Cross-channel solutions provider demonstrates extension of order management capabilities to mobile devices at NRF 2010
Cross-channel solutions provider demonstrates extension of order management capabilities to mobile devices at NRF 2010
Sterling Commerce, an AT&T Inc company, announced today that is has extended several of its key product capabilities to the Apple iPhone with the introduction of new mobile applications.
Two new Sterling mobile applications – Sterling Store Associate Mobile and Sterling Mobile Store Channel – will be demonstrated at the National Retail Federation Convention and Expo 2010 (NRF) in booth #2203.
These new applications enable anytime, anywhere access to capabilities of key Sterling Commerce offerings as part of the company’s strategy to extend its collaborative applications and integration solutions to mobile devices, it said. Its first mobile applications work with Sterling Selling and Fulfilment Suite, the company’s applications suite for orchestrating the entire inquiry-to-cash process, including order capture/management, logistics management and supply chain visibility.
Extending multichannel processes to mobile
“It’s only a matter of time before most people will have some sort of smart phone, similar to the way cell phones eventually became ubiquitous,” said Bob Irwin, president and chief executive of Sterling Commerce, “and the compelling user interface of the iPhone makes it the perfect venue for us to explore ‘the art of the possible’ by showing companies things they might not have even thought of doing or knew they could do with our solutions. We are excited to introduce our new mobile offerings at NRF because retailers are facing the greatest demand right now to make mobile devices the ‘fourth channel’, on top of in-store, web and call centre sales channels.”
By offering access to the company’s order management capabilities from a mobile device, the new mobile applications have been designed to help retailers enhance the cross-channel shopping experience and improve their ability to save the sale.
Sterling said the new apps would help consumers get the products they want when facing an out-of-stock situation, where Sterling Store Associate Mobile enables store staff to be more effective in meeting consumer needs by finding and reserving available-to-promise inventory and completing the sale from the mobile device, minimising customer wait time and inconvenience when stock is not immediately available. The new mobile application extends access to the capabilities of recently announced Sterling Always In Stock to the iPhone.
Consumers can also shop via their mobile device through a mobile store front, where Sterling Mobile Store Channel provides mobile commerce capabilities for retailers to build and deploy a mobile store presence that enables consumers to browse available products, find inventory, select their fulfilment method, and order and pay for products all from their mobile handheld device.
Putting the power in the hands of consumers
“Just as the Internet and e-commerce emerged as key elements of buying and selling more than decade ago, mobile capabilities and m-commerce are just another wave in how retailers and consumers can and want to leverage new technology in doing business,” said Jim Bengier, global Retail industry executive at Sterling Commerce.
“With a customer list that includes eight of the world’s top ten retailers, Sterling Commerce understands the key cross-channel challenges retailers face. These new mobile applications demonstrate our continued innovation in helping retailers deliver value in managing and executing their cross-channel experience accurately, securely, and more efficiently than their competitors.”
