Web seminar to demonstrate web-based retail solutions from Intel and Scient

Intel Corp., the world’s largest manufacturer of computer chips and the global leader in e-business revenue, will conduct a web seminar on Nov. 8 to offer a critical look at retail business issues and a preview of the new Decision Dashboard solution platform, which links all phases of retail information management-—from local store sales, to retail headquarters marketing and financial data, to production details of the manufacturers in a retailer’s global supply chain.

The online presentation, co-sponsored by Intel and Internet Retailer, is expected to draw hundreds of retailing and cataloging executives, who will get their first detailed explanation of how they can use the all-encompassing retail e-business platform to increase sales and reduce inventory costs. Registration for the free web seminar is available at http://www.regsvc.com/intelretail/

Intel unveiled the program last July in a joint announcement with Scient Corp., the e-business consulting and project management firm which teamed with Intel to develop the end-to-end e-business solution for retailers at the joint Scient-Intel Solution Center at Scient’s Atlanta office. Based on Intel’s e-business systems architecture, the Decision Dashboard integrates into a single system hardware and software applications from several leading retail technology companies, including Manugistics Group Inc., Mercari Technologies Inc. and Microsoft Corp. Representatives from Intel, Scient and Mercari will participate in the hour-long web seminar, which will be chaired by Jeff Roster, senior retail analyst at Gartner Dataquest.

Believed to be one of the most complete web-based retail solutions packages ever assembled, the Decision Dashboard provides retailers with real-time data on sales down to the individual store and SKU, inventory levels at stores and warehouses, consumer response to a wide variety of marketing programs, and customer service activity at stores, call centers and retail web sites. Using secure Internet links to the same platform, manufacturers from around the world which supply the retailer are provided with the same sales, marketing and inventory information for the purpose of setting optimum manufacturing schedules, programming web-based reordering systems and responding quickly to restocking emergencies. The web-based system also supports in-store retailing functions such as merchandising and account management, staffing management and data collection through wireless devices.

The package will run on Intel-based systems, and Scient will lead the implementation at customer sites. Third party models indicate that a retailer’s investment in the Decision Dashboard will yield a greater than 60% return within two years through faster reaction to market trends and merchandising programs, more efficient planning and forecasting by the retailer and its suppliers and by the elimination of costly stockouts. “By using the Internet to integrate software and process solutions across companies, Scient and our collaborators can deliver significant additional cost and time savings,” said David H. Friedman, global managing partner of Scient’s Retail and Consumer Goods Practice.

The Decision Dashboard combines services, features and technologies from the following companies:
Scient Corp., New York, www.scient.com, Business consulting, interface design, project management and integration services
Intel Corp., Santa Clara, CA, www.intel.com, - Marketing, advertising and sales collaboration, and assistance with customer implementation. Systems provided by OEMs also contain Intel Xeon and Pentium 4 processors
Epicentric Inc., San Francisco, www.epicentric.com, Business portal software to serve as the common user interface and open application, for the deployment and management of web services
Manugistics Group Inc., Rockville, MD, www.manugistics.com, Supply chain collaboration and pricing optimization applications
Mercari Technologies Inc., Washington, DC, www.mercaritech.com, Merchandising technology that optimizes shelf space and product assortment; integrates with supply chain information and processes
ProAct Technologies Corp., White Plains, NY, www.proacttechnologies.com, Employee management software
Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA. www.microsoft.com, Operating and database systems.