Dynamics 365 Commerce centralised operations features
Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the retail sector. Consumers are making changes to their shopping habits, moving from in-store purchasing to online shopping, which is resulting in a surge in demand for safer, low or no contact purchasing options, offered through online shopping.
Forward-thinking retailers will pursue an omnichannel approach and adopt modern tools and insights to close the gap between online and offline channels and to capture their consumers in a way that works for them.
However, bringing together historically isolated and disconnected shopping channels to deliver seamless and engaging shopping experiences is not an easy undertaking. Scalable and secure systems, such as Dynamics 365 Commerce, are critical for success.
This article focuses on the centralised operations features in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Commerce that enable retailers to centralise and unify business processes across channels, driving operational excellence with cross-channel intelligence.
Centralised operations features in Dynamics 365 Commerce
Optimised merchandising
Channel management – Define and control configuration across all channels from a central location. Centralised control and oversight of channel configurations and performance greatly improve efficiency and situational awareness while supporting your retail business.
Cross channel intelligence and analytics – Dynamics 365 Commerce uses Power BI to enable retailers to visually identify cross-channel trends in customer demand and market competition to merchandise more effectively.
Continuity programmes – Dynamics 365 Commerce includes continuity programmes capability to allow you to define and offer subscriptions to your customers. Offering subscriptions is a proven way to increase yearly revenue and customer loyalty.
Effective inventory and supply chain management
Centralised inventory management – The supply chain is the lifeline of any retail organisation. Dynamics 365 Commerce helps with centralising inventory operations and removing warehouse and channel-based siloes, giving a real-time view of purchase order statuses, stocks counts, warehouse details, and inventory levels. With built-in predictive intelligence, the platform helps forecast demands while monitoring in-store orders and sales.
Optimal inventory-level maintenance – A key component to inventory optimisation is ensuring the right product is in the right location, at the right time and the right price. The automatic replenishment feature in Dynamics 365 Commerce allows retailers to get visibility and maintain optimal inventory levels in their stores and warehouses.
Centralised omnichannel business processes – Retailers need to ensure that the present customer, product, pricing, and promotion information is consistent across channels. Dynamics 365 Commerce centralises omnichannel business processes and allows you to centrally manage all your channels from a single interface.
Comprehensive order fulfilment
Pricing and promotion management – Retailers can utilise a robust set of core product, pricing, and promotions management capabilities in Dynamics 365 Commerce. The platform supports specific business objectives, including category and channel-specific pricing, as well as category, product, or catalogue-specific promotions.
Distributed order management – Dynamics 365 Commerce has distributed order management capabilities that automatically determine the best possible fulfilment location across warehouses, distribution centres, or stores based on user-definable profiles containing rules, scope, and delivery methods.
Embedded intelligence
Business insights and analytics – In a fast-changing retail world, organisations need to be able to react quickly and make swift decisions. By digesting and learning from the data that’s inputted into it, Dynamics 365 Commerce can make predictions and display this through Power BI. You can embed Power BI into your workspace and Model KPIs with Application Explorer.
Fraud protection – Dynamics 365 Commerce can integrate with Dynamics 365 Fraud Protection. Dynamics 365 Fraud Protection combines world-class AI and fraud protection technology and a depth of valuable data. The core differentiators include device fingerprinting, operations research, a fraud protection network, and knowledge exchange with banks.
Account protection – Merchants can assess whether attempts to create new accounts or sign in to their retail systems are fraudulent. Risk assessments can be used by the customer to block or challenge suspicious attempts to create new fake accounts or to compromise existing accounts.