Case Study : Walmart
1) Where does Walmart use IT solutions give examples of their solutions?
2) How IT and IS may be used to help the company operate and achieve its objectives.
3) Discuss the challenges faced by the \( \mathrm{ClO} \) - which are the most important and why?
4) What role does information technology play in the business? How is it helping Walmart refine its business strategies?
5) What are the benefits Walmart gained from using IS and IT solutions?
6) Summarize the main purposes of information systems in organizations.
As a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer, Walmart began digital transformation when they opened an online marketplace. However, digital transformation is an ongoing process-it doesn't end at the first website. A digital transformation means companies refocus their operations around digital technology-and this usually happens both internally and in a customer-facing way. The use of high-tech Information technology has always been an essential ingredient for Walmart's growth. Since its inception, it has used the IT systems well enough for the Inventory, administrative, customers, suppliers management and marketing. For customer engagement, Walmart set up mobile apps and a website to allow customers to purchase goods online. After analyzing customer behavioral information from their app, they added more services such as same-day pickup, mobile ordering. and "buy now, pay later." They acted fast and made concrete changes to improve the customer experience. Waimart's head of mobile marketing. Sherry Thomas-Zon, notes how critical data-and access to data-are to digital operations. "Our marketing and product teams are always looking at numbers," Thomas-Zon said. "You can't work quickly without a sell-service data and analytics tool for marketing, especially in an organization as large as Walmart. It keeps our teams agile, despite our size and the increasing amount of data we collect and analyze." To automate administrative tasks, Walmart prioritized data access for everyone on their teams. Breaking down internal silos allowed employees to take ownership of the data, modify, update and delete. For inventory management, Walmart developed a well-equipped computerized Point of Sale (POS) system capable of identifying each unit sold, creation of accurate sales receipt and storing all the information item-by-item for sales analysis and inventory reordering purposes. It helped company to avoid overstocking of merchandize through effective information usage and also assisted them in investing in only those merchandize that were profitable. It has also helped them figure out best selling products and prospective products that customers want. Analysts say that it is Walmart's Point of Sale system that has helped them achieve the world's largest market share and revenues in retail industry. Walmart, in 2004, was the first in retail industry to adopt electronic radio trequency identification (RFID) tags tor inventory distribution management, AFID technology, which is stall being used, helps them keep track of inventory movement across its supply chain. Walmart was trailing K Mart in 1980 s but with the adoption of latest technologies, it has now become the trend sother in retail industry all over the world. Walmart is currently working on a project to make best out of wireless technology. In near future, they have plans to develop a remote system that would allow customers to just wakk into their store and use their own devices (Phones or PDA's) to get whatever they want. Le. they might go onine to their websile, while at the store, and find things for themselves or just compare the products' prices etc. Customer service, best shopping environment and experience, ono-stop shopping, best value products, customer conwenience of online shopping, good customer relations are the blessings that Walmart provides using cutting-edge technology. Latest wireless system at their stores, online web retaling, vast width and hierarchy of product items, and slores at multiple remote sises are the benefits customers of Walmart cherish. Walmart has got a strategic plan of introducing a concept of self-service. Self-service technology. aimed at eliminating paper and paper forms, will be provided to their associates, prospective associates, cussomers and members, It was said by Kevin Tumer, CEO of Walmart's subsidiary corporation, in his interview with 'ClO' personnel that "having an associate portal and devices on our sales floors will let customers and members get product information, and let us do computerassisted seling". For evaluating new technologies, they are always plugged into research and development labs of their key suppliers Ike Cisco, IBM, NCR, ATST or HP in order to get current with latest technologies and drive the future for themselves. Walmart has been outstanding in its investments in Information technology from all prospects. It systems at Walmart allow them to reduce transactional as well as operational costs at their distribution centers and it has also helped them to suppont Walmart's long-term strategy of owning the distrbution centers and maintaining long-term relationships wath their suppliers. Also, improvement in productivity due to IT systems is dramatic at Walmart, It has helped them ofler products at such a nominal cost that a small town merchant is unable to provide and this is remarkable achievement of Waimart. It has become a sustainable competive advantage for them over their competitors and a reason of their growth and profitability. We are aware of a fact that every benefit is accompanied with some problem but Waimart has successfully defied its weakresses and have used its strength well to tave advantage from the prospective opportunities and awoiding possible threats. Case Study : Walmart 1) Where does Walmart use IT solutions give examples of their solutions? 2) How IT and IS may be used to help the company operate and achieve its objectives. 3) Discuss the challenges faced by the ClO - which are the most important and why? 4) What role does information technology play in the business? How is it helping Walmart refine its business strategies? 5) What are the benefits Walmart gained from using IS and IT solutions? 6) Summarize the main purposes of information systems in organizations
