Data & Analytics

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears is offering a new service called Get Advice to members of its Shop Your Way omni-channel loyalty program. Shop Your Way members can post online requests for advice on shopping decisions and receive answers from both Sears associates and other loyalty members.

In addition to posting answers, members can also vote on answers they think are the most helpful. The service is designed to generate answers within minutes and currently is only open Shop Your Way members shopping at Sears and not Kmart.

Atlanta - Hooters of America LLC has activated Sparkfly to enhance and streamline the capabilities of its new HootClub loyalty program. Through the relationship with Sparkfly, Hooters will gain the ability to redeem digital promotions at any location, regardless of which POS technology is used.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. said that its Fry's Marketplace store in Phoenix marks the 500th Kroger location to earn the Energy Star designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy.

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. - Timesly, a facial detection time clock app for iPad, has launched, allowing employees to clock in or out of work by snapping their photo using Timesly’s FaceCheck technology. Now available for download via the App Store, FaceCheck uses the iPad’s camera to detect and hone in on the user, adding their picture to a log of every photo ever captured of that person.

FaceCheck will soon include true facial recognition technology, at no additional cost.

Waban, Mass. - The percentage of large organizations that have reached the two highest levels of customer experience maturity has grown from 6% in 2013 to 10% this year. During the same period, the percentage of companies in the lowest level of maturity has dropped from 40% to 31%, according to a new report from Temkin Group, “The State of Customer Experience Management 2014.”

Other findings include:

Paris – Lacoste has selected Manhattan Associates' Enterprise Order Management solution to orchestrate its omni-channel retail operations and facilitate the company's continued growth. With Manhattan's technology, Lacoste intends to deliver a consistent brand and unified shopping experience to its customers.

Thousand Oaks, Calif. — A 36,000-sq.-ft. Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market has opened at Thousand Oaks Marketplace in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Other Marketplace retailers include Chase Bank, Walgreens and Hampton Inn, with Subway and Great Clips slated to open soon. The center serves a daytime population of 75,498.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced Wednesday that its former president and CEO Lee Scott will not seek re-election to the company’s board of directors.

As well, current board member Chris Williams will not stand for re-election to the board of directors at Walmart’s Annual Shareholders’ meeting on June 6.