SAP Retail Forum—Brooks Brothers transforms IT environment

New York –- Brooks Brothers is currently one-third of the way through an IT transformation based on SAP technology. In a presentation and also in an exclusive one-on-one interview with Chain Store Age at the recent SAP Retail Forum in New York, Sahal S. Laher, executive VP/global CIO of Brooks Brothers, explained how the retailer is becoming a more customer-focused organization.



“If you’re our best customer in Tokyo and you come to our store on Madison Avenue, we need to know who you are,” said Laher.



Brooks Brothers is using various pieces of the SAP enterprise suite to upgrade its capabilities in areas including supply chain, replenishment, assortment, CRM, call center, and in-store customer service.



“We’re creating a customer master database that records all interactions across all channels, not just sales,” said Laher. “We need to know your alterations, special orders, and complaints – including those on social media. The ultimate challenge is, how do you grow your consumer base?”



As an example of how Brooks Brothers is working toward growing its customer base through heightened understanding and personalized service, the retailer is developing a mobile clienteling app, based on the SAP Mobile platform, which will allow store associates to obtain real-time insights and make real-time offers based on individual customer preferences.

Laher said Brooks Brothers expects all the critical building blocks of its new IT environment to be in place in the next 18-24 months. Other capabilities the retailer expects to roll out include omnichannel fulfillment and real-time inventory visibility.