How to save on IT infrastructure in supermarkets?

Buying products today is a much broader experience than in the past, as in addition to involving values, the brand and the evaluation of the companies' services are also taken into account. For this, ensuring a good IT infrastructure , as well as the management of technology team services in supermarkets is a great strategy to stand out from the competition.

After all, the retail market that migrated to the internet expanded access to more customers in the digital environment. In this way, keeping production and logistics functional in a supermarket chain generates a lot of effort on a daily basis from IT professionals in controlling flows, managing professionals and in the demands that the consumer exposes in the search for quality products and services.

In this article, we are going to talk about the importance of managing IT services in supermarkets, evaluating costs and ways in which technology can contribute to facilitating this process, maintaining its quality and increasing business performance.

Good reading!

IT infrastructure management in supermarkets

Today's consumer profile is a customer who is hyperconnected. In other words, the daily consumption habits of people around the world include internet access, use of mobile devices and applications, price comparison services and product evaluation sites, for example.

To deal with these needs, it is necessary to equip those who work in the supermarket retail trade to be able to offer customers quick, uncomplicated, intuitive access and good communication .

The efficiency of managing IT services and infrastructure therefore includes not only the focus on the customer, but on the entire team of professionals who will ensure the variety of functions. 

Here are some of those supports:

1) Channel integration

Depending on your customer's profile, he can search prices digitally and make a physical purchase, for example, or the other way around.

Thus, integrating physical and virtual stores is a resource that brings more convenience. The customer can choose between buying the product online or picking it up at the physical store or even receiving it at home.

In this context, the infrastructure must be constantly improved to avoid bugs or problems in the transactions , preventing the consumer from having a bad experience, as would be the case, for example, of a purchase that was made virtually, but that there is no longer availability of the respective product in the physical store.

2) Payment Methods

And when it comes to making the payment, the more options available, the greater the chances of pleasing the customer in your supermarket.

The innovation in payment methods guarantees more security to the consumer , with the use of applications and purchases by credit and debit card. In addition to convenience for the customer, who can choose the payment method that is best for him.

Digital payments made by approaching a cell phone, using apps from banks and digital wallets, smart watches with apps, payment by QR Code, payment with a camera or automatic transaction are trends that are gaining more and more adherence.

3) Information security

It is not today that companies have suffered from hacker attacks. Last year, a Swedish supermarket chain had to close its nearly 800 stores after a cyberattack paralyzed cashiers.

However, you shouldn't be less reassured because the cyber attack was abroad. According to data from Avast , the probability of finding any type of malware on a corporate computer today, in Brazil, is 17%.

In the survey, it is possible to identify that from small to large entrepreneurs, everyone is being targeted by hackers, especially those who still do not have active data security practices in their business.

Reducing IT infrastructure costs without losing quality in processes, is it possible?

Yea! The management of IT services and infrastructure is a one-way street for small, medium or large businesses that are looking to grow even more and bring security to their services.

Here are some tips to reduce your IT infrastructure costs and keep your business on the rise: 

1) Invest in Digital Transformation

According to surveys carried out by the Sociedade Brasileira de Varejo e Consumo (SBVC), the supermarket sector has been one of the most affected by thefts, robberies and operational declines in almost 2% of revenues, and the poor management of resources focused on security is the main reason .

As a solution, many managers have adhered to automated management systems to gain more control of all stages of sales production to improve the relationship with the consumer. In the survey, we see that this type of integration innovation in different areas, with real-time information can generate savings of more than 80% for those who work in the retail trade .

If you are interested in learning more, sign up and participate in Sky.One Connect and check exclusively what are the main innovation trends in retail.

2) Process automation

It is a process that removes excessive attention from employees in the production of activities and ensures improvement in production time, more agility and technological control.

Tools, such as inventory and cash control, for example, are capable of accelerating your company's processes , without the need to make large investments and still bring several benefits to your day-to-day life, such as:

• centralize company information;
• minimize service failures;
• reduce spending on IT infrastructure and staff;

3) Optimization of IT services

It is an intelligent condition to allow a specialized group to promote process improvements in line with defined strategies.

Normally, supermarkets that opt ​​for an outsourcing service in order to optimize operational and non-strategic activities rely on quality results , as they have actions in line with the specific needs of the business in their hands.

The logic is that a group of external specialists can streamline many of the internal processes, without the need to replace the internal team, which will be 100% focused on the most strategic demands.

In addition, the majority of operational processes remain with the partner, allowing your internal team's resources and time to be directed to the most essential areas of the business.

4) Migration to the cloud

Having the company in the cloud reduces costs with equipment, use of physical space, and includes even less software acquisition, systems updating and enables shared information anywhere in the world with internet.

Entire supermarket chains that choose to migrate their IT infrastructure to the cloud eliminate the daily need for downloads, manual backups, installations, maintenance and updates of software and hardware in their domains .

In addition, the cloud today is one of the safest solutions for storing confidential company information.

Innovate retail cost-effectively and efficiently by migrating to the cloud

Agility – Having IT infrastructure in the cloud speeds up file access and sharing, with efficient search engines, good cybersecurity practices and effective support from cloud experts.

Security – data systems in the cloud are controlled by cryptography and firewalls that do not allow access by unauthorized persons, allowing the management of IT services in a secure way for the company and the customer.

Support – being in the cloud, the system can undergo online maintenance, without the need to hire a specific IT team for this purpose.

Updating – the integrated system with other supports constantly undergoes improvements to improve user access and ensures more competitiveness in the market.

Auto.Sky : a solution to reduce costs and optimize IT infrastructure with the pace of retail

With a reduction of up to 70% in expenses with IT infrastructure, Auto.Sky is already the ideal solution for more than 1,000 companies.

The purpose of the tool is to boost market innovation and modify the use of information technologies, reducing costs with projects planned in a unique way for each company. 

In addition, Auto.Sky eliminates resources that are not being used. This mechanism ensures the best use of the cloud, reducing costs when compared to static deployments .

Learn more about Auto.Sky , Sky One's technology platform that takes your business to the cloud with efficiency, performance and cost reduction: 

Do you want to know how Auto.Sky can be the technology you need to optimize the management of IT services in your company, reducing costs without losing quality?

Access here