Retailers current reflecting and learning from challenges

The new coronavirus impact on businesses (and not only) forced the reviewing of the supply chains processes, considering autonomous warehouse solutions, inventory management techniques, autonomous inventory delivery, and robots use in retail. We are witnessing a quick evolution of BOPIS and BORIS, of the automated merchandising, of the meals on wheels , and even going beyond the standard vending machine offering, while considering practical considerations of an unstaffed operation, including the security concerns. Important scenarios to support future planning were launched, and there is no doubt about the need for a coherent consumer-centric business system within the enormous shift of the consumer behavior, learning from the best practices such as those promoted in time by ECR Community and The Consumer Goods Forum, adapted to the current context. It is now the time to also recognize essential workers, and to forge a retailers healthy work culture so as to adequately servicing customers. And while advancing from one crisis to another but unprecedented, being now on the road of recovery, reflecting and learning from challenges, it is important to look into the future with confidence, solidarity and empathy.