Author - Michael

Consumer Dynamics Changing in UAE. What You Should Know in 2018

Consumer spending is set to rise 7.5% per annum in the UAE through until 2021 This is according to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, but HOW it is spent and WHERE it will go may change significantly from past dynamics. Here are a few key reasons for the change: Retail Space Oversupply  The existing 3.4 million sqm of retail space will increase by another 45% by 2020. As available space grows faster than demand, the resultant surplus will drive down retail [...]

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10 Ways to Improve Your Delivery Performance

Delivery is the most important task of any trading or manufacturing business. If you cannot deliver effectively, your business will struggle to survive. This fundamental business principle applies whether you deliver e-commerce packages to consumer’s homes, pallets of goods to retail stores and warehouses, or components and raw materials to production lines. Your delivery performance affects two key facets of your business: Customer Satisfaction and Operating Costs. Every business must strategically understand and achieve the levels of responsiveness and efficiency (service [...]

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Key Trends to Keep in Mind in 2018

With the release of Accenture’s 2018 Fjord Trends report, we see seven tech trends and their anticipated evolution throughout the coming year, and their subsequent impact on business and consumers. According to Mark Curtis and the Team at Fjord, each of the 2018 trends is born out of a fundamental tension, whether it’s a shift, a disagreement, a collision or a definitive rift in ideas. Digital versus physical, human versus machine, centralised versus decentralised, speed versus craft, automation versus control, [...]

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e-Commerce Fulfilment – Global Challenges and Opportunities

With another holiday season fast approaching, it seems that nearly one half of all consumers are going to experience some disappointment with their holiday orders, resulting in frustration and dissatisfaction in their overall online shopping experience. Despite retailer’s best efforts, a shocking 47% of consumers say they faced challenges related to shipping when making holiday purchases last year, suffering issues such as tracking inaccuracies, non-transparent return policies, wrong shipped items, items shipped to the wrong address, or duty and tax [...]

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Aligning Organisational Strategy and Supply Chain Strategy

I am often asked to speak to senior executives about organizational strategy and supply chain strategy, and how to effectively achieve alignment of the two. Its complex nature requires a lengthy presentation or workshop, but I like to summarise at the end with a ten-point summary: Articulate & share the organisations Vision & Mission with every employee and partner, again and again. Express in detail & share the organizations strategy with the mid and senior Management Team; the Supply Chain Team should [...]

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The Top 5 Supply Chain Concerns of Business Leaders – 2017

Driven by the increasing expectations and sophistication of customers, and enabled through new technologies, businesses are increasingly turning to their supply chain as a significant game changer in positioning a new competitive advantage and profit margin driver.   Supply Chain Executives are now key players in boardrooms, contributing large portions of the overall corporate strategy. In this environment of business transformation and the rise of the Supply Chain, what are the biggest Supply Chain concerns that keep our Business Leaders awake [...]

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Take a Look at Your Future Supermarket

Integrating online and offline grocery shopping, Alibaba appears to be leading the way in the new era of supermarket retailing with the launch of another three new supermarkets in Beijing and Shanghai recently, reaching a total of 13 stores in its new retail format. Cleverly blending mobile technology, big-data analytics and a traditional hands-on service approach, Alibaba, trading under the Hema Supermarkets name, is delivering a very compelling offer to the Chinese market: Customer membership, which remembers purchase preferences and makes [...]

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Improving the GCC Food Supply Chain

A growing population base; increasing affluence, the growing awareness and sophistication in the average consumer; and rising tourist inflow is driving up food demand across the GCC region. How we experience the availability, quality, price, consistency, and diversity of choices in this most important and even indulgent part of our lives is a direct consequence of the food and beverage (F&B) supply chain. To illustrate the scale of this sector in the GCC, a recent research report revealed that food consumption [...]

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