Retail Logistics – The last 50 Yards

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Retail Logistics – The last 50 Yards.

Retail logistics is constantly changing with the power to make or break a good business. East Yorkshire and the Humber IoD's latest Business Bites seminar will focus on the major innovations of recent years and the future developments business needs to harness.

'Retail Logistics – The Last 50 Yards' at Hull University Business School on April 29 at 5.30pm will focus on how business can employ innovation to improve their service and ultimately boost their profits.

Glyn Carter, Category Lead for Ambient Demand Planning at Morrisons, the Yorkshire supermarket giant, and Professor David Grant – from the Logistics Institute, Hull University Business School and a member of the British Retail Consortium – will share their insights into new developments and how business can harness them to boost bottom line.

'Shoppers want value, quality, convenience and service – a key element of which is product availability. When a product is out of stock, customers will react in various ways, from simply buying an alternative, to leaving the retailer and never returning. This event will help retailers understand where to start in terms of meeting customer needs,' said Glyn Carter.

Professor David Grant, Professor of Logistics and Associate Dean (Business Engagement), Hull University Business School, said: 'UK retail logistics is considered to lead the world, especially in the grocery sector. This excellence has however bred high expectations, and the UK customer is therefore one of the most demanding. This seminar will reflect upon a decade's worth of research into logistics customer service and present a current appreciation of the strategic connections and disconnections – particularly at the retail end of the supply chain.'

The seminar is the latest in the Business Bites series which brings together academic research and industry insight. The event will consider different ways of measuring and understanding customer availability, as well as providing observations about what retailers should do in future, versus what they are likely to do. Other issues to be explored will include the retailer impact of reducing product ranges, charging the full cost of products and services and educating consumers regarding wastage incurred from over-consumption.

Places are available to book now for the event which will be held at Hull University Business School on Monday 29 April from 5.30 to 7.00pm with refreshments and networking from 5pm. Spaces are free but should be booked in advance. For more information about the Business Bites series and to book, please visit www.hull.ac.uk/hubs or contact Pat Coyle at Rollits on 01482 337318 or pat.coyle@rollits.com

The subsequent seminar in the Business Bites series is scheduled for 8 July at Hull University Business School focusing on 'Organisational storytelling – talking the talk and walking the walk'. The Business Bites events are sponsored by Grant Thornton.