by Delaney Consulting | Feb 22, 2023 | Merchandising, Operations, Strategy
The glittering goal of store-specific assortments and planograms beckon retailers and I wonder: can retailers over-optimize? When I see retail technology roadmaps and capacity planning, there seems to be a real danger that the corporate office may be equipping itself... 
by Delaney Consulting | Jan 10, 2023 | Customer Service, Operations
Is a focus on omnichannel retailing taking away focus from Customer Service and the Lost Art of Conversation? While I will be at NRF next week to be dazzled with technology and retail innovation, I see a troubling trend in shopper experiences in our stores. In... 
by Delaney Consulting | Nov 29, 2022 | Managing Projects, Operations
Retailers who select new systems make several common mistakes with their RFP’s. But there is one that stands out. I see it repeated everywhere I go. Here is how to avoid it. And make sure your next expensive investment pays out. No test drive. Imagine you were... 
by Delaney Consulting | Aug 23, 2022 | Customer Service, Managing, Merchandising, Operations
If you read your fair share of retail blog posts, you know they all start out the same: post-covid, professional shoppers, omnichannel shopping, new shopper expectations, supply chain…all of the buzz words. In this post, I want to focus on how Space Planning... 
by Delaney Consulting | Aug 16, 2022 | Managing, Operations, Strategy
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported reported a 7.5% decline in labor productivity during the first quarter of 2022. The steepest decline since 1947. I was not surprised. But apparently a whole lot of people excited by high US job growth in June were.... 
by Delaney Consulting | May 2, 2022 | Merchandising, Operations
Photograph by Miller Zell – Red circles and numbers added for emphasis. Here is the perfect image to explain how Walmart makes Space Management work for customers. As explained here, Miller Zell helped the Swipe Up program become a part of its store of the...