IRCE 2009 Session Descriptions

Listed below is the individual session description. To view a speakers' bio simply click the links inside the session description.

Day Two—June 16, 2009: Track A: Managing Technology

Managing Technology: Cost-Effective Approaches in an Era of Tight Budgets
Track Chaired By: Bernardine Wu, CEO, FitForCommerce
Technology is never a set-it-and-forget-it proposition. From the selection through implementation and operation, technology requires constant management. This track will guide retailers through the management process, from determining which investments will provide the greatest return, to managing vendor relationships, doing it yourself and making sure you have the right personnel to make it all work.

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM

The DIY approach: Why and how some retailers do it all in-house

Gene Alvarez, Vice President, Gartner Inc.

Paul Holstein, Vice President & COO, CableOrganizer.com

Some retailers believe there's nothing like direct control over their destiny. This session features a retailer who took technology into his own hands. He will explain why he did what he did, what it took to do it and the challenges and benefits of doing things in-house. He will be joined by a technology analyst who will walk attendees through what they need to take into account when they plan to create software and potential pitfalls.