Microsoft excels
at developing software technology platforms for business and Loblaw knows a good thing when they see
it according to Steven Johnson,
Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA
based Foodservice Solutions®.
Yes,
Canada’s largest food and drug retailer is leveraging Microsoft’s cloud computing, data
analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help power its digital
transformation, with a focus on developing a more personalized experience for
customers, while edifying its competitiveness according Johnson.
We
must note that Loblaw joins the likes of the top five U.S. grocery retailers by
sales — Walmart, The Kroger Co., Costco Wholesale Corp.,
Albertsons Cos. and Ahold Delhaize —
as Microsoft cloud customers.
The
Redmond, Wash.-based tech company unveiled sweeping partnerships with Kroger and Albertsons in January and with Walmart last July to use its Azure cloud platform
to help drive their digital initiatives. Costco adopted Azure as its hybrid
cloud platform in 2017. Other food and drug retailers using Azure include
Walgreens Boots Alliance, which announced a partnership with Microsoft in
January, and Giant Eagle.
Loblaw
worked with Microsoft to integrate its AI technology into the retailer’s PC
Optimum loyalty program to tailor deals and offers to members based on their
online preferences. David Markwell,
senior vice president of information technology at Loblaw “We’ve partnered with
Microsoft to create digital experiences that not only meet our customers’
expectations, but exceed them,”
Markwell
continued “A key objective was to “democratize” customer data stored in siloes,
a project that Loblaw and Microsoft were able to accomplish in 90 days.” “With
the data already collected but separated into different customer experiences,
it made sense to move it all to the cloud and to leverage AI tools to drive
results,” Markwell (left) explained. “With AI, I see this democratization of
knowledge and ability to make decisions being moved out into the business
units.”
Using
Azure to securely store and process data, Loblaw redesigned its customer data
by disassembling the siloed information and then anonymizing and aggregating it
to build a feature to customize offers to PC Optimum members at scale.
“It
allowed us to cross-pollinate user experiences and deliver it to millions of
people at once,” said Peter Danforth, vice president of loyalty program
strategy and management for Loblaw. “What AI enables us to do is make a decision
at a scale that was just impossible before.”
By
using Microsoft’s cloud and AI solutions to redefine the customer experience,
Loblaw was able to develop more personalized deals, making a stronger
connection with its shoppers. According to Johnson Loblaw is looking a customer
ahead.
“Predictive
AI can help us to communicate on a one-to-one basis with each customer or
provide relevant offerings to each customer,” said Jenny McConvey, director of
targeting support and systems at Loblaw. Are you elevating you brands competitive
footprint?
Are
you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh
ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that
tomorrow? Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information
or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success
does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your
continued success.
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