TESCO - CURRENT AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGICAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ADVANCEMENTS IN CONSUMER COMMUNICATION
Tesco will benefit from improved technological systems and machines with which stock is managed, finances and information is managed, communication is conducted, trading is conducted or which purchases are made.
Changes and advancement in information systems technology will help Tesco to communicate effectively with employees, customers and suppliers via emails, intranet or the internet. The IT department at Tesco will also experience an improvement in inventory management which tracks the quantity of every item that Tesco maintains as well as automatically prompting orders for additional stock when the actual stock falls below a certain level. Information Technology department manages the all data at Tesco which involves storing and sorting of data which can be accessed at any time for audit purposes or strategic planning. The databases at Tesco stores all information with regards to their customers, products and finances.
Self check-out machine at one of the Tesco stores
Club-Cards and Self-Checkout
Advancement in self-check-out technology at Tesco can reduce the number of employees needed to assist customers with their purchases and to handle cash. These machines can take cash and card payments as well as scanning the items being purchased which will update the inventory management system. This can help Tesco reduce their costs as the business does not have to cover salaries and insurance for employees and it can help increase speed efficiency. Personalized shopping is also a very important feature that Tesco is conducting, as the advancement in technology can help the business to provide a better customer service and therefore a better supply of products and services. The personalized shopping is made possible with the help of the Tesco club card which customers register with their details (e.g. name, age, address etc.), and the card it is swiped every time customers check-out in Tesco stores. Therefore, the business can learn more about their customer behavior and provide personalized and recommended products, promotions and offers to their customers based on their shopping history.
Tesco PLC tweet
Advancement in Consumer Communication
Communication among businesses and between business and customers has improved significantly over the years and is undergoing major changes, making communication faster, easier and more personal. Tesco can benefit from the use of the technological advancement in internet as the business can use social networking and other platforms to communicate directly to customers in a fashionable and innovative way. Websites and social networking enables Tesco will be able promote their services better and to advertise their offers in store, it also enables the business to network more effectively with customers in order to spread awareness and gain public interest. The official website of Tesco enables customers to access the business’ services (e.g. banking, on-line delivery etc.) much easier, as well as making the process of communicating the business in case of a complaint or inquiry through the website much effective and efficient. Tesco can communicate with their suppliers, business partners, investors, shareholders, employees and many more a great distances all over the world more effectively. This is possible as the internet can enable multiple parties from different locations to join a virtual conference for example, where the quality of sound and image is improved and the real-time connection is also more advanced, making communication in these virtual conferences much better.