Be nimble, be agile, take informed risks, and apply innovation to how you're using data in your business. That's the strategy of Garry Whatley, VP of IT and business services for Staples Australia, and it's been paying off.

Whatley believes that in the online retail industry, with high volume and large amounts of data, access to that data and analytics is essential. And to get this, the retailer would have to make a considerable investment in technology.

With a strong partnership in the past, Staples consulted with Cisco for expertise and implementation of a sturdy IT foundation. Together, they chose to implement the Intel? Xeon? processor-based Cisco? Unified Computing System? and the Cisco Business Warehouse Accelerator to deliver the most effective technologies to achieve its vision.

Upon implementation, Staples began its mission to gain a strategic advantage. Regular automated reporting now allows for visibility around performance levels, and inventory management is much simpler and more efficient with data transparency.

The investment has allowed Staples Australia to become more agile and respond to the insight they receive. In addition, customer service is progressing and inventory holding has been decreasing. And there's more to come. Staples will be integrating more functionality into its business operations, allowing for automation and breakdown reporting of sales, trends, and customer actions.

Read the full article fromUnleashing IT.