IIM-A to help Nike in retail management

In an attempt to manage its retail store effortlessly, Nike has assigned an online project to the Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A), to develop a retail management software.

The software aims at creating a cohesive system based on Graphic User Interface (GUI), in order to offer a user-friendly system of managing the retail store. Using the software, the administration at the retail store can avail of various applications with fewer controls. “The user can easily access details related to a customer like payment details, purchases made in the past and other details which may aid the store in keeping a track of its regular customers, sales and other important data effortlessly,” said a source at IIM-A.

The three-month project will be completed by the first week of September, following which the software will be deployed at Nike’s retail outlet in Goa. According to the source, the software will ensure high data security and is less complex due to factors like less control.

“Earlier the entire exercise, based on MS DOS, was done through a direct entry by staff, which led to cases of losing important data about customers and other security threats. Also, the software used was based on an old model and allowed limited database storage and it was difficult to retrieve data,” the source said.

In the new programme, the store managers would be provided with a password to access the customer’s profile using an ID. “This software is quite user friendly and does not need any kind of training to use,” the source added.