Transformation for good
The challenges of the distribution sector
Confinements, shortages, inflation, social tensions... the supermarket sector has faced unprecedented crises that force it to accelerate certain developments and undertake new actions.
YOUR ISSUES
Omnichannel
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Today, the promise made, and sometimes kept, by retailers to offer consumers a shopping experience that blends physical and digital channels is a key issue. The seamless shopping experience seems to be becoming the norm. However, the reality of this promise is very complex to implement. It revolutionizes the usual schemes and requires creating interfaces between two heterogeneous organizations: the original system and the digital system. Implementing a single, high-performance omnichannel system is a major challenge for retailers.
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Competition from e-commerce platforms
Retail pureplayers, which have been present in France for 20 years, have progressively changed the consumption patterns of the French towards the Anytime Anwhere. Their more agile organizations allow them to constantly adapt and even anticipate the needs of their customers: to deliver quickly, in a qualitative, quantitative and responsible manner. E-commerce platforms are organized from their conception to meet these demands, so it is not surprising that today, they open up more easily to physical networks through external acquisitions or the creation of their own stores.
Responsible distribution
Reduction of carbon footprint, greenhouse gases, energy consumption, reduction of plastic packaging, fight against non-reusable packaging, product quality, social issues, data protection, fight against waste... the challenges are numerous to make the distribution sector more responsible. Often initiated by laws, initiatives are launched and innovations are implemented: return of deposits (reversal of the supplychain), implementation of so-called "bulk" products, disappearance of plastic bags, repackaging, awareness-raising actions. By setting up this type of action, supermarket chains wish to be recognized as responsible chains and attract new consumers.
Mechanization, automation & robotization
Mechanization, automation and robotization of logistics platforms are the main levers for improving productivity, responding to the difficulty of hiring during peaks in activity and reducing the drudgery of work by eliminating certain low value-added tasks. They allow distributors to stock more references, in sufficient quantity and to trace their operations inside and outside the warehouse. To achieve this, retailers are undertaking logistics transformation plans that require huge investments.
Inflation & decline in purchasing power
The tensions created by inflation and the drop in purchasing power will have a significant impact on the productivity of the retail sector over the next three years. In addition to this current economic situation, the French government has ordered to take charge of this problem by creating anti-inflation baskets to help the most modest categories. In order to face this problem, companies are re-inventing themselves to reduce costs: massification, volume effect with promotional actions, loyalty to private labels, reduction of internal costs, creation of central purchasing units, evolution of store concepts, relocation...
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Revolution of new economic models
In recent years, we have seen the return of the group model based on entrepreneurship to engage employees more sustainably and undertake deeper transformations of the company's services.
OUR EXPERTISE
Our consultants work at the heart of these transformations and are there to help you face these challenges. Bredhill Consulting is able to intervene on 3 main dimensions:
Analyze
Faced with a given transformation problem, quickly document scenarios, pragmatic and anchored in reality, while aligning the various stakeholders.
Transform
Based on an expressed need, carry out a transforming project, while being attentive to the strategic stakes of the mission, as well as to the other dimensions that will determine its success.
Reinforce
To provide you with a one-time reinforcement, because you are faced with a request that your internal teams do not have the capacity to handle.
Our expertise is built through 8 main skills detailed here.