Retail software specialist Retail Directions has teamed up with South African ICT services organisation Vexall to bring its world-class retail software to South African retailers.
Under the new partnership, Vexall will provide South African retailers with Retail Directions’ unified retail management platform, which operates around a central integrated database for fully connected, omnipresent retailing.
Using message queuing, this architecture will give retailers a single source of the truth, without making stores dependent on a centralised system.
The partnership also gives Vexall access to Retail Directions’ global network and knowledge base, which will be used to further develop the South African retail technology landscape.
“Our close engagement with Vexall presents both organisations with a valuable opportunity to fill a gap in the South African retail technology partner space,” said Andrew Gorecki, Managing Director at Retail Directions.
“Our combined technology and local support will help both fashion and general merchandise retailers in South Africa to build a resilient and easy to manage technology platform, which will underpin their retail operations,” Gorecki said.
“We have made a long-term commitment to the South African market, and have invested in our own people in the region to support Vexall and our retail clients in the region,” he said.
He also noted that they strategically chose South Africa because of its vibrant retail market and the availability of highly skilled people.
“When looking for a technology implementation partner in the region’s retail technology market, we chose Vexall because of their inherent
sector knowledge, customer-centric outlook, as well as their values, vision and work ethic reflecting our own,” he said.
The partnership brings together dedicated in-country support from both sides, amplified by Retail Directions’ global resources and continuous improvement projects, which are backed by the Australian Government’s research and development program.
“Vexall’s synopsis of South Africa’s fashion and general merchandise marketplace highlighted the need for a retail management system that offers an end-to-end yet modular solution, that is inherently rich in functionality, whilst continually evolving in-line with changing technology trends,” said Dewet Devenier, Operations Executive at Vexall.
Devenier also said the collaboration unlocks all these aspects while positioning a solution with flexible commercial models sensitive to South African market conditions.
However, he continued that the real value lies in the ability to offer a truly global retail management system, delivered by an in-country capability, inherently skilled and experienced in South African retail market conditions.
“Our partnership with Retail Directions is closely aligned with Vexall’s strategic objectives and we are excited at the opportunity to establish and develop a South African and African client base,” he concluded.
The partnership is set to provide significant benefits for the South African economy, such as Australian-backed investment, as well as joint investment in training, development, and recruitment for its South African employees.
“Together, Retail Directions and Vexall are now able to offer South African retailers a globally proven retail solution that will give them a foundation for growth, whilst helping them to improve the experience for both their customers and staff,” said Howard Barratt, Principal Consultant at Retail Directions in South Africa.
“In volatile economic times, we are keen to help South African retailers bring both resilience and innovation to their operations,” Barratt said.
“I am looking forward to developing our relationship and see this as the start of a long-term commitment between Retail Directions and Vexall,” he said.
Early this month, Retail Directions and Vexall announced that they have secured their first joint retail client in South Africa.
This article first appeared on Retail Learning Channel.
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