Belk enlists Accenture in search to be seamless

An omnichannel transformation initiative underway at department store retailer Belk is being executed with the aid of Accenture following a recent agreement between the operator of 300 stores and the global management consultancy.

Accenture has worked with Belk previously, but the recently announced agreement brings the consultant and retailer closer together as Belk looks to improve on its ability to provide customers a more seamless experience as part of its wide-ranging Omnichannel Transformation Initiative.

“Customers have many ways to choose to shop with us, and this project helps us ensure our brand, our service and our fashion assortments are reflected across all channels,” said John R. Belk, president and COO of the retailer. “We selected Accenture because of their multichannel retail experience and ability to offer us additional specialized resources and capabilities. This collaboration will help us deliver these new features faster and at a lower cost than we could have achieved alone.”

Under the agreement, Accenture will help Belk ensure that products in both stores and warehouses appear available whether the customer is shopping online or in-store, reducing the possibility that a sale is missed because the product appears to be out of stock in a specific location. The program will also include planning the implementation of a new digital platform, improving the customer experience on Belk.com, growing Belk’s customer analytics capability and integrating its operations to help it operate consistently across multiple shopping channels.

According to Accenture, its work for Belk is being delivered using Accenture Seamless Retail Services, an end-to-end business service that helps retailers become integrated digital enterprises. Enabled by accurate and timely data, analytic insights are used to revamp traditional approaches to marketing, pricing, promotion, assortment and fulfillment. This business service combines Accenture’s global industry experience with leading retail assets and technologies, analytics, and specialized talent, to deliver outcomes as a service and offer retailers a fast and flexible route to achieving seamlessness across multiple channels, according to Accenture.

“Increasingly shoppers are demanding a seamless experience across multiple shopping channels but for most retailers that is not something they can establish overnight. We are pleased to work with Belk on this important program to deliver on its customers’ expectations,” said Nathanial Fry, a managing director in Accenture’s retail practice.