Hou Yang (Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Global; Chairman and CEO, Microsoft Greater China)
In China, the retail and consumer sectors are highly digitized. Many companies began working with big data at an early stage, accumulating vast data reserves that now provide fertile ground for the implementation of intelligent solutions.
Looking ahead, intelligent technologies will profoundly reshape retail and consumption in four ways: customer-facing advertising and marketing; data-driven decision-making within enterprises; improved operational efficiency; and enhanced user experiences, enabling consumers to enjoy better shopping journeys.
Take our collaboration with large supermarket chains as an example: intelligent applications help standardize processes and management from the ground up. By embedding the full range of store data and processes into smart systems—ranging from company-wide frameworks down to specific practices like how a new store handles vegetable procurement and shelf management—we are able to drive efficiency across the board.