Guitar Center Deploys o9's Omni-Channel Merchandise Planning Solution
o9's intelligent decision management platform for retail is helping Guitar Center operate a next generation omni-channel merchandise planning process.
- (1888PressRelease) March 23, 2016 - o9's intelligent decision management platform for retail is helping Guitar Center operate a next generation omni-channel merchandise planning process.
Guitar Center's merchandising processes have undergone significant change in the last decade. Their merchandising processes historically have been operated under multiple brands and channels and their merchandise planning system has struggled to keep the pace with brand and channel needs and the unique challenges caused by selling a mix of new and used products. The merchandise planning struggles have caused productivity drain, disconnected planning and sub-optimal decisions. In 2014, Guitar Center's leadership embarked on a journey to transform their merchandising organization, processes and systems.
o9 Solutions was selected by Guitar Center in 2015 to implement the o9 Solutions next generation merchandise planning solution known as mPower. One of Guitar Center's key business criteria was the ability to deploy the system in time for the 2016 planning cycle. o9 had the advantage of being a multi-tenant cloud solution with a highly configurable front and back end, which allowed it to meet Guitar Center's aggressive timeline.
"As we went down the road to select a partner for our merchandising solution needs, we had a number of critical considerations. First, we wanted to select a partner who could not only fulfill our current needs, but also offer a complete solution for future needs. Second, user adoption was critical to our success. Third, speed and agility were key to achieving our business goals. We were impressed with mPower's breadth and capabilities and o9's speed and agility. We are excited by our initial success and the foundation it creates for a strong partnership in future," said Flynn Chernos, Senior Vice President, Planning at Guitar Center.
"Guitar Center needed to plan across multiple dimensions including brands, channels, categories, inventory segments and vendors. Meeting these needs required a flexible user front-end, modeling and computational framework. Our mPower platform was designed specifically for the next generation consumer-centric digital retail business processes. The opportunity to work with an iconic company like Guitar Center is a powerful validation of o9's mPower platform and retail expertise," said Vikas Goel, General Manager, Retail, at o9 Solutions.
About Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the world's largest retailer of guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards, recording, live sound, DJ, and lighting equipment. With 270 stores across the U.S. and one of the top direct sales websites in the industry, Guitar Center has helped people make music for more than 50 years. In addition, Guitar Center's sister brands included Music & Arts, which operates more than 140 stores specializing in band & orchestral instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students, and Musician's Friend, a leading direct marketer of musical instruments in the U.S. With an unrivaled in-store experience, an industry-leading online presence and passionate commitment to making gear easy-to-buy, Guitar Center is all about enabling musicians and non-musicians alike to experience the almost indescribable joy that comes from playing an instrument.
For more information about Guitar Center, please visit www.guitarcenter.com.
About o9 Solutions:
o9 Solutions is the leading provider of cloud Decision Management Solutions across Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain and Marketing. Recognizing that process adoption is key to driving value in large, complex organizations, we have focused our technology and delivery methodologies to drive viral adoption of decision processes that embed powerful, but simple to use, analytics, planning and performance management capabilities. We are on a mission to earn most valuable solutions partner status with 100% of our clients.
For more information, visit https://www.o9solutions.com/.
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