Archive: Dec 2020

Home Improvement on a Winning Streak

Home Improvement on a Winning Streak

The pandemic continues to boost sales for home improvement retailers as consumers spend much of their time at home. Total retail sales in the category were up 11% in July 2020 year over year according to the Department of Commerce (see chart), and consumer spending in the home category soared in April 2020 after stimulus […]

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Tara Meier

What Is the Best Method to Measure Customer Satisfaction?

Q: How is Ruan’s Customer Satisfaction Program structured? A: At Ruan, customer satisfaction is one of our five guiding principles. Ruan believes in developing strong partnerships by understanding our customers’ stories and continuing to improve our service as their needs evolve. And the best way to know if we are achieving that goal is to […]

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Air Cargo’s Gradual Takeoff

Air Cargo’s Gradual Takeoff

The gradual movement toward recovery to pre-COVID market conditions continues for the global air cargo industry (see chart), according to data from CLIVE Data Services and TAC Index. Year-on-year growth for the full four weeks of August 2020 showed a further narrowing of the gap in international air cargo volumes to -17% versus August 2019. […]

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Procurement Practices That Pay Off

Procurement Practices That Pay Off

How do you know you’re paying the right price for the right level of service? Accurate business intelligence will drive sound strategies that deliver on core business goals.

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Lori Harner

Control Tower Capabilities—Redefined

Q: What is a control tower? A: There are many definitions of a control tower in the market today. Some are analytics overlays without a network to get data or application intelligence. Some provide one functional area (e.g. planning) and encompass internal operations and maybe tier 1 providers. These can sound helpful but won’t get […]

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Shaping Future Supply Chains

Shaping Future Supply Chains

Supply chains face an evolution that will change how chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) operate, according to a Gartner report. The following trends will shape the supply chain’s future, the report says: 1. The rise of digital business. Many CSCOs struggle to create a holistic digital roadmap. At the same time, they face pressure from […]

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Macy’s Parades Digital Lead

Digitally mature retailers better reacted to COVID-19 disruptions, finds a study by tech company Incisiv. Based on performance along the customer journey, the study names the top North American apparel retailers in digital maturity: Overall 1. Macy’s 2. Kohl’s 3. Neiman Marcus 4. Target 5. Nordstrom 6. Ann Taylor 7. Chico’s 8. J.C. Penney Co. […]

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The Need for Shipping Speed

Consumers now make 58% of their purchases online since COVID-19 began compared to just 32% before the pandemic, and many will spend more for expedited shipping, says a LaserShip survey. The study reveals: Gen Z and millennials are more likely to shop at new retailers if expedited shipping is provided compared to older generations. 40% […]

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