands exhibiting at this biggest gathering in retail.

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Supply chain secrets unveiled – where Australia is currently positioned

Wouldn’t it be a sweet world if you could predict the future and be spot on?

Especially in a market where customer demands shift in the blink of an eye, new tech is constantly emerging and your entire operating model is under combat.

Predictive analytics is on the horizon for the total supply chain and the after-sales service landscape in an industry projected to be worth more than $9 billion by 2020.

Leveraging emerging tech and predictive, real-time analytics and digitising your supply chain to gain end to end and real-time visibility has been on the radar for a while, but it is finally beginning to take hold.  Leveraging predictive analytics to plan for inventory demands minimise waste and building on legacy systems and improving accuracy seems to be the next big step for supply chain professionals. But building this into your strategy and operations is no easy feat. Then there’s IoT and the Cloud to harness.

While analytics and efficiency is one thing, how can you create a proper, cutting-edge supply chain without focusing everything around the customer? After all, they really have become the centre of attention in every industry.

Discovering the best way to rejig your supply chain to better serve your customer, while still increasing profit and performance, seems to be the key in achieving a successful and efficient operation. Some of the major transformations that have seen this come to fruition centre around:

- Embedding a transformative omni-channel operating model to improve customer-centricity

- Segmenting your supply chain around your customers to remain competitive

- Leveraging SC technology and CX methodologies for effective and seamless global market

expansion

- Ensuring your operation is at full capacity and customer-centric with minimal expenses 

- Redesigning your process and operations to achieve greater customer centricity

- Improving the quality of your global SC and developing a strategic roadmap to improve CX

It’s the more ‘futuristic’ side of supply chain; drones, autonomous vehicles, co-bots, 3D printing…

I bet you’re wondering are any actually a priority and worth the investment of time and attention right now?

It’s potentially the most exciting thing of all, talking about all the future possibilities.

But it’s not worth a dime if you can’t draw it back to the present to be able to develop a practical strategic roadmap and understand the best direction for you….

Front of mind for supply chain professionals is the future of last mile delivery; assessing the options and selecting the right fit technology to best deliver their strategic goals.

Once that’s been determined, developing the business case and roadmap to introduce this tech and operating model into your daily activities is key in gaining the necessary support internally to make the initiative a success.

Drones may seem a far off futuristic concept, but plans for their introduction into a number of leading organsiations’ last mile operations, are progressing quite rapidly. The biggest barrier to overcome though will be legislative barriers and understanding the future regulations around drones to prepare an effective strategy.

Then of course there is the disruption to the supply chain that will be created through the introduction of with autonomous vehicles and understanding how far off they are and how to prepare. Despite what tech you are attracted to, there will always be the same age old puzzle of how best to seamlessly deploy and integrate it into your operations to cause minimal disruption to business and the most ROI.

Still interested? Stay tuned for information on upcoming conferences and summits by following us on Facebook @ Akolade Aust 

Written by: Gracie Fea

Originally from NZ, Gracie worked as a Broadcast Journalist for a few years before moving to London, and then to Sydney, where she fatefully came across conference production and quickly realised it was her dream role. Getting to speak with such passionate and successful people and create an agenda so that people can see themselves in other’s experiences, really spins her wheels.

She has a hunger to hear everyone’s unique story and really thrives from creating a platform for them to share these and help move their industry forward through collaboration.

Follow me on LinkedIn for information regarding future Akolade events as well as future blogs posts @ Gracie Fea

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Post show release: 5th Retail Fulfilment Summit

During the three days of the 5th Retail Fulfilment Summit which kicked of Australia’s inaugural Retail Week, more than 700 retailers from across Australia and New Zealand came together to be inspired by the 60+ pioneering speakers, who shared their stories on how to transform 360° fulfilment in the on demand era.

Opened by The Hon. Ben Carroll MP Minister for Industry and Employment, day 1 was focused on c-suite leadership and covered critical strategic issues facing retailers today such as cross boarder expansion, the Asian opportunity and leading the workforce of the future.  On day 2, opening international speaker, Sterling Hawkins (Retail Visionary & Co- Founder, Centre for Advancing Retail & Technology, USA) wowed the audience with dancing robots and insights into the new realm of technology powered retail fulfilment. What followed across 4 streams of content was a series of engaging presentations and interactive discussions from the likes of Rick Woods (General Manager, Costco), Belinda Hay (Trade Start & Project Lead Ecommerce, AUSTRADE) and Renee Gamble (Industry Lead Retail Technology, Google) to name a few. Lastly, a candid and insightful discussion from Brittain Ladd (Former Global Head of Expansion, Amazon USA) on Amazon and the future of retail, closed what was a content rich day.

Following day 2 of the fulfilment summit, Akolade hosted a first of its kind Retail Fulfilment Awards night for the sector. The awards recognised excellence across all areas of fulfilment and was judged by Andy Powel (Managing Director, Agile Commerce Consulting), Paul Greenberg (Chief Operating Officer, NORA), Luke Jecks (Chief Executive Officer, Naked Wines), Rick Woods (General Manager, Costco), Anna Forster (General Manager Operations, Lux Group), Jane Lu (Chief Executive Officer, Showpo), Sterling Hawkins (Founder, Centre for Advancing Retail and Technology USA), Erica Berchtold (Managing Director Rebel & Amart Sport GX Cycles) and Michael Donnath (Country Head IKEA).

With so many incredible submissions, the judging panel had a tough role, however the winners were agreed upon by all; Coles Liquor (Excellence in Best Store Based Fulfilment), BWS (Best Online Fulfilment Initiative), Showpo (Excellence in International Fulfilment), OzSale with Seko Omni Channel Logistics (Best 3PL Retailer Collaboration), Shippit (Best Fulfilment Technology), The Nile (Best Smaller Retailer), Sendle (Best Disrupter), Williams Fashion Logistics (Best Fulfilment 3PL of the Year) and Winning Group / Winning Services (Retail Fulfilment Retailer of the Year).

The final day of the event was kicked off by international speaker Bruce Harryman (Head of Network Planning, John Lewis, UK) who inspired and amazed the audience with the scale of John Lewis’ supply chain operations. This was followed by engaging presentations from Margaret Bosworth (Head of Marketing, Sealed Air Corporation) and John O'Loghlen (Director, Australia & New Zealand, Alibaba Group). Lastly, Martin Smith (Managing Director, Endeavour Drinks Group) wrapped up with his insights on the evolving expectations of consumers.

The summit provided an unparalleled opportunity for networking, benchmarking and inspired action-delegates leaving with a sense of empowerment. Next year, the Retail Fulfilment Show and Awards will be returning bigger and better than ever at a new location - the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Furthermore, due to our genuine commitment to diversity, we will be working closely with industry leaders to continue to boost female participation and would encourage woman in fulfilment with story to tell to please reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you now!

It’s been a fantastic week in Melbourne and we very much look forward to welcoming everyone back to next year.

Service:

Akolade

P: +61 02 9247 6000

E: info@akolade.com.au

For partnership enquiries, please contact marketing@akolade.com.au

Written by: Luana Clarke 

From a young age Luana wanted to become a teacher. She would line up her teddies in a row and teach them for hours on end. However, she eventually grew tired of their nonchalance and has ended up leading a team of producers instead- which she finds far more fulfilling and stimulating!  

Luana comes from an experienced production and management background. She has produced and topic generated events across Asia and Australia. 

Luana enjoys learning about emerging trends and drivers for change and loves the notion of the 'butterfly effect'- that change can start small but grow immeasurably through a ripple effect.

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Why Amazon is not “just another competitor”

Many words have been written about the timing of Amazon’s Australian launch, with constant speculation and misinformation about the date. In coming years, the launch date will be nothing but a footnote. What really matters is how to respond to Amazon and, on this, there is much well-intentioned but unhelpful advice. Unhelpful because many commentators are now downplaying Amazon as “just another competitor” – when in fact the retail marketplace is about to be transformed. Following that advice could be the modern-day equivalent of launching a cavalry charge towards soldiers armed with machine guns.

My advice is to take a fundamental look at your online operating model.

Why Amazon is different and not “just another competitor”
To assess Amazon’s likely impact, it helps to understand why Amazon is different and not “just another competitor”. Let me explain by illustrating a framework based on two key elements of online retail strategy – product range and delivery offer (see matrix below).

The horizontal axis categorises an online retailer according to its range:

• A “niche” range is based on a curated selection of products or a differentiated service.
• A “category” range is based around one category (or a small number of related categories).
• An “everything” range is made up of products from several unrelated categories.

The vertical axis categorises an online retailer according to its delivery model:

• “Consolidated” delivery is when the consumer normally receives multiple products in one delivery, for example when ordering through Amazon Prime.
• “Split” delivery is when the consumer receives several deliveries after ordering different products, for example when ordering on eBay.

To illustrate with real-life examples, let’s assume that by 2020 Amazon in Melbourne and Sydney offers a similar range and fulfilment model to Amazon in the UK right now. In the matrix, Amazon would sit in the top-right quadrant, offering products from almost every category (including fresh) in one consolidated delivery. For the consumer, this will be more convenient and cheaper than receiving multiple deliveries.

If we look at the Australian market now, we see online retailers in every quadrant except the top right. Only those operating a “niche” strategy, in my opinion, will be in the “blue ocean” and able to stand up in the long-term against Amazon’s consolidated / everything strategy. Everyone else will be competing in the “red ocean” of a market dominated by Amazon - unless they adapt their models. Here are some examples.

1. “Niche” retailers
Niche players target a specific segment with a differentiated service or range. An example is Appliances Online which offers an end-to-end service for white goods, including installation. Strong niche retailers have least to fear from Amazon’s arrival because Amazon is unlikely to seek to compete head-on. Amazon will sell white goods, but it will struggle to match Appliances Online’s exceptional customer proposition and product knowledge, built up over years of experience.

2. “Category” retailers
Category retailers make up most of the online market and focus on one category (or a few related categories). Their challenge is that Amazon will likely match their range but also offer consumers consolidated delivery with the rest of their shopping. If I currently buy groceries from Woolworths Online and clothes from The Iconic through two separate deliveries, then Amazon can make my life simpler by delivering everything in one go. In the long-term, my prediction is that these retailers will either need to become niche players, so they are not competing directly with Amazon, or partner with other retailers to offer a consolidated delivery option.

3. “Everything” retailers
The everything retailers are at greatest risk but also have the greatest opportunity. The risk will eventuate if their business model stays unchanged because Amazon will provide a superior offer – a similar range but ordered and delivered together.

The opportunity comes if these players can find a way to consolidate fulfilment. eBay is the longest-standing member of this camp, and will find it challenging to shift to consolidated fulfilment. Some others have more flexibility:

• Catch Group is enjoying fantastic success with its new marketplace and already possesses Australia’s most sophisticated pick and pack operation.
• Shipster, Australia Post’s innovative multi-retailer subscription service, could offer an alternative to Amazon Prime, if it can transition to shared fulfilment. 
• Wesfarmers and Woolworths could match Amazon’s range across their portfolio of brands. The big challenge will be shifting their business model (and culture) to enable collaboration.

Within a few years Amazon in Australia will have a much stronger hand than most Australian online retailers, if the latter have not found a way to consolidate deliveries and extend their range. We see from recent moves by Catch, Shipster, and new developments in Wesfarmers’ and Woolworths’ brands, that some of Amazon’s Australian competitors are now moving in the right direction.

For leaders keen to truly understand Amazon and its likely impact, check out my one-day workshop Are you ready for Amazon? We have public workshops coming up in Melbourne on 5th December and Sydney on 6th December and I also offer in-house workshops and executive briefings for teams. Find more information on my website.

Guest Blog Written By:

Jonathan Reeve , Author, Retail's Last Mile 

Jonathan Reeve is a speaker, author and adviser. He is passionate about helping retailers to build profitable, stress-free, online operations.

Jonathan has worked in retail businesses in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia for over fifteen years. He was part of the team that developed the operating model for Tesco.com, a global pioneer of online grocery retail. Jonathan’s perspective is unique: he has both developed online retail strategy and led the frontline teams that deliver the service to customers. Jonathan has also worked in store retail and was the store manager of a large Tesco supermarket in London.

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5 predications about the future of retail stores

“By 2022, brick and mortar retail spaces will be little more than showrooms” Eddie Machaalani & Mitchell Harper, Co- CEOs of Bogcommerce.

In an era of unprecedented ecommerce disruption, the burning question facing all bricks and mortar retailers is what does the future hold for stores?

As a small child I can remember holding my mother’s hand tightly as we walked through crowded department stores, afraid to let go for fear of being lost in amongst the masses of insatiable shoppers.

 Fast forward a few decades and the differences are stark. I recently took my little girl to a household name department store. There was some traffic on the ground level but as we explored the upper levels, a common feature emerged; silence. The top floor appeared completely empty, my daughter marvelled at her new found playground, playing hide and seek in and around the clothes racks.

It is no secret that the technology era has dramatically influenced consumer shopping behaviour. Whilst online shopping statistics rising, what we do know is there is something about the in store shopping experience that still appeals to us.

With the traditional notion of a store quickly becoming extinct, what does all this mean for the future of stores? 

1. Online shopping won’t replace bricks and mortar 
“I think bricks and mortar is an amazing opportunity to use our stores and our store staff as a vehicle to truly engage with the community in a way no other retailers are doing” Jim Brett, president, West Elm

What we know is that whilst we like convenience and speed we also like the ‘experience’ of shopping. Furthermore, there are particular products that retailers struggle to maintain online sales for. If we know physical stores will exist in the future, the question is in what form? Predications suggest that the stores of the future may be points of purchase but not in the traditional sense, perhaps they will be more like experience hubs for customers to feel, touch and compare items that they then order for home delivery.

2. Stores will become more responsive like platforms

Like smart phones, stores are heading towards a more responsive, agile fulfilment model fuelled by the latest data analytics technologies. ZARA, for example, has such a responsive supply chain model in place that they only stock the exact number and type of apparel in each specific line that they will sell based on the strength and accuracy of their demand planning and forecasting. This enables them to ensure their physical store space is optimised at all times. 

3. Retailers must optimise selling space 

Following on for the ZARA example, JB HI – FI have developed clever strategies to ensure that their stock is selected in accordance with what their customers want to ‘experience’. That is in contrast to the more transactional items that their customers are happy to buy online. This is an excellent way to make selling space count! 

4. Retailers will diversify last-mile fulfilment options

With Ecommerce changes impacting how retailers and 3Pls do business, last mile fulfilment models are being upended.  Trends like crowdsourcing apps and same-day, more convenient delivery are driving exciting innovations in last mile fulfilment that will continue to emerge in the coming years. Via crowdsourcing, UberRUSH for parcels, Postmates, Deliv and Amazon Flex all currently offer spot-market deliveries.

Meanwhile, with drones offering a means of providing ‘next level’ delivery convenience, early adopter Amazon is calling drone delivery the future of last mile fulfilment and others are quickly jumping on board. In 2016, Dominos pizza delivered a pizza via drone (partner Flirtey), to a customer's door in Auckland. 

5. Stores will become much more experiential—or cease to exist!

It seems that in order to survive the new on demand economy, retailers must compete on experience. Apple is an excellent example of a retailer that providers their customer base with exceptional in store experience. With staff always at hand, customers can try products, ask questions and learn about new functions. In addition, Nordstrom’s new ‘Reserve & Try in Store’ feature enables customers to choose items online and try them on in person in store. Both these examples show ways in which retailers are offering valuable instore experience to drive traffic to their shop fronts.  

With ecommerce transforming the retail landscape, disruption is ever present. And with any big change, there comes opportunity and challenge. One thing is for certain the stores we see and experience today will look vastly different in the next 10 years. The retailers that will thrive in this new environment will be adaptable, innovative and above all responsive. It’s an exciting time for those who are ready, willing and able to jump on board and embrace the new world. The question is, are you?  

Research sources include:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/30/future-of-e-commerce-bricks-and-mortar

http://www.retaildive.com/news/the-future-of-retail/411639/
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/09/future-retail-experiences-juice-bars/539751/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/barbarathau/2017/06/27/five-signs-that-stores-not-online-shopping-are-the-future-of-retail/#1796e30d4641

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marciaturner/2017/01/31/is-brick-and-mortar-obsolete/#3b8b699237ce

http://www.businessinsider.com/delivery-drones-market-service-2017-7/?r=AU&IR=T

https://www.geekwire.com/2016/new-nordstrom-app-feature-reserve-try-store-lets-customers-select-items-online-try-nearby-store/

Written By: Luana Clarke

From a young age Luana wanted to become a teacher. She would line up her teddies in a row and teach them for hours on end. However, she eventually grew tired of their nonchalance and has ended up leading a team of producers instead- which she finds far more fulfilling and stimulating!

Luana comes from an experienced production and management background. She has produced and topic generated events across Asia and Australia.

Luana enjoys learning about emerging trends and drivers for change and loves the notion of the 'butterfly effect'- that change can start small but grow immeasurably through a ripple effect.

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Australasian Supply Chain Institute and Akolade form exclusive endorsement partnership

Australasian Supply Chain Institute (ASCI) and Akolade have announced an exclusive endorsement partnership for Akolade’s supply chain-relation conferences.

The strategic collaboration between ASCI and Akolade includes the co-development of conference programming, co-promotion of conferences, and most importantly, CPD point allocation via a new ASCI Continuous Development Program that ASCI Members can attain for global certification maintenance.

ASCI is Australasia’s Premier Professional Supply Chain Community, operating as a non-profit, membership community. As an Institute, ASCI is committed to facilitating and enabling the development and professionalisation of the Australasian Supply Chain Community.

“At ASCI, we’re passionate about helping organisations re-position themselves for sustainability in light of the major disruptions that Australian businesses are facing today,” said Dr Pieter Nagel, CEO, Nagel. “In essence, we’re about professionalising supply chain management so that a standard level of qualification is recognised, accepted and tested by industry. Integral to this purpose is our Continuous Professional Development program that ensures ASCI Members have the relevant skills and knowledge to secure their careers in the disruptive business environment and maintain those global certifications that require maintenance.

“This strategic partnership acknowledges the quality and relevance of Akolade’s leading-edge, well researched events,” said Dr Pieter Nagel.  “It allows for ASCI Members to receive special conference rates and CPD points for their global certification maintenance.”

Under the collaboration, CPD points will be allocated by ASCI to Akolade conferences according to their relevance. APICS certification designees must accrue 75 points over three years to maintain their global certification. They can obtain these points through APICS events or through ASCI-related or endored events where CPD points are allocated. The points are also applicable to those designees of the Demand Driven Institute global certifications.

Akolade has a showcase of events that demonstrate its breadth and relevance to the supply chain industry and of which ASCI will be the exclusive endorsement partner;

·         Retail Fulfilment Summit 2018 (26^th – 28^th February 2018)

·         IBP Summit (April 2018)

According to Fred Adel, Managing Director, Akolade, ASCI’s collaboration is an obvious fit.

“We’ve been working with ASCI now for two years and, in that time, have collaborated on point allocation and conference promotion to ASCI Members on an ad hoc basis. This strategic collaboration allows both parties to work strategically to ensure that latest industry developments and best practice global supply chain trends and thought leadership are brought to the Australian supply chain community.”

ASCI and Akolade have established working groups for conference program research, marketing and sponsorships to ensure that the very best supply chain conferences in the Australian business marketplace.

About ASCI

Established in Australia in 1963 as a not for profit organisation, apicsAU, now trading as Australasian Supply Chain Institute (ASCI), facilitates and enables the development and professionalisation of the Australasian Professional Supply Chain Community. 

ASCI provides formal education programs, site visits, research, industry presentations and peer learning to its members with a range of opportunities to enrich and grow professional supply chain performance and competence. ASCI is a Premier Channel Partner of APICS and offers APICS certification programs in Australia, as well as other international supply chain management certifications. 

ASCI membership is available to individuals and provides access to educational programs, a network of industry professionals, real-world learning opportunities, resources and social media networks.

Please visit www.asci.org.au for more information about our memberships and programs.

Guest Blog Written By: Monique Fenech

For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact Monique Fenech on 0439 320 152.

                                        

                                                                                             

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Domino’s will begin using robots to deliver pizzas in Europe

Starship Technologies, the London-based company that has created six-wheeled self-driving delivery robots, will begin taking customers Domino’s pizzas in Germany and the Netherlands.

Starship, launched in July 2014 by two former Skype co-founders, Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis, will whisk pizzas to customers’ doors if they live within a one-mile radius of certain Dominos pizza shops in "select German and Dutch cities," the company said in a statement.

Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd., the world’s largest franchise licence owner of Domino’s Pizza, with operations in markets across Asia and Europe, has formed a group called Domino’s Robotic Unit to oversee the project. Domino’s has tested ground-based autonomous vehicles for pizza delivery in Australia and New Zealand in 2016. In November it also delivered a pizza --peri-peri chicken-- by drone in New Zealand.

"With our growth plans over the next five to 10 years, we simply won’t have enough delivery drivers if we do not look to add to our fleet through initiatives such as this," Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Chief Executive Officer Don Meij said in a statement.

Starship’s battery-powered robot is designed to operate autonomously on sidewalks, not roads, and has a maximum speed of four miles per hour carrying loads up to 20 pounds. Its cargo hold, which customers unlock with a code sent to their mobile phones, is insulated and the pizzas will also be placed inside a special hot or cold bag similar to the ones used for motorcycle-based deliveries.

"Dependent on size, we can carry up to eight pizzas on a delivery or a variety of combinations of pizzas, sides and cold drinks or dessert products," the company said.

Starship is already delivering food orders for Just Eat Plc in London, in the upmarket neighborhood of Greenwich. It also has partnerships for food, grocery and parcel deliveries with Postmates, DoorDash, Hermes Parcel Delivery Service, Swiss Post and Wolt in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Switzerland and Estonia.

Mercedes-Benz Vans, a unit of Daimler AG, invested $17.2 million in Starship in January. Mercedes-Benz has created prototype vans that could serve as a kind of "mothership" or logistics hub for a small fleet of autonomous sidewalk drones like Starship’s. These vans could one day be self-driving too.

Written by: Nicolas Verbeeck

Nicolas was born in Belgium and became an expert in consuming excellent beers, chocolate and waffles. During the winter period you can find him on a hockey pitch and in summer he loves to go for a swim or a surf. In 2013 Nicolas was wondering what the beers, chocolate and waffles would taste like in Australia and never came back. One reason… the weather. Nicolas obtained a masters in International Politics and tries to use this background to produce excellent conferences at Akolade.

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How technology is changing the retail supply chain

Consumers have more power than ever before and rising expectations mean that later order cut-off times and faster delivery options are constantly changing. With technology such as automation playing an increasing role in the supply chain, many believe this is only going to become more apparent.

At the heart of this shift has been the rise of multichannel, which means whichever channel a customer uses they can reasonably expect a consistent quality of experience; whether shopping in-store or via mobile, tablet or laptop. This also means more consumer savviness, with online price comparison is now routine.

Five years ago, how to navigate multichannel was at the forefront of many business’s plans for the future, particularly those in the retail trade. Questions were asked about how to place the customer at the heart of the retail experience. Retailers and their suppliers needed to put in place a strategy to oversee this.

The rise of multichannel has had a huge impact on the logistics supply chain.

In response, the use of technology such as automation in logistics has inevitably increased in a bid to increase productivity and efficiency. The right type of automation is key, however. For targeted efficiencies, it is best to concentrate on automating specific points within the supply chain – something that as a leading provider of automated warehouses in the UK we know the logistics industry is seeing more and more of.

So what does this automation look like? The internet of things is one example of a point early on in the supply chain. It is already in use and has the potential to simplify the ordering process for households up and down the country. At the touch of a button, replacement washing powder, toothpaste and toiletries can be guaranteed delivery within a matter of hours. For manufacturers, too, it is being put to use ordering parts and supplies.

Later in the supply process warehouses, too, are making use of technology to deliver efficiencies in terms of time and energy. By working in partnership with humans, automated machinery can take on increasing aspects of warehouse operations, even the pick and pack tasks traditionally too complicated. 

In the future, driverless vehicles could bring automation to the end of the logistics supply chain, the point of delivery. The technology is evolving quickly and we wait to see how it will be embraced and its benefits. Clearer roads? More productive work hours?

To explore how new technology can be used to support business growth, it’s vital that all involved in the supply chain take a collaborative approach. In today’s consumer-centric landscape, only one thing is certain: change is ever constant. As technology develops, the supply chain must embrace it. 

Likewise, the smart supply chain professional will exploit the potential technology holds – not only by innovating within their own business, but by looking at opportunities to collaborate across industries. Wincanton is doing just that and we invite others to join us.

Written by: Nicolas Verbeeck

Nicolas was born in Belgium and became an expert in consuming excellent beers, chocolate and waffles. During the winter period you can find him on a hockey pitch and in summer he loves to go for a swim or a surf. In 2013 Nicolas was wondering what the beers, chocolate and waffles would taste like in Australia and never came back. One reason… the weather. Nicolas obtained a masters in International Politics and tries to use this background to produce excellent conferences at Akolade.

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Forget cars, the future is online: Amazon to create more than 100,000 new jobs

While Donald Trump founded most of his election success on sweet-talking the US rust-belt states, it looks like online retail may one day be providing more jobs than the car industry.

Already one of the country’s biggest employers, Amazon plans to grow its full-time US-based workforce from 180,000 in 2016 to over 280,000 by mid-2018.

It’s taken Amazon just five years to create over 150,000 jobs in the United States, growing its workforce there from 30,000 employees in 2011 to over 180,000 at the end of 2016. Now the company announced that it plans to create an additional 100,000 full-time, full-benefit jobs in the US over the next 18 months. 

These new job opportunities are said to be for people all across the country and with all types of experience, education and skill levels, from engineers and software developers to those seeking entry-level positions and on-the-job training. Many of the roles will be in new distribution centres that have been announced over the past several months and are currently under construction in Texas, California, Florida, New Jersey and many other states across the country.

In addition to direct job creation, Amazon businesses like Marketplace and Amazon Flex will continue to create hundreds of thousands of jobs for people across the US who want to start their own business.

“Innovation is one of our guiding principles at Amazon, and it’s created hundreds of thousands of American jobs. These jobs are not just in our Seattle headquarters or in Silicon Valley – they’re in our customer service network, DC and other facilities in local communities throughout the country,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. 

“We plan to add another 100,000 new Amazonians across the company over the next 18 months as we open new fulfilment centres, and continue to invent in areas like cloud technology, machine learning, and advanced logistics.”

Over 9,000 employees have now participated in Amazon’s “Career Choice” program that pre-pays 95% of tuition for degrees in high-demand occupations such as aircraft mechanics, computer-aided design, machine tool technologies, medical lab technologies, nursing, and many other fields.

Over 10,000 military veterans already work at Amazon and last year the company pledged to hire and train an additional 25,000 veterans and military spouses over the next five years.

Writen by: Nicolas Verbeeck

Nicolas was born in Belgium and became an expert in consuming excellent beers, chocolate and waffles. During the winter period you can find him on a hockey pitch and in summer he loves to go for a swim or a surf. In 2013 Nicolas was wondering what the beers, chocolate and waffles would taste like in Australia and never came back. One reason… the weather. Nicolas obtained a masters in International Politics and tries to use this background to produce excellent conferences at Akolade.

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Why isn’t your supply chain digital?

Digitisation is here, but have you explored the benefits of digital transformation on your supply chain?

The figures speak for themselves; a digital supply chain can:

• Lower procurement costs by 20%,
• Reduce supply chain process costs by 50%, and
• Increase revenue by 10%

If you haven’t digitised your supply chain, perhaps you need to consider the benefits a technology-assisted chain can offer:

Drive customer-centricity

In an increasingly customer-to-business global economy, it is vital to align your processes with meeting the needs of your end consumer. We have powerful tools at our disposal (Big Data, the Internet of Things, social media) allow businesses to know the desires of their customer as never before. A digitised supply chain holds the potential to deliver the customer with the right product at the right time.

Differentiation in a cluttered marketplace

Having total visibility is a differentiating factor in a world full of supply chains which are, for the most part, kept secret from the consumer. Differentiating your business or service equals revenue growth and has the potential to lower your costs significantly.

Improvements in productivity, quality and efficiency

Think Artificial Intelligence and robotics which allow you to collect data from one system, streamline it and then deploy it where it’s needed. ‘Human error’ is an expression these digital workers don’t know.

Responding quickly to customer demands and growing market share

As your business builds digital capability you’ll see drastic reductions in the time it takes to implement changes. Whilst it currently takes a couple of weeks or more to make changes in products, the introduction of 3D printing technology, coupled with data, brings with it the potential to respond to customer demands in less than a day.

Enhanced people management

Whilst supply-demand conversion occurred once a month a mere decade ago, the expectation is now that meetings can occur in real time. Instant communication means an equally prompt response, giving business the capacity to deliver on evolving consumer expectations through technology-assisted employee management.

The question is no longer one of why should you digitise your supply chain, but why haven’t you?

Claire Dowler is a Conference Producer with Akolade. She recently graduated with a double degree: a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Media and Communications Studies majoring in International Communication. Claire minored in sarcasm and puns.

A ballroom-dancer who collects salt and pepper shakers and volunteers for animal rescue, you might say Claire has eclectic interests.

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Virtual technology meets fashion

Who can honestly say they grew up watching Clueless and weren’t obsessed over Cher Horowitz’s virtual closet? Now almost 2 decades later, the way technology is moving, you can. Technology is constantly changing and so is fashion. What happens when the two collide?

Wearable technologies are becoming one of the biggest opportunities in the tech industries and we are now beginning to see them appear on every item of clothing possible.

With more people shopping online, shopping centres are exploring ways of bringing the virtual online world to the high street.

Take for example; Westfield Group, who own shopping centres throughout the world, have even set up Westfield Labs that explores how social, mobile and digital technologies can bring the digital and physical shopping experience together. The labs include a co-working and demonstration place called Bespoke, where innovators and retail start-ups can work, hold events and demonstrate new products. Smart glass, fashion incubators, and virtual reality are part of the futuristic landscape.

In May 2014, Misfit Wearables launched a necklace called ‘The Bloom’ which is a pendant with the Shine software inside. The software is an activity monitor, which can be worn anywhere and tracks your daily activities. It measures your footsteps and your goals. Misfit Wearables was just one of many companies looking at innovative ways to using jewellery to explore internet connected objects.

Luxury brands are also exploring new ways to showcase innovation — take for example, Diane von Furstenberg’s design collaboration with Google Glass, the wearable that has been criticised for not being sexy enough for regular use, is part of a larger trend to integrate wearables more easily into consumers’ lifestyles.

“Technology is your best accessory,” Furstenberg says.

This is definitely a growing industry and one that we should keep an eye out for. Who knows what other creative and innovative ideas will come next?

The best part of my job as an Assistant General Manager – Production is to create and manage my own conferences from concept to delivery, identify future conference topics as well as giving me a chance to expand my business card collection. Having a bit of a sweet tooth, you will always find me having lollies on my desk or you will catch me browsing on fashion sites during lunch breaks.

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