BWH Consulting

Imagine the impossible .... Exploit the practical
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“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction.” – Albert Einstein 

 

I believe the goal for technology in the retail environment must be simplicity.  While performing complex tasks in the background, the technology must be intuitive to the user.  An 80% solution that is fully implemented is better than a 100% solution that never gets used. 

 

Retailers view technology from two perspectives.  From the supply side, they use technology to minimize merchandise cost and supply chain operating costs.  From the demand side, they use technology to improve the magnitude and quality of customer sales. 

 

Supply Side Experience
 
  • Project Manager and Chief Architect for retailer replenishment application serving over 3,000 supermarkets.  Application is fully restartable and interfaces with independent WMS and Transportation applications.
  • Project Manager and Chief Architect for investment buying application that provides non-linear forecast of expected returns for investment buys.
  • Provided analysis and accounting support for lot-based inventory stock ledger that enabled clear evaluation of actual return on investment buying and overstock conditions.
  • Project manager for implementation of  both WMS and Transportation applications.
  • Project Manager and Chief Architect for merchandise allocation application that supports template based allocation of seasonal and promotion merchandise.
  • Supported the development of programmer productivity tools for "painting" user screens and conducting functional walkthroughs.  Also supported standard program shells that were used to create menus, single screen update transactions, inquiry transactions, and multi-screen updates.
Demand Side Experience
 
  • Project Manager and Chief Architect for promotion planning application.  This workflow application encompasses the capture of supplier discounts and integrating them into the promotion planning, purchasing, logistics, and accounts payable processes. 
  • Project Manager and Chief Architect for retail price synchronization application that monitors shelf tag changes in the stores and reports on late or missing shelf tag changes.
  • Developed Direct Product Profitability application that allocates operating costs to individual items based on their handling requirements.  This is used to calculate an "at the shelf" cost for carrying different items in order to make their final margins comparable.
  • Project Manager and Chief Architect for retail price maintenance application that supports distribution of price maintenance to shelf tag and sign printers, newspaper advertising, store personnel, POS systems, and scale systems.
  • Project Manager and Chief Architect for an AI application that adjusts forecast and replenishment parameters that drive inventory optimization.