Retail
IoT for retail is all about improving the experience for the customer. The retailer can engage with the customer in a way that improves the customer experience rather than bombarding them with offers that they may or may not want.
- Customer can access information about a product instantly rather than having to ask a member of staff who will probably not know the answer or have to go find someone else.
- Stock re-orders itself, shelves let staff know when they need re-stocking rather than staff having to constantly check. Products look after themselves i.e. fruit can detect if it has been left un-refrigerated for too long or needs to be out on the shop floor. Products can activate a sale automatically and announce it on screens around the store when it gets close to it use by date. All this leaves staff more time to interact with the customer in a useful way to improve the overall experience. One day staff may even know more about their products than the customer…or is this a little optimistic 🙂
Warehouse picking
With the introduction of augmented reality via eye ware such as google glasses and Vizux m100 applications such as warehouse picking can become much more efficient.
Self-aware operation
This involves machines detecting their own faults and even predicting when a fault will happen. It then orders this part automatically and calls for the engineer when the fault happens. This is all done by the use of various sensors to check temperature or increase usage etc.
All this is controlled within your SAP environment by the SAP work manager.
Connecting the IoT with SAP, using the precision marketing engine
The SAP precision marketing engine helps implement this functionality. It deals with the Who, what, where, when so that you can automate the process of sending targeted offers, all based on information you have collected. It also enables the self-aware supply chain. This involves instantly sending out alerts when restocking of products is required. Produces picking lists for delivery driver, alerts driver if more important re-stocking issue is highlighted during his journey.
The 2 SAP products that implement this functionality are:
- SAP retail execution
- SAP direct store delivery
