Articles by Brian Monaco

Brian Monaco reflects on 2020, the resiliency of retail and our optimism for the future. The number of changes in weeks we normally see over the course of 5 to 10 years.

The holiday season is a time for contemplation, and this year we welcome a brand-new decade! We reflect on game-changing technology progress of the past 10 years and what it means for retail WFM.

One overlooked best practice after retailers go live with their labor model is standard upkeep. Many will want to regularly ask, at minimum, these five questions to keep labor budgets and expectations excellent.

Part One covered unified commerce’s impact, Industry 4.0’s onset, traditional retailer adaptations and long-term solutions. We referenced data mining, forecasting, scheduling and mobile solutions as opportunities for brick-and-mortar institutions to optimize their workforce while preserving customer service. In Part Two, we focus in on forecasting and scheduling.

Unified commerce goes by many names, such as e-commerce, online ordering, click-and-collect and more. Regardless, unified commerce is “an upsetting force”1 in retail. It is here to stay, as evidenced in upward trending census figures over…

For most retailers, it is one or the other. Operators either pursue low-cost products or high customer-service levels but the prevailing theory among retailers is that…

Why is the WHY so important? Who, What, Where, When and WHY… the 5 W’s we all learned in grade school. The questions we ask when solving a problem. What the teachers didn’t tell is how important the WHY is…

Some would say there is no difference between the two. I would disagree as there are many differences. Every company starting an engagement process for new software or new technology…