Artificial Intelligence

The Container Store credits its “employees-first” culture as integral to its success, believing that if you make employees your highest priority, they in turn will take better care of customers. It’s a business model that extends to all facets of the chain’s operations — including the decision to deploy a voice-directed warehouse picking system.

Armonk, N.Y. -- A survey released Thursday by IBM found that chief marketing officers and chief information officers must join forces in order to connect with today’s consumer across new channels including mobile devices and social networks.

The phrase “big data,” is all the rage these days and IBM made a major move to drive growth.

The retail industry has long been chastised for not moving fast enough when it comes to technology innovation. Perhaps we are now making up for lost time as the industry has changed rapidly over the past ten years alone and retailers are investing in new solutions to keep pace. The evolution of technology has not only changed the way consumers shop, but changed the way retailers respond and how they operate.

The University of Arkansas Radio Frequency Identification Research Center will soon have a larger and permanent home following the unveiling this week of design plans for the new facility.

Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM announced it has completed its acquisition of Tealeaf Technology, a provider of digital customer experience management and customer behavior analysis solutions.

The acquisition extends IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative with qualitative analytics software that helps organizations deliver an optimal digital experience to their customers via the web and mobile devices.

Technology continues to transform every aspect of society and the delivery of health care is no exception with Smart Care Doc branded clinics inside select Walmart stores now offering patients the ability to video conference with doctors.

BCS Global and Telemed Ventures this week announced they had teamed up to deliver deliver “cloud-based managed visual collaboration services” to Walmart’s Retail Clinics. Telemed operates Walmart clinics under the Smart Care Doc brand and BCS Global is provider of videoconferencing services.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart is piloting a test program with En-Vision America to offer ScripTalk, a talking prescription system that provides those who cannot read standard print a safe and easy way to access the information on their prescriptions. ScripTalk is currently being offered to customers with visual impairments across the country through Walmart Mail Order and in three Walmart test stores. The program is free to Walmart pharmacy customers who are blind or visually impaired.