Business Intelligence (BI)

Retailers should take advantage of the constant availability of data created by near-ubiquitous mobile penetration among consumers, advised Michael Olmstead, director, Plug and Play Retail, a Silicon Valley-based global start-up accelerator and investor.

“Our generation has a constant in-flow of information, much of which we receive on our mobile electronics,” said Olmstead.

Bob Russo, general manager, PCI Security Standards Council, offers the following advice about complying with PCI Data Security Standards, including the upcoming October 2015 deadline for U.S. retailers to accept cards with Europay, MasterCard, Visa (EMV)-compliant chips.

No Single Security Solution: “As evidenced by recent high-profile breach incidents, keeping payment data secure in today’s world is an increasingly complex challenge,” explained Russo.

As the traditional CFO role expands beyond accounting and compliance to a more strategic role and partner to the CEO, the capabilities that future CFOs will need to bring to the table are also evolving.

Albany, N.Y. – The global Big Data market, worth $6.3 billion in 2012, is expected to reach a value of $48.3 billion in 2018. According to a new study from Transparency Market Research, a year-on-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40.5% during the period 2012-2018 will produce that figure.

New York -- Consumers consider social media a less important part of their customer journey – from awareness to post-sale activity – compared to two years ago, according to a survey by Capgemini, a leading provider of consulting, technology and outsourcing services.

Dodgeville, Wis. - Lands' End Business Outfitters has launched a new online customer shopping experience. The new website provides functionality that lets business customers do everything from seeing how their logo looks on a selected fabric to managing account information and accessing order history.

Oklahoma City, Okla. – In a Sept. 23 webinar hosted by Chain Store Age and sponsored by Microsoft Dynamics and Junction Solutions, marital arts training equipment retailer Century Martial Arts explained how by using a Microsoft Dynamics AX business intelligence platform, it is able to better track trends and predict future performance.

London - Shopitize, a U.K.-based provider of mobile, interactive shopping intelligence, is using Tableau's visual analytics to provide actionable insight into consumers' brand-specific shopping baskets. Shopitize is providing brand partners with access to real-time retail intelligence.

Three executives at Hormel Foods will be advancing to new roles as of Oct. 28.

Mark D. Vaupel, currently director of information technology services, will advance to VP of information technology services. Swen Neufeldt, currently director of business development in Asia, general manager of China and VP of Hormel Foods International, will advance to president of Asia Pacific, Hormel Foods International. And Jeffrey A. Grev, currently director of corporate development, will advance to director of legislative affairs.

Salt Lake City -- Mexican restaurant chain Taco John’s is partnering with InMoment, a cloud-based customer experience optimization platform that gives companies the ability to listen to and engage with customers to improve business results. InMoment is providing the technology for Tell TJ, Taco John’s guest satisfaction survey program.