Accenture expands retail practice with Javelin purchase, digital center

London - Accenture is expanding its retail practice with an agreement to acquire Javelin Group, a U.K.-based retail strategy consulting and digital transformation services provider. The acquisition will expand the capabilities of Accenture Strategy to help retailers and consumer brands accelerate their digital transformation.



Javelin Group is a specialist integrated retail strategy and digital transformation consulting firm, employing more than 160 people. It offers a range of strategy services including digital market assessment and potential evaluation, digital performance improvement, omnichannel retail planning, retail analytics, supply chain fulfilment and operations, as well as location and international expansion strategy. It also provides digital technology consulting and systems implementation and support services.



In addition, Accenture has opened the new Accenture Interactive Innovation Center in Sophia-Antipolis, France, At the center, Accenture will demonstrates to clients how new opportunities are emerging as a result of increased digital customer interactions and how they can apply the latest digital technologies to capitalize on these opportunities.



The center is designed to focus on both the emotional and analytical implications of future digital experiences. Accenture clients will be invited into the center for one-day innovation workshops that will be tailored to the industry they operate in, the particular company’s needs and the business challenges the company faces. During these workshops, Accenture will showcase the impact of several factors, including, social media, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence on marketing, sales and customer service.



The center also offers two-day service and experience design workshops called Rumbles, a proprietary highly structured and disciplined brainstorm format, designed to create a high number of qualified ideas. Rumbles make full use of the Accenture Interactive Innovation Center to prototype and test digital customer journeys and brainstorm and observe their impact on business performance and results.



Terms of the Javelin acquisition were not disclosed, and completion of the acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.