Topic: Using IT for Strategic Purposes
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For this discussion I will be talking about Nordstrom’s Mobile POS System. Nordstrom mission has existed since 1901, and has been “committed to providing our customers with the best possible service—and to improving it every day.” (About Nordstrom, n.d.) Nordstrom has used information technology to create a mobile point of sale (POS) which allows Nordstrom employees to check out customers from anywhere in the store using a “modified iPod” (Clay, 20120) by scanning the purchase and allowing the customer to pay with a credit card right then and there. This was created as a sales tactic, to avoid people who are standing in long lines to re-think their decision to purchase the item and leave the store without purchasing it. (Clay,2012) This app not only allows employees to check out customers anywhere in the store, but also allows them to check the store’s inventory to check the availability of items a customer is interested in purchasing or exchanging. Not only does the point-of-sale make it easier than ever to purchase items, but the company has also seen an increase in sales since they started implementing it. (Clay, 2012) Nordstrom has partnered with Infor, a software company, for integration into the cloud. (Infor, 2017) Chief Information’s Officer, Dan Little states: “It’s crucial that we have the right technology in place today and in the future to improve our customer experience”. (Infor, 2017) It is Nordstrom’s goal to improve customer experience, and therefore have chosen to partner with Infor to make this goal achievable through cloud integration. (Infor, 2017) Nordstrom has continued to grow and adapt with ever evolving technology, and is continuing to improve their POS system “to be more accurate and consistent across multiple locations, attend to customers more quickly, and better manage and track information.” (Amato-Mccoy, 2017) Nordstrom has used information technology for strategic purposes to increase their overall revenue, and customer experience. It did so by developing a system that is capable of improving sales, revenue, reducing check-out lines, easier access to inventory, and improve overall customer experience.
